Reviewed: Mar. 18, 2012

These are incredible...I was a bit confused about the boiling process as I was not sure what to expect. After the first couple, I got the hang of it. I actually got a very large pasta pot (Rachel's Rays is great because it is wide) and then I could do 4-5 at a time. I also doubled the recipe which worked great....next time I might try to just make small pretzel bites rather than full pretzels.

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Reviewer:

JVanSyckle

Reviewed: Feb. 14, 2012

An excellent and easy recipe. Yes these take time, but it's mainly wait time. I am a novice baker and I pulled these off without a hitch, and they are so tasty!

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Reviewer:

starmamac

Cooking Level: Beginning

Reviewed: Feb. 6, 2012

I made these yesterday for our Super Bowl pregame snacks and they were a hit. I'm convinced pretzel-making is half recipe and half technique. I substituted warm Heinekin's for the water and everyone enjoyed the taste. I so appreciate all the helpful previous reviews about the baking soda bath. I will add that there is no need to rush thru the process. - 45 sec. on each side was good. In fact, I took the time to drain the dough on a rack (towel under) with good results. My biggest problem was "rolling the dough". My arthritic hands simply stretched and squeezed as best I could. Thanks for the recipe...I'll do this again next year if not before.

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Reviewer:

Judy7905

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Reviewed: Jan. 30, 2012

Easy recipe with a nice flavor. I got the water ready while I formed the pretzels. I did not let these rest for 30 minutes as directed because I wanted them to show a little splitting when I baked them. In the water top side down, flipped over after 30 seconds. Used an egg white wash before salting. I think they turned out beautifully. Thank you for the recipe- (better than AB's !)

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Reviewer:

GTM

Cooking Level: Beginning

Reviewed: Jan. 7, 2012

Made these also sprinkled with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Delicious!

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Reviewer:

CAPECHICK

Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2011

I just tried this recipe out. These are to die for. I tried other pretzel recipes but this was so easy the results were great. Thanks. As a side note we used our profession mixer instead of mixing by hand...12/23/11

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Reviewer:

brozycki

Reviewed: Dec. 2, 2011

To anyone who thinks these taste like regular bread: Use more baking soda!!! Your boiling water should be slightly cloudy, and you should be able to smell the soda if you put your nose near the steam. This is the KEY to a pretzel's signature flavor! Using soda to that measure, these pretzels are -out of this world.- They are so soft and delicious! I didn't use parchment because I was out. During the second rise, they didn't stick. I just sprinkled the pan with kosher salt before baking and they came right off the bare pan after the quick boil. Absolutely perfect. My boyfriend's grandfather had a bakery in Germany, and he says that this recipe is like the one they used in the shop. I made eight pretzels with this recipe. They were all kind of fat (that's how I like 'em!), but I imagine you could do 12 thinner pretzels if you like.

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Reviewer:

ilkaisha

Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Lititz, Pennsylvania, USA

Living In: Reading, Pennsylvania, USA

Reviewed: Jun. 30, 2011

This is the best pretzel recipe! I followed the directions very carefully and they turned out amazing. I can't wait to make them again.

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Reviewer:

destiny

Reviewed: Jun. 27, 2011

I wish I knew how to make them shiny, but I'm afraid that might involve added oil of some sort....they were amazing otherwise, esp when made with wheat. A little bit of salt or sugar goes a long way with these.

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Reviewer:

Nicholas PM

Reviewed: Feb. 26, 2011

Very good pretzels. Not sure why someone commented that they were hard; mine were not hard at all, and I refrigerated the dough bc I had to leave after making it. The dough was still cold when I started shaping, so I would think they'd have ended up hard and dense on my batch, if anything, but they were soft and chewy. As for the distinct flavor of pretzels--try using beer for a different taste. I've tried a number of pretzel recipes since we love them in this house, and yes, these are a bit like regular bread, but they are still really good. You can play around with the toppings for these if you like: add shredded cheese, garlic, parmesan, cinnamon and sugar . . .the list goes on and on. That's the great thing about a plain pretzel recipe--it allows for endless variations! Thanks for the recipe!

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