INSIDE: Baking soft pretzels with kids on a dreary day makes spending the afternoon inside fun. Get everything you need to know to get started below!
Making pretzels at home has become one of our family’s favorite ways to make a dreary day inside exciting. We cannot wait to share some things we’ve learned as well as talk about a super-fun gift idea for the little baker in your life. In this post, you’ll find:
- How to make soft pretzels in three simple steps
- The ingredients you need to make pretzel dough
- Our absolute favorite family-friendly pretzel recipe
PLUS: An awesome tool for learning how to make a pretzel shape <— One of many AWESOME baking gifts for kids
How To Make Soft Pretzels in 3 Steps
So you or your family want to learn how to make pretzel dough? While making pretzels can feel complicated at first, the process comes down to three simple steps:
- Make the dough
- Divide and shape
- Dunk and bake
Making pretzels is a perfect kids’ activity for a rainy or cold day. The process is fun, but it is also an opportunity to practice patience, teamwork, and even learn a dash of science.
I highly recommend taking a breather between each step of the process so you can come back to the kitchen excited to move forward!
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Pretzel Dough
If you’re searching for how to make pretzels at home because you want to make them RIGHT NOW, here are the ingredients you’ll need to have on hand to make pretzel dough.
- Active Dry Yeast
- Kosher Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Flour
- Baking Soda
^ If you love the baking gift idea below, don’t forget to also gift your little baker with a jar of active yeast. You’ll want to make sure he or she has everything they need to get started!
Our Favorite EASY Pretzel Recipe
You’ve got the ingredients, now it is time to make the dough! If you’ve been poking around looking at other soft pretzel recipes, you’ll find some of the recipes can feel quite complex.
You might be wondering, “Do you HAVE to boil soft pretzels?“
Yes, most homemade pretzel recipes require dipping soft pretzel dough into boiling water.
However, we originally learned how to make easy pretzels with this no-fail, family-friendly pretzel recipe which simply uses a warm water bath instead. Be sure to pin or bookmark this recipe!
My kids are always asking 101 questions (which I love). If you’ve got an inquisitive baker too, this is definitely a question that is going to come up:
Why do you put baking soda in the water when making pretzels?
A quick dunk in a baking soda water bath changes the chemistry of the pretzel. For more advanced teen bakers, let them know the dip in the alkaline solution changes the pH of the outside of the pretzel!
The dunk is what gives it a crispier outside and chewy-inside deliciousness. It also helps the pretzels get a golden brown color.
How To Make A Pretzel Shape
This is the fun part! You cut the dough into equal portions and start rolling. I promise, you and the kids will have a blast.
I ordered this awesome Pampered Chef set for our kids.
This pretzel set has everything you need to make homemade soft pretzels. The mat provides you with the directions you need. The form helps you wrap the perfect pretzel every time. The basting brush allows you to brush an egg wash on your dough to get a golden crust. The crimper lets you make pretzel bites. The set also includes a Pretzel Dough Mix that you can make in about 30 minutes. But it works perfectly with the pretzel recipe I mentioned above too!
An Ongoing Tradition
Every time we travel with the girls’ Nana & Papa we make homemade pretzels at the cabin. They are the perfect relaxing activity for the kids and their grandma to do after a morning of cross country skiing.
We hope you’ll try making homemade pretzels with your kiddos and start a tradition of your own. With or without the Pampered Chef set, they are super fun to bake!
‘Tis the Season With Teens — Upcycling Classic Christmas Traditions