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Bretzel rolls
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5 from 44 votes

Bretzel Rolls | German Pretzel Rolls

Bretzel Rolls are very similar to the German pretzels except for the shape. These German Pretzel Rolls have such beautiful color and texture to them.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: European, German
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 Rolls
Calories: 200kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cup Warm water
  • 2 tablespoon Warm milk
  • 2 tablespoon Butter melted and cooled
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast 1 sachet or 2 ¼ tsp
  • cup Brown sugar
  • 4 cups All purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Coarse salt To sprinkle on the rolls

For the Water bath –

  • Water In a large pot
  • ½ cup Baking soda

Instructions

To make the dough –

  • In a large bowl or in the bowl of the stand mixer, add ⅓ cup of warm water and yeast and mix to combine. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until foamy.
  • Add the remaining water, brown sugar, salt, milk and butter to the yeast mixture and mix well. Slowly add the flour, 1 cup at a time and mix the mixture until soft dough forms.
  • Switch to the dough hook and start kneading the dough until it forms a smooth dough.

To shape the rolls –

  • Weigh the final dough and then divide it into 12 equal pieces.
  • Shape the pieces into a smooth roll and then place them in a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and then a damp towel and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, using a sharp knife, make a quick score on the rolls in the shape of a cross. Make sure you make a swift and a slightly deep cut with a sharp knife.
  • Now cover the rolls again and let it rest for about 30 to 45 minutes or until they have sort of doubled in volume.

Baking Soda Bath –

  • In the meantime, heat a large pot with about a gallon of water.
  • Once the water boils, add the baking soda to the water. At this time, the water will bubble up vigorously and then settle down.
  • Now slowly add 2 rolls at a time into the water bath and let it cook on each side for about 15 seconds.
  • Remove the rolls with a slotted spoon and arrange them back in the baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Repeat the same with the rest of the rolls.

Baking the rolls –

  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 F.
  • Once the rolls come out of the baking soda bath, bake them for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is dark brown and the rolls sound hollow when tapped at the bottom. It took me about 12 minutes.
  • I had placed two trays in the oven and I switched the position of both the trays once in between to ensure even browning.
  • Once the rolls come out of the oven, cool them on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
  • Never store these rolls covered or in a box as they tend to become soggy. Leftover rolls can be stored uncovered in room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1585mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 2mg