At a Glance
This recipe produces both crisp Brötchen (small rolls) and soft sourdough pretzels from one lean dough. Long, cool fermentation builds flavor and improves crumb structure while a short lye or baking-soda bath creates the characteristic brown, chewy crust.[1] Using a sourdough preferment improves keeping quality and digestibility.[1][2]
Not suitable if:
- • You don't have an active starter → create a starter
- • You need instant results → start with a quick bread
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Accurate weighing of flour, water, and salt is crucial for consistent dough
Large Mixing Bowl
Room to mix and perform folds without spilling
Dough Scraper
Makes dividing and shaping rolls and pretzels easy
Parchment Paper
Prevents sticking during the baking and boiling step for pretzels
Bread Lame
For precise scoring on rolls or pretzel cuts
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale for repeatable results; sourdough performance is sensitive to hydration and salt levels.[1][2]
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour (or strong white flour) | 600g | 100% | Provides chew and good gluten for shaping |
| Water | 360g | 60% | Adjust ±10g to account for flour absorption |
| Active sourdough starter (100% hydration) | 120g | 20% | Bubbly, fed 4-8 hours before use |
| Salt | 12g | 2% | Fine sea salt |
| Sugar or malt syrup (optional) | 15g | 2.5% | Enhances color in pretzels |
| Unsalted butter or oil (optional for richer rolls) | 20g | 3.3% | Adds tenderness to Brötchen |
Schedule
Weekend (no fridge)
Mix in the morning, bake same day
Weekday (cold retard)
Mix at night, shape and retard in the fridge, bake next evening
💡 Tips
- If dough is very slow, warm the room to 75°F/24°C — sourdough activity increases with temperature[1]
- Cold retard (fridge) improves flavor and makes schedule flexible; allow 30–60 min at room temp before boiling so dough warms slightly[2]
Step by Step
Autolyse and mix
Combine flour and water in a large mixing bowl and rest 20 minutes (autolyse) to hydrate flour and begin gluten development.[1] Add starter and salt, mix until combined using a dough scraper or dough whisk. Dough should be soft, slightly tacky.
⏱ 25 minutes
Bulk fermentation with folds
Perform 3 sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-minute intervals in the first 1.5–2 hours, then let dough rest until ~30–50% increased in volume.[1][2]
⏱ 2–3 hours (room temp)
Divide and pre-shape
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a dough scraper to divide into equal pieces (80–100g for rolls, 130–160g for pretzels). Pre-shape into rounds and rest 15–20 minutes.
⏱ 20 minutes
Shape rolls or pretzels
For Brötchen: tighten rounds by cupping and rolling on the bench until smooth. For pretzels: roll pieces into 50–60 cm ropes and form classic pretzel shape. First mention of shaping tools: use a dough scraper to help handle dough.
⏱ 15–25 minutes
Proof
Place shaped rolls on a parchment-lined tray or pretzels on a tray dusted with parchment paper. Cover and proof until puffy (30–90 min at room temp) or retard 8–18 hours in fridge for deeper flavor.[2]
⏱ 30–90 minutes (or overnight fridge)
Boil (pretzels) or egg wash (rolls)
For pretzels: bring water and [baking soda] to a gentle boil (use about 100–150g baking soda per 1.5L water). Working quickly, boil pretzels 20–30 seconds each side on a parchment paper-lined tray, then transfer back to tray for topping. For Brötchen: brush with egg wash for gloss. Scientific note: alkaline bath gelatinizes surface starches producing the characteristic Maillard reaction and chewy crust.[1][2]
⏱ 10–15 minutes
Bake
Preheat oven to 230°C/450°F. Bake rolls 12–16 minutes until golden; bake pretzels 14–18 minutes until deep brown. For extra oven spring on rolls, add steam in the first 5 minutes either with a tray of water or by spraying the oven. First mention of oven tools: use parchment paper to transfer and a bread lame if you score rolls.
⏱ 12–18 minutes
Cool and finish
Cool rolls briefly (15–30 min) before serving; pretzels can be eaten warm but set for 10–15 min to avoid gummy interior. Slice with a serrated bread knife when needed.
⏱ 10–30 minutes
Tips & Variations
Variations
Whole-wheat rolls
Replace 150g bread flour with whole-wheat
→ More flavor and texture, increase hydration +5–10g
Seeded topping
Brush with water and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds
→ Extra crunch and flavor
Cheese pretzels
Sprinkle grated cheese on pretzels before baking
→ Savory crust with melted cheese
Pro Tips
- 💡 Weigh pieces for uniform bake with a kitchen scale
- 💡 If you lack baking soda for the boil, a very short hot-water bath helps slightly but won’t mimic alkaline effect — expect paler crust[1]
- 💡 Retarding shaped dough overnight develops a more complex flavor and makes timing flexible[2]
Common Issues
Common issues and quick fixes:
Storage
Room temperature in bread bag
1–2 days for best texture
Avoid refrigeration — stales faster due to starch retrogradation[2]
Freeze
Up to 3 months
Freeze after cooling; reheat in oven from frozen
Short-term (same day)
a few hours
Store in paper for crisp crust, in plastic for softer crust
⚠️ Do not refrigerate — it accelerates staling through starch recrystallization[2]