Name: Vegan Soft Pretzels
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 98 min
Ingredients: 1 cup plant-based milk (I use oat or soy milk); 2 tbsp vegan butter (or margarine); 2 tbsp brown sugar (or caster sugar); 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp olive oil (to grease the bowl); 1/4 cup baking soda; 2 cups very hot water; 2 tbsp vegan butter (melted); sea salt flakes (or poppy seeds, sesame seeds)

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Have you ever wanted to make irresistibly delicious vegan soft pretzels yourself? Good news: it CAN be done! This is a simple vegan pretzel recipe with many step-by-step pictures. You’ll be baking in no time!

DIY Vegan Soft Pretzels

Salty and crunchy on the outside, warm and soft like pillows on the inside, incredible aroma – what’s not to love about pretzels? They are simply irresistible, and perfect anytime!

Where do you usually find soft pretzels? Supermarkets, some bakers, at the mall, sports games, carnivals and other big events – everyone has grown up with them and they’re so easy to buy!

But they taste SO much better homemade. If you get the chance to try them fresh and warm out of the oven, you’ll never look back. There is simply no better way to enjoy vegan soft pretzels.

vegan pretzel on a black tray next to garden cress

Let’s talk sprinkles! In a salty mood? The traditional corse salt is perfect. Nutty? Try some sesame or poppy seeds. Can’t decide? Everything bagel seasoning is just what you need!

Are Soft Pretzels Vegan?

Shop or stand bought pretzels are unfortunately often made with butter or lard. This is the number one reason I decided to home-bake my own. It is super easy to replace animal products with dairy-free alternatives.

For this vegan pretzel recipe, you will need a plant-based butter and a plant-based milk alternative. I think it tastes great with oat milk or soy milk, but it also would work with nut milk.

pretzel next to a knife with vegan cream cheese

How To Make These Copycat Auntie Anne’s Pretzels Vegan

There is nothing like walking past our dear old Auntie Anne when you’re out for a quick mall trip. The freshly baked aroma fills the whole hallway…but we vegans can’t indulge in those.

In this vegan recipe, I’ll show you how to make your very own soft pretzels. These soft vegan pretzels are coated with melted vegan butter when they’re straight out of the oven. This is what makes them soft, not to mention irresistibly delicious.

a hand brushing a freshly baked pretzel with butter

Alternatively, you can skip the butter glaze, which will make them nice and crispy, like a German Pretzel.

Vegan Soft Pretzel Recipe

The recipe is pretty easy but will take some time. Well worthwhile! To make it a success the first time, I have created a visual guide with step-by-step pictures. This is a very easy way to see how the homemade pretzels are formed, especially for baking beginners.

The exact quantities and everything else you need to know for the recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

Here’s How To Make Vegan Soft Pretzels:

Heat milk, butter, and sugar in a small pot or microwave (should be warm and not hot or boiling) and stir briefly until the butter is completely melted and the sugar is dissolved.

milk, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan

Mix all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.

flour and instant yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer

While running on slow speed with the dough hook attached, pour the milk-butter-sugar mixture slowly in. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough.

homemade pretzel dough in a bowl of a stand mixer

Let the dough rest: Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, put the dough in, cover with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to rise to double its size.

homemade pretzel dough in a greased bowl

Ta-daa! This is what the risen pretzel dough should look like!

Soda Bath & Baking

Mix the baking soda with very hot water in a deep baking tin. It dissolves better if you stir it a little with a small whisk or fork.

a hand stirring soda and water in a baking dish

How To Form A Pretzel Shape

Press the dough with your fist once to allow the air to escape. Now place the dough on a NON-floured work surface and divide it into 6 equally sized pieces.

Roll each piece into a thin and long (∼30inch | 75cm) rope. → Hold the ends and slap the middle onto your counter to make them even longer and thinner.

Tip: It is ok if the rope is a little thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends!

Dip each rope into the soda bath for a few seconds (∼10sec).

Drain briefly and form a pretzel directly on a with parchment paper lined baking sheet.
The forming is done as follows: Form the rope into a circle and place the thin ends on top of each other.

Now twist the ends one more time.

Grab the ends with your hands and place them on the lower part of the pretzel.

Slightly press the ends onto the dough.

Sprinkle with coarse salt.

a hand sprinkling coarse sea salt over pretzel dough

raw pretzel dough sprinkled with sea salt

Tip: These vegan pretzels are also delicious sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.

raw pretzel dough sprinkled with poppy seeds

Pretzel Baking

Bake the pretzels for 8 minutes until golden brown.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan or microwave.
As soon as the pretzels are ready and out of the oven, place them on a cooling rack and brush the warm pretzels with the melted butter. → This step is optional, see notes.

How To Freeze Pretzels?

After your baked pretzels have cooled, you can freeze them. Keep them in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to three months. To defrost them, place them directly frozen in the preheated oven at 395°F/200°C (fan-assisted) and bake for 5-10 minutes.

This is a great way to make sure you have easy, quick, tasty, crispy and above all homemade pretzels whenever you feel like having them! I always make a little extra dough and freeze some pretzels for later!

More Bread Recipes You Will Love:

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Vegan Soft Pretzels

Aline Cueni

Have you ever wanted to make irresistibly delicious vegan soft pretzels yourself? Good news: it CAN be done! This is a simple vegan pretzel recipe with many step-by-step pictures. You’ll be baking in no time!

4.86 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 8 mins

Dough Rising Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 38 mins

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 337 kcal

Ingredients

Vegan Pretzel Dough

1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk I use oat or soy milk
2 tbsp vegan butter or margarine
2 tbsp brown sugar or caster sugar
3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil to grease the bowl

Soda Bath & Toppgins

¼ cup (70 g) baking soda
2 cups (480 ml) very hot water
2 tbsp vegan butter melted
sea salt flakes or poppy seeds, sesame seeds

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

Heat the milk, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan or microwave until warm (not hot or boiling!). Stir until the butter is fully melted and the sugar dissolved.
Mix all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. While running on slow speed, pour the milk-butter-sugar mixture slowly in. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
Grease a large bowl with 1 tsp olive oil, place the dough in it, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Soda Bath & Baking

Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
Combine the baking soda with very hot (almost boiling) water in a shallow bowl (the water should be deep enough to dip the dough ropes in it) and stir until dissolved.
Punch the dough to deflate, place on a surface (do NOT use flour), and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each one into a thin long (30inch) rope. → Hold the ends and slap the middle onto your counter to make them even longer and thinner. If the dough seems tight, let it rest for a few minutes and continue with the other pieces.
Dip each rope into the soda bath for a few seconds, transfer on a with parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and form into a pretzel shape (see blog post for step-by-step instruction with pictures). Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds.
Bake the pretzels for 8 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tbsp vegan butter. As soon as the pretzels are coming out of the oven, transfer them on a cooling rack, and brush them with the melted butter.

Notes

Keeps fresh: Those pretzels are best when fresh. Freeze leftovers.
Freeze: Place the pretzels in a zip bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost for 5-10 minutes in the preheated oven (390°F/200°C).
Butter Glaze: To make a copycat version of the famous Auntie Anne’s pretzels, the butter glaze is a must. This also makes the pretzels soft. If you prefer crispy ones, don’t brush them with butter after baking.
Serving Suggestion: I love serving them with vegan cream cheese and garden cress. They do taste amazing with almost anything. Try serving them with this vegan queso.