{"id":31413,"date":"2022-04-20T09:30:53","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T13:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/?p=31413"},"modified":"2025-01-10T08:58:59","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T13:58:59","slug":"gluten-free-soft-pretzels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/gluten-free-soft-pretzels\/","title":{"rendered":"Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels"},"content":{"rendered":"

These Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels have an amazing texture - very accurate to the full-gluten thing! - and taste like the real thing!<\/p>\n

Originally posted Oct 4, 2021, updated April 20, 2022.<\/i><\/p>\n

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This gluten-free pretzel recipe - and blog post - is the result of MUCH frustration, trying to get things just right - it\u2019s definitely a \u201choly grail\u201d recipe for me!\t\t<\/p>\n

I\u2019d been trying for so long to come up with gluten-free versions of traditional risen bread products for a while, and it was frustrating - I didn\u2019t succeed with ANY to include in my first gluten-free cookbook, Beyond Flour.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t give up, though, and continued experimenting with different recipes, hoping to perfect a risen bread - bagels, pretzels, whatever - before releasing Beyond Flour 2.<\/p>\n

When it finally happened - and I came up with a soft pretzel dough that WORKED - I basically lost my mind all over social media, including posting a >barely-coherent video of me repeatedly squishing a piece to show how soft it was!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Look at that texture!<\/p><\/div>\n

I was in shock - these gluten-free soft pretzels were SO good, and definitely scratched the mall pretzels itch! <\/p>\n

No, the homemade pretzel dough isn\u2019t quite as easy to work with as regular dough - most gluten free doughs aren\u2019t - but these definitely come close to replicating the real deal. <\/p>\n

You can even do the recipe up as gluten free soft pretzel bites - more on that in a bit.<\/p>\n

The only attribute these lack is that the texture of these homemade soft pretzels isn\u2019t the best at room temperature - they really firm up.<\/p>\n

These gluten free pretzels are at their best fresh out of the oven, but are also great reheated. You know, much like full-gluten soft pretzels. \ud83d\ude42\t<\/p>\n

Serve it up with my mustard-cheddar cheese dip - easy recipe below - as a special treat!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Ingredients<\/h2>\n

Gluten Free Flour Blend<\/h4>\n

When it came to designing the gluten free flour blend to make these soft pretzels, the missing piece of the puzzle ended up being the protein. <\/p>\n

High protein gluten-free flours weren\u2019t giving me the flavour I wanted, while lower protein flours weren\u2019t giving me the texture I wanted. <\/p>\n

As I was mixing up a protein shake one morning, it hit me - protein powder might work.<\/p>\n

A quick cruise on Amazon found me exactly what I wanted - unflavoured whey protein (Now Foods brand)<\/a>. <\/p>\n

A few days later it was in my hands, and a few hours later... the aforementioned social media flip-out. <\/p>\n

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The first batch of successful pretzels. There may have been some screaming involved!<\/p><\/div>\n

This \u201cEureka!\u201d moment also helped with the development of my Gluten-Free Bagels<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Aside from the protein powder, these soft pretzels also use the following alternative flours:<\/p>\n

Light buckwheat flour<\/a>
\nWhite rice flour<\/a>
\nPotato starch<\/a>
\nSweet rice flour<\/a> <\/p>\n

... as well as Xanthan gum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Everything Else<\/h4>\n

Aside from the flour blend, there are a few other ingredients you\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n

Light brown sugar
\nActive dry yeast
\nBaking powder
\nTable salt
\nVegetable oil or olive oil
\nLarge eggs
\nBaking soda
\nNonstick spray
\nCoarse sea salt<\/p>\n

You can use corn starch for dusting your work surface, if you like. It\u2019s a bit cheaper than potato starch!<\/i><\/div>\n

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How to Make Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels<\/h2>\n

Full recipe follows at the end of the post, but here\u2019s a bit of a pictorial overview - to show what the dough stages look like - and some extra tips.<\/i><\/p>\n

Make The Dough<\/h4>\n

1. Combine water (warm, not hot!) with brown sugar, stir until sugar is almost dissolved. Add yeast, stirring until incorporated.<\/p>\n

Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until foamy.<\/p>\n

2. In a large bowl, combine flours, protein powder, \u00bc cup potato starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.<\/p>\n

Add oil and egg to the dry ingredients, stirring until well distributed. Pour in yeast mixture, stirring until well combined - it will be VERY wet.<\/p>\n

Note: This is a very wet, loose dough. While I\u2019ll usually make dough in the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with a dough hook attachment, it\u2019s really not necessary for this recipe. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s not much flour to thicken it up in this first step, so the dough forms easily just stirring by hand<\/i><\/div>\n

