Golden, chewy, and full of heart, these gluten-free soft pretzels carry the warmth of family kitchens and the comfort of bread shaped by hand. Serve these pretzels for Oktoberfest or any other day of the week!
There was a day in college when the classroom went strangely quiet. We were waiting for a professor to arrive, the kind of lull when everyone slips into stories that bubble up in the silence. One by one, my classmates began sharing bits of childhood: the girl who once got lost in a mall and cried by a bench until her mother found her, the boy who used to sneak away to feed stray cats, the one who grew up practicing piano scales while others were out playing basketball.
The story that stuck with me came from a close friend. She was the one who had gotten lost in the mall. Her mother, frantic and then relieved, made up for the fear by buying her a pretzel. A real pretzel, she emphasized. Warm, knotted bread with coarse salt clinging to its surface.
At that moment, I remember thinking of my version of pretzels. There were this thin, crunchy twists sealed in red packets, stamped with a sunglasses-wearing emoji. My whole childhood had been filled with those crinkly packets, the sound of plastic ripping open, and the dry saltiness that lingered after.
So could bread really erase fear that easily? Could the soft tear of dough replace the sting of panic in a child's heart? That question sat with me longer than I expected.
I carried that curiosity with me through the day, then through the week, until it settled into a quiet itch that only baking could soothe. Bread had always given me a way to feel grounded. As a student far from home, it connected me back to the kitchens that shaped me. The thought of pretzels, bread with both shape and story, felt like an invitation. So I tucked it away knowing that one day I would return to it.
A Knot Above the Rest
I didn't grow up with mall pretzels, but I did grow up with bread. My grandmother's rolls that filled her Russian-Ukrainian kitchen with the yeasty scent of comfort, and my mother's attempts at challah for Friday evenings, always slightly uneven but full of intent. Later, when I started baking in my own kitchen, bread became less about feeding and more about listening. Listening to dough as it rests, rises, and transforms.
Some days it was sourdough, like the traditional sourdough starter I kept alive in a jar like it was part of the family, bubbling and breathing in its corner of the fridge. Other days it was a hearty loaf of spiced beer bread, whose malty aroma filled the apartment like a blanket after long winter walks.
There were times I wove sprigs of rosemary into a crusty rosemary sourdough bread, thinking of small markets where herbs spill out in every direction. And when I wanted something playful, I reached for black sesame sourdough buns, tiny, nutty rolls that disappeared almost as quickly as I made them.
Bread stitched itself into my routines, my memories, my family's table. Yet pretzels remained out there, always tied to my friend's story, until one day I decided to bring them home.
Gluten had never agreed with me, so when I finally set out to make pretzels, I knew they would need to be shaped in a way I could truly enjoy. Batch by batch, I experimented until the dough felt right in my hands. Leo and Lin leaned over the counter, twisting their own uneven knots, while my husband waited to see if this tray might be the one that carried the taste we had all been chasing.
When the pretzels came out of the oven: golden, soft, and sprinkled with salt. I finally understood what my friend's mother had known years ago. A pretzel can be more than bread. It can be comfort, reassurance, even a way of saying everything is safe again.
Ingredients
- Gluten Free Baking Flour with Xanthan Gum - The backbone of these pretzels. I rely on a 1:1 gluten-free blend that already has xanthan gum, because it gives the dough enough stretch and chew to mimic traditional pretzels. If your flour blend doesn't include it, add a pinch! Without it, the pretzels can fall apart.
- Egg- Adds richness and color to the dough. For an egg-free version, you can swap in a flax egg, though the texture will be slightly different.
- Butter- Softened butter works into the dough gently, giving tenderness to every bite. I sometimes use dairy-free butter when cooking for friends, and it still bakes beautifully.
See the recipe card for full list and exact quantities.
How to Make this Gluten Free Soft Pretzels Recipe
If you've ever wanted to pull a golden tray of soft pretzels from your oven, this recipe makes it possible (even without gluten). The dough is tender yet sturdy enough to twist into knots, and the baking soda bath gives them that signature sheen and chew. Here's how to make them at home:
Mix the Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and yeast. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg, softened butter, and warm water. Once the dough starts coming together, increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth and slightly sticky.
Let it Rise
Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, or until slightly puffed. I like tucking mine in the oven with only the light on, it creates just the right cozy environment for the dough to rest.
