This is the best gluten free pretzel recipe! These pretzels are soft and chewy every time. They’re quick and simple and can be made into pretzel bites or full-sized twisted pretzels and even come with a dairy-free cheese sauce recipe for dipping! Gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly!
I love soft pretzels – especially homemade ones. Homemade soft pretzels were a regular snack at our house when I was a kid. My mom made the best soft pretzels! She would shape them into giant twists of soft, buttery, salty dough. She would even shape them into the letters of our names.
It’s no wonder my mom served them up as a snack so often. You only need a few ingredients and they are relatively simple to make! This recipe only needs to rest for about 10 minutes and then you are on your way. Shaping the dough into pretzels is a great hands-on activity for the kids. And the end result? YUMMY!
This pretzel recipe is adapted from my mom’s recipe. It’s one of the best pretzel recipes around. However, this gluten free pretzel recipe contains a few ingredients my mom’s never did, like honey. I never added honey to my soft pretzels until I made them gluten-free. Gluten-free baked goods are often tough and dry. Honey is my little secret to keep gluten-free baked goodies nice and soft!
Recipe Allergy Information
These homemade pretzels are:
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Egg free
- Vegan
- Nut free
- Soy free
- Completely allergy friendly!
What You Need for This Gluten Free Pretzel Recipe
Equipment
- Large stock pot: For the baking soda bath. This only adds about 5 minutes to the process and is so worth it! The baking soda bath gives soft pretzels their traditional color, chew, and flavor. It’s totally worth it. Start the water to boil right away so it’s all ready by the time the pretzels are shaped and ready to go.
- Slotted spoon: A slotted spoon is the easiest way to remove the pretzels from baking soda bath.
- Baking sheet: Lined with parchment paper for best results.
- Basting brush: This is the easiest way to brush the pretzels with butter. However, you can get by without one. If you don’t have a basting brush them simply use the back of a small spoon.
For the Cheese Sauce
- Blender: To puree butternut squash.
Ingredients for this Gluten Free Pretzel Recipe
- Gluten-free all purpose flour: Your favorite cup-for-cup blend works great here.
- Tapioca flour: The key to making gluten-free yeast breads!
- Xanthan gum: The other key to gluten-free yeast breads! Xanthan gum stabilizes your bread products and gives them structure! You can read more about it in this King Arthur post if you are interested.
- Salt: Regular table salt for the dough and course salt for sprinkling on top.
- Baking soda: You’ll need a little for the dough and also about 1/2 cup for the baking soda bath.
- Vinegar: The vinegar reacts to the baking soda in the dough and helps it rise. Gluten-free yeast breads need a little extra help in my experience. I decided to try adding baking soda and vinegar to the dough after the first two batches needed a little help – and it totally worked! My third batch was perfect thanks to a little baking science. Baking science is so cool.
- Honey: As I mentioned before, honey helps make gluten free baked goods soft.
- Plant butter: You can also use regular butter if you don’t dairy-free.
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Warm water
For the Cheese Sauce
- Frozen butternut squash: In the microwaveable bag.
- Plant butter
- Gluten-free all purpose flour
- Plant milk: Unsweetened and original flavor.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
How to Make Vegan and Gluten Free Pretzels
- Prepare the baking soda bath. Bring a large stock pot of water to boil and then add 1/2 cup of baking soda to it. It will fizz and bubble. If you set the water to boil first then you shouldn’t have to wait on it once the pretzels are shaped. You should be able to move right on along!
- Proof the yeast. Heat the water in a glass measuring cup. The water should be about 110 degrees. The water will feel warm to you but it should not feel hot. If the water feels hot to you then it’s too hot and could kill your yeast! Allow it some time to cool or just start over. Mix the sugar into the water and then stir in the yeast. Set aside for 5 to 7 minutes or until the yeast is nice and bubbly!
- Mix together the dry ingredients: gluten-free all purpose flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda. When the yeast is done proofing add it, along with the honey and vinegar, to the dry ingredients. The dough will be soft and will hold together. Set the dough aside and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces. This is most easily done by dividing the dough in half and then each of those portions into thirds. Divide each of those 6 pieces in half again.
- Shape into pretzels. Roll out each piece of dough into a long rope, about 12 to 15 inches. Shape into pretzels by looping the rope into a circle, twisting the ends together and then bring the ends down on top of the circle. Or shape into letters of the alphabet like my mom did.
- Give them a bath! Carefully drop each pretzel into the boiling pot of baking soda water. You’ll need to work in batches. Allow them to boil for 20-30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon or a fork with a long handle to remove the pretzels from the water. I like to place them on a clean towel until all of the pretzels have finished bathing. This allows the water to drip off onto something other than your parchment lined baking sheet!
- Butter and salt. Place pretzels on a large baking sheet. Use a basting brush or the back of a spoon to brush the pretzels with melted butter. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake. Bake the pretzels for about 15 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately.
These gluten-free pretzels are so yummy dipped in the dairy-free cheese sauce recipe provided, or in Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce for a bigger kick!
Variations to This Gluten Free Pretzel Recipe
Pretzel Bites
To make pretzel bites, prepare the dough the same way as listed above. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion out into a 12-inch long rope. Cut the rope into 1-inch size pieces. Follow the rest of the instructions above.
Everything Bagel
I love this variation and it’s so easy! Simply use Everything Bagel seasoning in place of course salt. Make sure to check the label for the seasoning you use for sneaky ingredients like gluten!
Cinnamon Sugar
This variation is super simple too. Just mix together 1/4 cup of sugar with 1 tbsp cinnamon. After you have brushed the pretzels with butter, gently dip with in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
PrintThe Best Gluten Free Pretzel Recipe – Soft and Chewy
This is the best gluten free pretzel recipe! These pretzels are soft and chewy every time. They’re quick and simple and can be made into pretzel bites or full-sized twisted pretzels
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Snack
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Pretzels
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
- 2 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/4 cup plant butter, melted
- coarse salt for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup plant butter
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp salt or seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk
- 10 oz frozen butternut squash
Instructions
Pretzels
- Bring a large stock pot of water to boil.
- Mix together warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and set aside for 5 to 7 minutes or until the yeast has proofed and is very bubbly.
- In a large bowl, mix together gluten-free flour, tapioca flour, xanhan gum, salt, and baking soda. Add yeast, honey, and vinegar. Mix until just combined. The dough should hold together well. Set aside and let rest for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces by dividing the dough into half, and then each portion into thirds, and then in half again. Roll each piece of dough out into a 12-15 inch rope. Twist into shape.
- Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the boiling water. Working in batches, carefully add the pretzels to the baking soda bath and let boil for 20 to 30 seconds each. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a clean dish towel.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange pretzels on the baking sheet leaving 1/2 inch space between pretzels. Use a basting brush to brush melted butter on top of each pretzel. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt plant butter in a medium-sized pot. Whisk in gluten-free all purpose flour and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until thick and bubbly.
- Steam butternut squash. Carefully add it to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Add the plant milk to the thickened butter and flour mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pureed butternut squash.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel
- Calories: 195
- Fat: 3.8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 37 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
Keywords: gluten free pretzel recipe, homemade pretzels, soft pretzels, vegan pretzels, pretzel bites
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