Pretzels, or Brezeln in German, are a type of bread traditionally associated with Bavaria and southern Germany. Their distinctive twisted shape is often said to resemble hands folded in prayer. According to one popular legend, monks made them from leftover dough and gave them to children as rewards for learning prayers and Bible verses. The story connects their name to the Latin word pretiola, meaning “little rewards”, although the exact origins of pretzels remain uncertain.
What makes these breads special is the brief boiling step before baking, which helps create their characteristic crust. Traditional Laugengebäck is dipped in a lye solution, but for this homemade version I use baking soda instead. It's a more accessible approach, although the resulting crust is usually less dark and glossy than that of pretzels made with food-grade lye.
But there's another reason why I made these pretzels, and it has nothing to do with baking!
When I visited Munich in October with my sister and my best friend, I made them walk all over the city looking for something with Bavaria's iconic blue-and-white chequered pattern. I wanted a tea towel, a tablecloth or even a napkin that I could use as a background for future food photographs.
Everything was either too big or made from fabric that was too shiny. After three days of searching, I finally found the perfect little packet of tissues on Sunday.
I simply had to use them for these pretzels. Don't they make a lovely Bavarian backdrop?
Sourdough Discard Pretzels (Brezeln)
These homemade pretzels are made with sourdough discard, making them a lovely way to use up leftover starter. They are shaped by hand, briefly boiled in a baking soda solution, sprinkled with coarse salt and baked until golden brown.
Recipe
Yield: 7 pretzels
Preparation time: Approximately 30 minutes (estimate)
Rising time: Until doubled in size; this depends on the activity of your sourdough discard
Cooking time: Approximately 20 minutes, plus boiling
Ingredients
For the dough
150 g sourdough discard
200 ml water
40 ml vegetable oil or softened butter
400 g all-purpose flour
8 g fine salt
1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or honey
For boiling
1.5 litres water
80 g baking soda
For topping
Coarse salt, to taste
Method
Dissolve the sourdough discard in the water with the barley malt syrup or honey, using a whisk or fork.
Add the oil or softened butter, followed by the flour. Add the fine salt last.
Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Cover and leave it in a warm place until doubled in size. The time required will depend on the strength and activity of your sourdough discard.
Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Divide the dough into seven pieces of approximately 130 g each.
Roll each piece into a long rope, keeping it thinner towards the ends, then twist it into the traditional pretzel shape.
Carefully lower each pretzel into the boiling solution using a slotted spoon. Boil for approximately 40–60 seconds, then lift it out and let the excess water drain away.
Arrange the pretzels on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle with coarse salt and make a shallow cut along the thick, curved section of each pretzel.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for approximately 20 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned.
Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack and enjoy fresh.
Tips and serving suggestions
Sourdough discard: The rising time depends on how active your starter is. Allow the dough to rise until doubled rather than relying on a fixed time.
The crust: Baking soda produces a different finish from the traditional lye bath, so the pretzels may be lighter in colour.
Serving: Enjoy them fresh, with mustard, cheese or alongside a glass of beer.
For an Oktoberfest-inspired table: Serve the pretzels with Bavarian-style accompaniments and a blue-and-white chequered cloth; check my German potato salad and my German inspired cassoni!
These pretzels are best enjoyed fresh on the day they're baked.
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