Brezeln - German Pretzel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

On the one hand, lye gives pretzels their distinctive flavor, kind of a sharp flatness, if that makes sense. It's what keeps a pretzel from tasting like pretzel-shaped bread.

This ultimately led to the proper German name, "Brezel" (singular) or “Brezeln” (plural). Depending on the dialect, pretzels are called Brezel (High German), Brezn (in Bavaria and Austria), Bretzel (in Switzerland) or one of many similar names, based on the region.

The main difference to note between the more “American-style” pretzels and German pretzels is an ingredient called lye. Put simply, it's a “bath” pretzels soak in before the cooking is completed. Baking soda can be a substitute, however lye is the more “traditional” method.

Pretzels in Germany

The major difference between pretzels in different regions is their thickness. For example, the Swabian pretzels have thin “arms” and a fat “belly." They are quite rich in fat content. Whereas, in the Bavarian region the “arms” are thick and they have thin “bellies” to avoid the extra fat.

According to King Arthur Baking, lye and caustic sodas are used in the process of baking pretzels because lye's reaction to the pretzels, much like baking soda, gives them that chewy texture, light interior, and brown crust.

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

Pretzels are topped with coarse salt or sometimes with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or poppy seeds.

The pretzel was invented by European monks in the early Middle Ages, possibly in the 6th or 7th century. The monks used the pretzel's distinctive knot shape to represent the Holy Trinity, with the three holes in the pretzel symbolizing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Pretzels are usually sprinkled heavily with coarse grains of salt before they head into the oven, but poppy, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds are all common alternatives (and there's nothing quite like a pretzel that's been baked covered in Emmental cheese!).

Bread flour is best used for, you guessed it, breads. This is fine for pretzels, but if you don't plan to make that much bread, buying bread flour for just one thing can seem like a waste. All-purpose flour can be used for a wide variety of baked goods, including cookies, muffins, pie crusts, and breads.

Why do German pretzels use lye? ›

Dipping the dough in a lye solution gives traditional German pretzels their characteristic salinity; chew; and smooth mahogany exterior, but the strong alkali (sodium hydroxide) is corrosive and can burn your skin, so it must be handled with caution.

They're often high in simple carbs

Unless they've been made with a whole grain flour such as rye, most pretzels are not very nutrient-dense, meaning they don't contain many beneficial nutrients relative to their calorie content. That's because most pretzels are made from refined wheat flour, also called white flour.

In Bavaria, pretzels are often used as a symbol of love and commitment and are given as gifts to loved ones on special occasions. In other parts of Germany, pretzels are sometimes used as a good luck charm, with people carrying them in their pockets or hanging them on their doors.

The main thing that sets the pretzels served at Oktoberfest (and throughout Germany) apart from their soft American counterparts is the use of lye to form a dark chewy crust.

Unlike their American counterpart, Bavarian pretzels pack a denser, chewier inside and a darker, crispier outside. And there's a certain "tang" to the Bavarian-style pretzel that sets it apart from other soft pretzels. But best of all, it doesn't need to be dipped in cheese or drenched in butter to taste delicious!

Salt is the most common seasoning, or topping, for pretzels, complementing the washing soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor acquired through the Maillard reaction. Other toppings are mustard, cheeses, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, sweet glazing, seeds, and nuts.

Malt Syrup (the kind used for beer) and dipping them in a hot alkaline solution (baking soda or food grade lye and hot water) after baking for about 20–30 seconds gives a pretzel its characteristic flavor and distinctive brown coloring. The alkaline solution is a big contributor to the pretzel flavor.

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

Bake longer

If you're not baking your pretzels long enough, they'll come out pale and dull. It's important to bake them until they're a deep golden brown. Likewise, the dough inside is cooked through and won't taste raw or doughy when you bite into it.