Jul 09 2026
Restaurants›Hessen Haus›Jumbo Soft Pretzel Recipe

Jumbo Soft Pretzel Recipe

Inspired by Hessen Haus
Time1h 30m
Serves8

A fresh baked Bier Hall favorite served with bier cheese sauce or haus mustard.

Jump to Recipe

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Dough

Bier Cheese Sauce

Method

Dough Preparation

  1. 1

    Activate the Yeast

    In a small bowl, combine warm water (1.5 cups) and granulated sugar (1 tbsp). Sprinkle the active dry yeast (2.25 tsp) over the top and let sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.

  2. 2

    Mix the Dough

    In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour (4 cups) and salt (1 tbsp). Add the melted unsalted butter (4 tbsp) and the activated yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.

  3. 3

    Knead the Dough

    Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

  4. 4

    Shape the Pretzels

    Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope (about 24 inches) and shape into a pretzel.

  5. 5

    Prepare the Baking Soda Bath

    In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add baking soda (0.5 cups) carefully. Boil each pretzel for about 30 seconds on each side, then remove and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

  6. 6

    Add Coarse Salt

    Sprinkle coarse sea salt (2 tbsp) over the boiled pretzels.

  7. 7

    Bake the Pretzels

    Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Bier Cheese Sauce Preparation

  1. 8

    Make the Roux

    In a saucepan, melt unsalted butter (2 tbsp) over medium heat. Stir in all-purpose flour (2 tbsp) and cook for about 1-2 minutes until golden.

  2. 9

    Add Milk

    Gradually whisk in milk (1 cup) and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.

  3. 10

    Add Cheese and Flavorings

    Reduce the heat to low and add cheddar cheese (1.5 cups) and beer (0.5 cups). Stir until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Add mustard powder (1 tsp), garlic powder (0.5 tsp), salt (0.5 tsp), and black pepper (0.25 tsp). Mix well.

  4. 11

    Serve

    Serve the warm bier cheese sauce alongside the freshly baked pretzels for dipping.

More from Hessen Haus