Soft pretzels no longer require a trip to the mall, fair or the frozen aisle of a supermarket. Now you can make them at home from scratch, using this sourdough discard recipe. Enjoy a simple homemade version of these vegan sourdough pretzel bites any time you like.
A simple twist on traditional hamantaschen recipes. This version is made out of fluffy soft pretzel dough that won’t keep you waiting until it’s time for dessert to enjoy.
Use them as dinner rolls during the Purim Seudah (Feast), as an appetizer, a snack or save them for a sandwich.
What’s even better about these homemade soft pretzels is that if you bake sourdough you can add this to your list of sourdough discard recipes along with a small batch of these sourdough discard bagels.
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Sourdough pretzels
If you jumped on the sourdough train during “unprecedented times,” you might be ready to try a new recipe. This is a great way to use up your sourdough starter/discard.
Ingredients
- sourdough discard – from an unfed starter or discard from a feed
- yeast – from a jar of quick rise instant yeast
- white sugar
- water – both to make the dough and for boiling
- bread flour – scooped and packed
- coarse salt
- olive oil
- baking soda – to make an alkaline water bath
- everything but the bagel spice – for the topping. You could also use a coarse pretzel salt.
How to make sourdough pretzel bites
Prepare the dough
Start by making sure you have enough sourdough starter. You’ll need ½ cup (150 grams) to make a batch of these. (Remember to save a little extra starter to make your next batch of sourdough bread.)
The start doesn’t need to be fed. So you can use one that’s been stored in the refrigerator or repurpose the discard you’ve remove before a feeding.
Use a spoon to mix the sourdough discard with the rest of the dough ingredients. No need to knead it. Once all the flour is hydrated you can stop. It will be a little sticky.
Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Set it aside to rise in a warm spot, approximately 1-2 hours.
Cut & shape
Pull the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured surface, like a parchment paper lined baking tray. This will make it easy to transfer the pieces to the stove.
Using a bench scraper, divide the ball of dough in half (to make triangles) or quarters (for nuggets). Shape each one into a long and narrow piece. Cut into small bite sized pieces.
Rotate the scraper between 45° and 135° angles to create equilateral or isosceles triangles. Keep the bench scraper at a 90° (vertical) angle to make sourdough pretzel nuggets.
Boil
Bring a solution of baking soda and water to a boil. Working in batches, drop a couple of dough pieces into the pot. Set the oven timer for 1 minute. Boil for 30 seconds on both sides.
Place them straight onto a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with everything but the bagel spice.
Bake
Bake in a 425°F oven until golden brown.
Ways to serve these sourdough pretzel bites:
- with a side of mustard or sauce for dipping
- slice them open and make a bite sized sandwich
- tossed with oil , garlic, pepper and parsley for a sourdough garlic bread bite
FAQS & TIPS
This can be either an unfed sourdough starter or the portion that is removed prior to a feeding.
Yes, these pretzels can be frozen both unbaked or once they’ve been cooked.
To freeze them unbaked, prepare the dough and boil the pretzels as described in the recipe (including adding the bagel mix). Freeze the sourdough pretzels on a small sheet pan. Transfer to a sealed bag/container once frozen. Cook straight from the freezer per recipe instructions.
Once fully cooked, store them in a freezer safe bag. Defrost them as needed.
Yes, if you’re planning on making another batch within a couple of days you can save and reuse the water + baking soda solution. Transfer to a glass bowl to store. Cover and place it in the refrigerator on top of a sheet pan.
More triangle ideas
Sourdough Pretzel Bites
Soft pretzels made from scratch, with this sourdough discard recipe.
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- ½ cup (150 grams) sourdough discard
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) quick rise instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoons (15 grams ) olive oil
- ⅓ cup (90 grams) warm water
- 1 ¼ cup (scooped & packed, 185 grams) bread flour + more for rolling
- ¼ teaspoons coarse salt
Water Bath
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ cup baking soda
Toppings & Serving Suggestion
- 1½ tablespoons everything but the bagel spice
- mustard of choice
Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the sourdough discard, yeast, sugar, olive oil and warm water. Stir together until dissolved.
- Pour in the flour and salt. Mix together to form a sticky ball of dough. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little of the bagel spice onto the bottom of the parchment lined sheet pan.
- Fill a large pot with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, pour the dough out onto a well floured piece of parchment paper. Divide dough in half. Press each half into a log, approximately 12 x 1.5 inches. Using a bench scraper cut the dough into triangles*. Cover and let rest 5-10 minutes.
- Once water is boiling, lower the heat and sprinkle in the baking soda. Cover, raise heat back to high and return to a boil.
- Carefully drop some pretzels into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side. Use a fish spatula or slotted spoon to easily flip and remove pretzels from the pot. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle immediately with some bagel mix. Repeat with remaining pretzel pieces.
- Bake in pre-heated 425°F oven, 15-17 minutes, until dark golden brown in color.
Notes
Rotate the scraper between 45° and 135° angles to create the triangle shape.
To make sourdough pretzel nuggets, divide the dough into quarters. Keep the bench scraper at a 90° (vertical) angle.
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This post was originally published in 2016 and has been revamped and republished in March 2022.
