How to Make Pretzels Crispier

Hard pretzels pack more of a crunch than other pretzels.

If you prefer your pretzels being crispy consider making your own batch of hard pretzels. Hard pretzels are smaller than the soft pretzels that are often served at movie theatres and sport venues. They are thinner as well, which allows them to become crispier than soft pretzels when cooked. Enjoy pretzels just the way you like them instead of settling for the store-brought pretzels that may not satisfy your craving for crispy pretzels.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• 2 1/2 cups water, plus a tablespoon for egg and water mixture to be brushed on pretzels before baking
• 4 tsp. salt
• Hand or stand mixer
• 2 packages dry active yeast
• 9 cups all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil
• Plastic wrap
• Large pot
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheets
• Pastry brush
• Small bowl
• Egg
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Kitchen towel
• Cooling racks
• Pretzel salt

Instructions

1. Add the water, sugar and salt to the bowl. Use the mixer to combine the ingredients.

2. Add the yeast to the mixture and let it stand for five minutes or until the yeast starts to foam on top.

3. Add the flour and continue mixing on low until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. If you have a dough hook attachment for your stand mixer you will want to use it for this step.

4. Change the speed of the mixer to medium once ingredients are thoroughly combined. Stop mixing once the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl.

5. Take the dough out of the bowl and set on your counter. Clean and dry the bowl.

6. Pour vegetable oil into the bowl, but just enough to coat the bottom and sides. Use your hands to smear the vegetable oil around to evenly coat the bowl.

7. Place the dough back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with the plastic wrap and leave it alone until it doubles in size, about 50 minutes. Leave it on the counter to rise. It needs to be in a warm location.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Fill the pan 1/3 of the way. Bring the water to boil over medium heat.

10. Cover the cookie sheets with parchment paper. Brush the paper with vegetable oil.

11. Oil your work surface with vegetable. Just a light coat to prevent the dough from sticking. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on the work surface.

12. Divide the dough into about 70 to 75 pieces to form the pretzels. Roll each dough with your hands into a stick about 14 inches long. Dampen a kitchen towel and cover the dough not being handled.

13. Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water. Set aside.

14. Drop five or six of the pretzels into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water with tongs and place on the cookie sheets.

15. Brush each pretzel with the egg and water mixture then give them a light dusting of pretzel salt.

16. Bake the pretzels immediately. Bake until crispy, about 60 minutes. Soft pretzels recipes will ask you to let the dough rise for a second time before baking, which makes them chewy. For Hard pretzels bake right away.

17. Remove the pretzels from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Continue boiling and baking the pretzels until you have used all of the dough.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep pretzels fresh by storing them in an airtight container.

References

• Food Network.com: Homemade Hard Pretzels
• RecipeTips,com: Basic Breads