Clean Eating Soft Pretzels Recipe | The Gracious Pantry (2024)

FAQs

What is the alkaline solution for pretzels? ›

Chewy baked pretzels are traditionally dipped in a solution of three to four per cent food-grade lye before baking to enhance the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for that deep mahogany colour and more complex flavours. At home, a more common method is to use baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, a weaker alkali.

Like lye, baking soda is an alkaline substance, and when mixed with water and brushed over the pretzel dough, it changes the pH of the dough and gelates the surface starch. In the oven, the starch gel hardens and the alkaline baking soda makes browning happen fast.

The most benign substitute for lye is baking soda. You'll get a little bit of browning and some chew, but don't expect it to taste very pretzel-y. You can also used baked baking soda, which is a stronger alkali than baking soda but not as caustic as lye.

Soft pretzels are best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Stir ½-1 tsp (3-6 g) of baking soda into 8 oz (237 mL) of water to raise its pH. Or, infuse your water with slices of lemon or cucumber. Use an alkaline water filter pitcher to raise your water's pH and remove impurities. Or, install a water ionizer machine on your kitchen faucet.

Alkaline solutions are also known as basic solutions. They can be generated when metal oxides or metal hydroxides are put into water to dissolve. Examples of an alkaline solutions are sodium hydroxide solutions or potassium hydroxide solutions. In alkaline solutions, hydroxide ions (OH-1 are in solution.

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

In this method, you're replacing lye with baking soda, both of which are alkalies. However, lye is much stronger than baking soda. Heating up baking soda in the oven turns it from sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, making it a slightly stronger alkali that'll better replace the lye.

No. You can prepare a baking soda bath instead. See more directions below. But if you want the most perfect pretzels possible, give lye a try!

Fitjoy pretzels are an all-around great choice, as they have no added sugar, a mere 3g of fat, and even boast a gram of protein.

Are soft pretzels junk food? ›

Pretzels may be better than some fatty chips, but four out of five nutrition experts surveyed by Time say if you're trying to eat healthy, pretzels shouldn't be your go-to snack. Although pretzels are low-fat, they are also pretty paltry on the protein and fiber front, and they can be quite high in sodium and carbs.

Although hard pretzels have a longer shelf life, typically 6 to 9 months at peak quality, they are still safe to consume past their expiration date if they've been stored correctly and do not exhibit signs of spoilage.

Traditional German pretzels are first dipped in a 3% to 4% lye-to-water bath before baking. Pretzel purists often argue a pretzel isn't really a pretzel unless lye is used.

To prepare a lye bath for pretzels, fill a large liquid measuring cup with four cups of cold water. Add the water to a heavy, plastic container and carefully mix with two tablespoons of food-grade lye until fully dissolved.

Lye is primarily used to make pretzels, and it's the reason for their unmistakable shiny, mahogany color. To prepare, shaped pretzels are dipped in a lye bath, then baked in the oven. This method can also be used with rolls or buns. Once lye-dipped pretzels are baked, they're totally safe (and delicious!) to eat.

An alkaline bath is what makes a pretzel a pretzel and not just a tanned twist of dough. The base reacts with proteins, sugars, and starches at the pretzel's surface to intensify browning and give the skin its tight, glossy sheen. It also imparts that saline, mineral flavor.