I teamed up with Red Star Yeast® to bring you today’s recipe! They’re my favorite yeast company and the only yeast products I use in my baking. Their yeast yields perfect soft and tender baked goods every time I use it!
A few times each year during high school, a couple of friends and I met up at the mall. None of us liked shopping too much, so we limited our trips… But it was still fun to purchase new clothes every so often!
After passing through the first set of stores and trying on dozens of outfits, we usually stopped to sit in the comfy chairs in the center of the mall for a break. Without much mall stamina, our feet begged for a break from standing so long!
Our stomachs sometimes rumbled a bit during our short breaks, so we occasionally grabbed a treat from one of the many food stalls: freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, warm gooey cinnamon rolls, scoops of ice cream or gelato…
But I looked forward to the pretzel place the most! Those soft doughy insides hidden inside of crisp brown crusts and the bright pops from the coarse salt liberally sprinkled on top… So irresistible! (And it didn’t exactly help that we passed by that stall every time we walked through the mall entrance!)
On my most recent flight home from this trip, I arrived really early, which gave me plenty of time to find a seat at the airport gate and catch up on email. As I pulled out my laptop, I glanced up and to my right…
And I spotted a pretzel stand ran by the same company as the ones at my hometown’s mall. Within two seconds, I smelled those freshly baked pretzels, tempting me to buy one…
Yet I held off and made these Healthy Mini Soft Pretzels once I arrived back at my own house! Unlike the ones from the pretzel stand, these contain no refined flour or sugar… But they’re just as soft and delicious and irresistible, and they’re only 50 calories!
So I definitely don’t need to walk around the mall for an entire afternoon to burn them off! ?
Let’s talk about how to make these healthy mini soft pretzels!
You’ll start by mixing together the dough. It’s a yeast-based dough, but it’s super easy—I promise! You just need warm water (not hot!), a bit of pure maple syrup (this kind!), a touch of salt, and yeast.
Now here’s my secret trick to all of my yeast-based treats… I always use Red Star Yeast! I tried their yeast in my dad’s bread rolls recipe shortly after I graduated from college, and it was the best batch I had ever made! They rose higher, they had a softer texture, and I’ve never used any other brand since then. I swear by Red Star Yeast!
For this particular healthy mini soft pretzels recipe, I used their Quick Rise Yeast. However, their Active Dry Yeast works equally well. You can find their products near you with their handy store locator here!
Once you’ve mixed in the whole wheat flour (I vastly prefer this one!), then it’s time to knead the dough. I usually knead by hand! There’s something so soothing and almost therapeutic about flouring my hands, holding the dough, and gently folding and pressing, folding and pressing, folding and pressing.
No? Just me?…
Regardless, the next step in making these healthy homemade mini soft pretzels is shaping the dough! You’ll divide the dough into 18 segments. I find the easiest way to do this is with a sharp knife!
Cut the dough in half… Then cut each half in thirds… Then cut each third in thirds again. Voila! You’ve got 18 pieces! (Remember to keep all of the pieces covered with a clean towel so they don’t dry out!)
To shape each individual healthy homemade mini soft pretzel, roll one segment at a time into a long skinny rope. It should be at least 12” long! (Yes, it’s going to be really thin and skinny!)
♡ Make a U shape with the dough rope.
♡ Grab the top ends of the U.
♡ Twist them once. (The right end should end up back on the right, and the left end should end up back on the left!)
♡ Fold the twisted ends down so they’re touching the bottom of the U.
♡ Gently press them into place.
Tada! You’ve shaped your first healthy homemade mini pretzel!
Although many recipes skip this next step, I highly recommend including it…
You’ll let your healthy mini pretzel dough shapes rise for 20-30 minutes! This ensures their insides turn out with the best light and soft texture. I know it takes a little extra time, but I promise it’s worth the wait!
This is the most important step in making your healthy mini soft pretzels… The baking soda bath! You’ll briefly dip the pretzels in boiling water that has lots of baking soda dissolved in it. This baking soda solution is what creates that rich brown color and crispness of the pretzels’ crust!
As soon as you pull your healthy mini pretzel out of the baking soda bath, sprinkle it with coarse sea salt (like this!). I’m a salt-aholic and love adding as much as I can… But you can add as little (or as much!) as you’d like!
Then pop your tray of healthy mini pretzels in the oven. They don’t bake for very long, so keep an eye on them to make sure they turn out lovely and soft—not crunchy or burnt!
How’s that look for an even better—and healthier—version of my favorite mall snack?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your healthy mini soft pretzels!
I’m also hosting a giveaway with Red Star Yeast! To enter, just follow the instructions beneath the recipe!
| Healthy Mini Soft Pretzels | | Print |
- for the dough
- ¾ cup (180mL) warm water (100-110°F)
- 4 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp olive oil or unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp salt (just regular table salt!)
