Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›The Heidelberg›Pretzels Recipe

Pretzels Recipe

Inspired by The Heidelberg
Time2h
Serves6

Bavarian style pretzel served warm with cheddar cheese sauce. 6 pretzels.

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.

Pretzel Dough

Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Method

Pretzel Dough Preparation

  1. 1

    Activate Yeast

    In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

  2. 2

    Mix Flour and Salt

    In another bowl, mix together all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the yeast mixture, stirring until a dough forms.

  3. 3

    Knead the Dough

    Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

  4. 4

    Let Dough Rise

    Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Shaping and Boiling Pretzels

  1. 5

    Preheat Oven

    Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. 6

    Shape Pretzels

    After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope (about 24 inches) and twist it into a pretzel shape.

  3. 7

    Prepare Baking Soda Bath

    In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil and add the baking soda carefully.

  4. 8

    Boil Pretzels

    Boil each pretzel for about 30 seconds on each side, then remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

  5. 9

    Add Coarse Salt

    Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the boiled pretzels before baking.

Baking Pretzels

  1. 10

    Bake Pretzels

    Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

  2. 11

    Cool Slightly

    Remove the pretzels from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce Preparation

  1. 12

    Melt Butter

    In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.

  2. 13

    Make Roux

    Add the flour to the melted butter, whisking continuously for about 1 minute to create a roux.

  3. 14

    Add Milk

    Gradually whisk in the milk, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens.

  4. 15

    Add Cheese and Seasoning

    Lower the heat and add the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and smooth.

Serving

  1. 16

    Serve Warm

    Serve the warm pretzels with the cheddar cheese sauce on the side for dipping.

More from The Heidelberg