Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (2024)

by Heather

This Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Recipe is a long-standing go-to in my family. The buttery, chewy, slightly sweet pretzel dough that just melts in your mouth. These pretzels are by far one of our favorites. They never last long around here, I usually have to make a double batch just to keep hubby and the teens satisfied.

Have you ever taken a trip to the mall JUST for the warm chewy deliciousness of an Auntie Annes pretzel? You are not alone! There should be a secret support group for this addiction. The warm chewy center. The golden outer crust. The tangy sea salt perfectly placed around the top………… Ohhhh just heaven on a plate (or in a cup if you choose the wonderful little bites perfect for dipping!)

Helpful tools used to make this recipe:
Kitchen Aid Stand MixerAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (1)|Glass Baking BowlsAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (2)|Baking Sheet PanAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (3)|Kitchen Timer

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (4)

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Now you can make this irresistiblecopycat recipeyourself and enjoy your pretzel addiction in the comfort of your own home. No one ever needs to know how much you crave these salty little bites of heaven. Ok, now I sound like the little devil on your shoulder telling you to do the really bad things. I’m really just trying to help you here! I promise I am. You will thank me after you make these just once! They are as close to the original as it can get from home. Give this recipe a try and let me know how they come out for you!

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (5)

When it comes to food, we love trying to recreate our favorite restaurant dishes at home. That also includes fast food and snack ideas as well. Like CopycatTaco Bell Loaded Potato GrillersandMcDonald’s Shamrock Shake.

One of our absolute favorite snacks, hands down, has to be the iconic Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Slightly sweet with a golden, buttery pretzel crust. Making these delicious pretzels is easier than you might think. Sure, they do take a little time. Trust me, they are so worth it. Here is how you can make our version of Copycat Auntie Anne’s pretzels right from home.

Copycat Recipe: How to Make Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

Helpful tools used to make this recipe:

Kitchen Aid Stand MixerAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (6)|Glass Baking BowlsAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (7)|Baking Sheet PanAuntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (8)|Kitchen Timer

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (9)

Ingredients for Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Recipe

  • 1 Cup whole milk (you can also use a whole milk substitute if you are out)
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 1/4Cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoonsbaking soda (or a baking soda substitute)
  • 1 1/2 Cups warm water
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 Tablespoonsbutter, melted in asmall bowl
Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (10)

Directions for Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Recipe

  1. Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove top for about one minuteto 110º. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it.
  2. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes
  3. Add the butter and sugar.
  4. Add the flour 1 cup at a time and then add the salt.
  5. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with flour as you knead if the dough is too sticky
  6. Place the dough in a greased bowl turning once and cover with plastic wrap.
  7. Let it rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size.
  8. *TIP: preheat your oven on the lowest “warm” setting while you are mixing the dough. Turn it off before you begin kneading the dough. Place the covered dough in the warm oven for 1 hour.
  9. Remove from the warmed oven
  10. Preheat the oven to 400º.
  11. Combine the warm water and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.


  1. Punch down dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface.
  2. Divide into 12 – 16 equal pieces
  3. Roll the dough all out into logs as thin as you can.
  4. Shape each piece ofthe dough into pretzel shapes (see the video above), then dip them in the baking soda water.
  5. Place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
  6. Bake for 7-11 minutes or until browned.
  7. While hot, brusheach pretzel with melted butter. Serve with The Perfect Cheese sauce (recipe below).

Recipe Note:

Makes 6 large pretzels or 12 – 16 small pretzels

Check out the video above to see how easy it easy to shape your pretzels!

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (11)

Ingredients for Auntie Anne’s Cheese Sauce (perfect for dipping!)

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 C milk
  • 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • pinch of salt

Instructions for Auntie Anne’s Cheese Sauce

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.
  3. Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps of flour remain.
  4. Stirring constantly, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese until all of the cheese has melted.
  6. Add a pinch of salt, if needed.
  7. Serve warm. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on medium power at 30-second intervals.
Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (12)

If the sweeter version of these perfect pretzels is more your taste, try dipping them in cinnamon sugar mixture once they come out of the melted butter! Delicious!!

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (13)

Print Recipe

4.48 from 23 votes

Copycat Recipe Auntie Anne's Pretzels with Cheddar Dipping Sauce

The buttery, chewy, slightly sweet pretzel dough that just melts in your mouth.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time11 mins

Rise time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 36 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Auntie Anne's Pretzels with Cheddar Dipping Sauce

Servings: 12

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Daily DIY Life

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup whole milk
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 1/4 Cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 Cups warm water
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 Tablespoons butter melted in a small bowl

Instructions

  • Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove top for about one minute to 110º. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast. You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it.

  • Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes

  • Add the butter and sugar.