Prepare the Bath, Oven and Pieces
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the dough has risen, cut it into six equal portions.
Shape the Bread
On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a rope about 9-10 inches long. Shape into a U, twist the ends over each other twice, and pull them down to form the classic pretzel shape.
Simmer Briefly
Add baking soda and honey to the pot of boiling water, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Drop one pretzel at a time into the bath for 10-15 seconds. They'll puff slightly as they cook. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on the prepared baking sheet.
Season and Bake
Sprinkle the tops with coarse sea salt if you like, then bake for 15 minutes, until the pretzels are golden and fragrant.
Cool and Serve
Let the pretzels rest for 5 minutes before serving. Their best moment is fresh from the oven, still warm enough to pull apart with your hands.
Storage
These pretzels taste best the day they're baked, when the crust still has a gentle snap and the inside pulls apart easily. If you have extras, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. A quick 15-20 seconds in the microwave brings back their softness.
I don't recommend freezing them. Gluten free dough tends to lose its structure once thawed, which turns the pretzels dense. If you'd like to plan ahead, it's better to shape the dough and refrigerate it overnight, then boil and bake the next day.
Top Tips
Shape with Confidence- first time I rolled pretzel ropes, I worried about uneven thickness. I've learned it's better to keep them a little thicker; thin ropes break or lose their shape (though crispier).
Don't Skip the Bath- the quick dip in baking soda and honey isn't extra, it's what gives pretzels their glossy crust and chewy bite. Once, I baked a batch without it, and they turned out more like plain rolls.
Salt with Intention - coarse sea salt adds that bakery-style finish, but too much overwhelms the dough. I like sprinkling lightly, then leaving a few plain for Leo and Lin, who prefer them softer without the crunch.
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups 1:1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum if not included, add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ cup warm water 95-100°F
- 1 egg
- ½ tablespoon softened butter dairy-free if needed
- Coarse sea salt for sprinkling optional
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- ½ tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and yeast. With the mixer on low, add the egg, softened butter, and warm water. Once the dough starts forming, increase to medium speed and mix until smooth and slightly sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm spot for 1-2 hours. An oven with the light on works perfectly.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the dough has risen, divide it into six portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a 9-10 inch rope. Form a U-shape, twist the ends over twice, and fold them down to create the pretzel shape.
- Stir baking soda and honey into the boiling water, then reduce to a simmer. Gently drop in one pretzel at a time for 10-15 seconds. They will puff slightly. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared tray.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired, then bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant.
- Let the pretzels cool for 5 minutes before eating. They are best enjoyed warm, pulled apart with your hands.
Betty says
Look great, can u make w/reg Flour, or do u hav a recipe that does
kseniaprints says
Follow the same with AP flour, just maybe add 1-2 tablespoons more of it! It comes out a great.
Cathy says
There is no way that the 30 calorie value is correct. Could you please correct that? The pretzels were delicious and easy to make.
kseniaprints says
It's 138 per pretzel 🙂
Kim says
Is it possible to use gluten-free sourdough discard in this recipe? If so, what would it replace? Thanks so much for your help. Love your recipes!
kseniaprints says
Thank you so much! So I will 100% admit that I haven't tried converting this recipe using my sourdough starter, I just make it as is and save the starter. BUT from looking at other recipes online, and doing some handy dandy computations using my usual conversions (read: madly scribbling on paper, lol), I'm pretty sure you can do the following: replace the instant yeast with ½ cup of active, bubbly sourdough starter that's been fed 4-6 hours prior and is at peak rise. Reduce the warm water to ¼ cup since the starter adds liquid, and omit the baking powder as the sourdough will provide leavening. Mix the dough the same way, but extend the rise time to 3-4 hours at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge) until the dough is noticeably puffed and bubbly. If you try this, please let me know if it works!
Agnes Moore says
Unbelievable....thank you so much for this recipe...I am so envious when I go to the mall and see people eating regular pretzels...including my husband. I only let him have 1 pretzel.... I used Caputa gf flour...shipped from Italy...it is wheat flour with GF removed. So if you are allergic to wheat....this not your flour....I discovered this flour when finding GF pizza in Phoenix AZ...the shred their recipe with me....now I make my own GF pizza with pizza stone....I love that this recipe only makes 6 pretzels....a perfect number....I have posted on Facebook for all to see....Thank you!