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Proof the Dough<\/h4>\n

3. Generously spray a large, clean metal or glass bowl with nonstick spray. <\/p>\n

Add dough to the bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap, set aside in a warm spot to rise for an hour or two, until doubled in size.<\/p><\/div>\n

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After the first round of rising.<\/p><\/div>\n

4. Once the dough ball has doubled in size, stir the remaining potato starch into the dough. <\/p>\n

5. Using lightly greased hands, stir\/knead until no longer *super* sticky - it'll be a little sticky. Use a little more potato starch if needed.<\/p>\n

6. Return to bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.<\/p><\/div>\n

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After mixing in remaining potato starch and second rise.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Assemble the Pretzels<\/h4>\n

7. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. <\/p>\n

8. Lightly dust a clean surface with potato starch, roll out a dough portion into a longish \"snake\" on the prepared work surface. <\/p>\n

9. Twist piece of dough into a pretzel shape, pinch cross points to secure. <\/p>\n

Be gentle when working with the dough - the roll will break easier than full gluten dough does. <\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t behave the same as regular dough - think gentle rolling\/squeezing as you go.<\/p><\/div>\n

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10. Allow pretzels to rise for another 30 minutes in a warm place.<\/p>\n

Cook the Pretzels<\/h4>\n

11. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. <\/p>\n

12. Bring water to a gentle boil in a large pot. Add baking soda, stir water bath until combined.<\/p>\n

Note: It\u2019s important that the water is not at a rolling boil - think more along the lines of a good simmer, bordering on a boil. Vigorously boiling water can tear the dough apart before it cooks it!<\/i><\/div>\n

13. Using a large slotted spoon, gently place pretzel twists - one or two at a time - to the pot of water; cook for about a minute on each side. <\/p>\n

14. Gently stir as they cook in the baking soda bath, to ensure that the entire surface of each is in contact with the water at some point. <\/p>\n

15. Use a slotted spoon to transfer each pretzel to the prepared baking sheet.<\/p>\n

16. Whisk together egg and water, use a pastry brush to brush this egg wash across the tops of the pretzels. Generously sprinkle the tops with coarse salt. <\/p><\/div>\n

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17. Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. <\/p>\n

18. Allow to cool for a minute or two before eating, serve with Mustard-Cheddar Dip (recipe below), or a premade honey mustard dip.<\/p>\n

Store any leftover pretzels in an airtight container for up to a few days, reheat before serving<\/i><\/div>\n

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Mustard-Cheddar Dip<\/h2>\n

This simple cheese dip is perfect for dipping your soft pretzels in!<\/p>\n

1 cup Gluten-free beer, milk, or chicken stock
\n1-2 tablespoon Mustard of choice
\n12 oz Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
\n2 tablespoon Corn starch
\nSalt and pepper<\/p>\n

Whisk beer and mustard together in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat. <\/p>\n

In a separate bowl, toss cheese with corn starch.<\/p>\n

Add about half of the cheese to the pot, stirring until melted in. <\/p>\n

Add the rest, continue stirring until everything is melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
\nServe hot!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Gluten Free Soft Pretzel Variations<\/h2>\n

There are two main ways that I vary how I make these pretzels:<\/p>\n

Gluten Free Sweet Pretzels<\/h4>\n

After brushing the egg wash on, skip the salt. <\/p>\n

Once the pretzels are baked, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.<\/p>\n

Gluten Free Pretzel Bites<\/h4>\n

To make pretzel nuggets, roll the dough into snakes as directed. Rather than twisting into pretzel shapes, cut the ropes into bite sized portions.<\/p>\n

Boil as directed. When baking, start checking for doneness at 20 minutes.<\/p><\/div>\n

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More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes!<\/h2>\n

Looking for more gluten-free bread products for the whole family? Here are some fantastic options!<\/p>\n

Gluten-Free AIP \/ Paleo Flatbread<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Bagels<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Beaver Tail Recipe<\/a>
\nGluten-Free Gougeres<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Hybrid Tortillas<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Paleo Cassava Flour Tortillas<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Paska [Easter Bread]<\/a>
\nGluten Free Pita Bread<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Sourdough Waffles<\/a>
\nGluten Free Flour Tortillas<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Share the Love!<\/h2>\n

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen<\/a>. We're also on Pinterest<\/a>, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment!\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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5<\/span> from 1 vote<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
These Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels have an amazing texture - very accurate to the full-gluten thing! - and taste like the real thing!<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time<\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Rising Time<\/span>2 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time<\/span>2 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span> 20 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Course: <\/span>Snack<\/span><\/div>
Cuisine: <\/span>German<\/span><\/div>
Diet: <\/span>Gluten Free<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>4<\/span> Large Pretzels<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Calories: <\/span>492<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h3>