  • Add the flour 1 cup at a time and then add the salt.

  • Knead the dough for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with flour as you knead if the dough is too sticky

  • Place the dough in a greased bowl turning once and cover with plastic wrap.

  • Let it rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size.

  • Remove from the warmed oven

  • Preheat the oven to 400º.

  • Combine the warm water and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

  • Punch down dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface.

  • Divide into 12 - 16 equal pieces

  • Roll the dough all out into logs as thin as you can.

  • Shape each piece of the dough into pretzel shapes (see the video above), then dip them in the baking soda water.

  • Place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.

  • Bake for 7-11 minutes or until browned.

  • While hot, brush each pretzel with melted butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (14)

Just look at that golden, buttery crust. They are incredible! Don’t just take my word for it, try making up a batch of these for yourself and see.

Check out our entire guide of copycat recipes. And let us know what you want us to do next!

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Auntie Anne's Pretzel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret solution for Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

The answer lies in a brief dip in an alkaline water bath before baking. This bath essentially gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, preventing it from fully “springing” during baking (as bread does) and giving pretzels their signature chewy crust. It also gives them their unique and indelible “pretzel” flavor.

What are the ingredients in Auntie Anne's original pretzels? ›

ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, BROWN SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: DOUGH CONDITIONERS (WHEAT FLOUR, MALT BARLEY FLOUR, ASCORBIC ACID, ENZYMES, SALT, VEGETABLE PROTEIN [CORN-BASED]), YEAST, CALCIUM ...

What makes Auntie Anne's pretzels so good? ›

Auntie Anne Pretzels are somehow more delicious than your average pretzel. A healthy dose of sugar makes for a tasty dough, and a topping of melted butter and salt makes them positively addictive. Another reason the popular pretzels are so good is they are made and served fresh and warm.

Does Auntie Anne's fry or bake their pretzels? ›

Products sold at Auntie Anne's franchise locations are baked fresh in-store. In order to provide you with a great Auntie Anne's experience at home, we use the same proprietary blend of flour used in our stores.

Does Auntie Anne's put butter on their pretzels? ›

ORIGINAL PRETZEL

The original twist that started it all; a simple, buttery and salty soft pretzel that is better than the best. Make it vegan by ordering this item without butter.

What is the lie for making pretzels? ›

Dipping the dough in a lye solution gives traditional German pretzels their characteristic salinity; chew; and smooth mahogany exterior, but the strong alkali (sodium hydroxide) is corrosive and can burn your skin, so it must be handled with caution.

Why boil pretzel dough in baking soda? ›

As noted above, baking soda is a staple ingredient for making homemade pretzels. Dunking your pretzels in a baking soda bath prior to baking is what enables them to develop their distinctive color and crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside texture.

Is pretzel dough the same as bread dough? ›

Soft pretzels are just a yeast bread is that formed into a pretzel shape. The one big difference in pretzel making, as opposed to a regular bread, is that pretzels are boiled and then baked. It is the boiling that gives the outside of the pretzel its beautiful golden brown color and uniquely crisp and chewy texture.

What meat does Auntie Anne's use? ›

Our classic Auntie Anne's Pretzel dough wrapped around a Nathan's Famous®, all beef hot dog. Individually wrapped and available by the dozen.

Who makes Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

Auntie Anne's is an American franchised chain of pretzel shops founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages. They also offer Pretzels & More Homemade Baking Mix for those who want to make their pretzels at home.

Does Auntie Anne's use sesame? ›

auntieannes.com

Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy. Some of our products contain food allergens and other ingredients that cause food sensitivities, such as egg, fish, milk, peanuts, sesame, shell fish, soybean, tree nuts, and wheat.

What is the Auntie Anne's special solution? ›

Instead, they mix hot (but not boiling) water with baking soda until the baking soda dissolves, then dunk the pretzels in that solution prior to baking. According to The Daily Meal, the baking soda solution slapped onto each pretzel is what gives them that signature Auntie Anne's crust.

What is Auntie Anne's secret ingredient? ›

A lot of our recipe was based off intuition and common knowledge of a pretzel recipe, but there were some parts that were taken directly from Auntie Anne's method. Take, for example, their "secret ingredient," which Auxer describes as something that was accidentally added to the recipe — we guessed sugar.

What is Auntie Anne's real name? ›

“Auntie” Anne Beiler started baking pretzels to help fund her husband's desire to provide free family counseling services for their community.

What solution are pretzels dipped in? ›

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.

What is the drain cleaner in pretzels? ›

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

What do they dip Auntie Anne's pretzels in? ›

Choices include Cheese, Hot Salsa Cheese, Sweet Glaze, Caramel, Honey Mustard, Marinara, and Light Cream Cheese.

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