- 2 ¼ tsp (7g or one ¼-oz package) Red Star® Quick Rise Yeast
- 2 – 2 ½ cups (240-300g) whole wheat flour
- coarse sea salt
- for the baking soda bath
- 3 cups (720mL) water
- 3 tbsp (42g) baking soda
- In a large bowl, stir together the water, maple syrup, olive oil or butter, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top, and wait 10-15 minutes or until the mixture turns frothy. Mix in 1 ½ cups of flour. If the dough is still wet, continue stirring in flour 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead for 3-5 minutes or until the dough springs back most of the way when you gently press your index finger into it. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut 3 rectangles of foil about 4” to 5” wide, and generously rub with olive oil. Place the foil onto a large baking sheet.
- Cut the dough half with a sharp knife. Working with 1 half at a time, cut into 3 small pieces. Cut each small piece into 3 pieces again, for a total of 18 pieces. Cover the pieces with a clean dry towel.
- Working with 1 piece at a time, roll it into a skinny rope at least 12” long. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape. (See details on how in the blog post above!) Put it on the prepared foil, and continue with the remaining dough.
- Lay the clean dry towel over the top of the shaped pretzels, and place the baking sheet in a warm draft-free spot to rise for 20 minutes or until about double in size.
- To prepare the baking soda bath, add the water and baking soda to a small pot. Bring the water to a boil. Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Working with one foil sheet at a time, carefully and very gently peel the risen pretzels off, and place them top-side down in the boiling water. Boil for 10-15 seconds. Carefully flip using a slotted spatula. Boil for 10-15 seconds on the second side. Carefully transfer to the wire rack using the slotted spatula. Sprinkle with the coarse sea salt. Repeat with the remaining foil sheets and risen pretzels.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Carefully transfer the boiled pretzels from the wire rack to the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 7-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a dry wire rack to cool completely.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
For the whole wheat flour, I highly recommend this kind. In my kitchen, is has performed the best out of any brand I’ve tried, and it ensures your mini pretzels fully double in size while rising in Step 6. (Other brands of whole wheat flour, as well as white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour, haven’t risen nearly as high for me!) All-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the whole wheat flour.
For the yeast, both Red Star Yeast’s® Quick Rise Yeast and Active Dry Yeast will work. Use their store locator here to find their yeast near you!
Any oil may be substituted for the olive oil. However, if using coconut oil, your yeast will not turn frothy in Step 2.
The generous amount of oil on the foil sheets prevents the pretzels from sticking when it’s time for the next step! If you forgot to oil the foil, then you’d have to tug to get the pretzels off… And that tugging would cause them to deflate and turn out flat. Once the pretzels have been boiled, they won’t rise or change their shape at all… So be very careful and gentle when peeling them off of the foil and putting them into the water!
To get that classic deep brown pretzel crust, you briefly boil the pretzels in the baking soda bath before baking. If you skipped the boiling step, your pretzels would turn out more like regular bread rolls—just in a pretzel shape!
I haven’t had good luck substituting gluten-free flours in this recipe. The pretzels don’t rise or have the right soft and tender texture the way they do with wheat-based flour due to the lack of gluten.
{vegan, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
This blog post was sponsored by Red Star Yeast®. As always, all thoughts, opinions, text, photographs, and recipe are my own.
I’m teaming up with Red Star Yeast to host a giveaway for you! We’re giving away an extra special package to one lucky winner. Here’s everything that’s included: 3 strips of Red Star Yeast, insulated tote bag, dough whisk, bench scraper, ‘Knead to be Loaved’ apron, bread knife, flexible cutting board, oven mitt, kitchen towel, large mixing/rising bowl, and a recipe book!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Red Star Yeast Giveaway will be open until 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time on August 12, 2018. Open to the US and Canada only. Must be 18 years or older and have a valid email address to enter. Winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond, or else a new winner will be selected.
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Mini Whole Wheat Bagels
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Whole Wheat Rolls
♡ Healthier Caramel-Filled Pretzel Bites
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Cinnamon Rolls
Do you have a Pinterest account so I can save these for later?
Yes, I do! And I’ve actually included a link directly above the recipe to the pin! My links are the pink-colored font. I know it can be easy to miss that! 😉 I’m so honored that you’d like to pin this to save for later, I’d love to hear what you think of these pretzels if you try making them Emily!
Thank you for a whole wheat recipe that only uses whole wheat flour! It’s so irritating to find a “whole wheat” recipe that uses maybe 1/3 – 1/2 ratio of whole wheat flour to white flour.
I’m waiting for them to rise right now!
You’re welcome Sarah! When I first started my blog, I had the same thoughts about “whole wheat” recipes… It was really disappointing to see how little whole wheat flour many recipes that claimed to be “whole wheat” actually used, so I always try to use 100% whole wheat flour and nothing else in my “whole wheat” recipes! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you thought of these pretzels!!
Loved these! Somehow from the pictures, I couldn’t tell how small they were, but when I shaped my little pretzels I squeaked at how cute they were. My sister and I both made them. She said hers came out kind of soggy on the bottom with an odd taste, which I assume is from the baking soda. So when I made mine, I left them on the wire racks, and put the racks on baking sheets in the oven. The bottoms were still softer than the tops, but not soggy, and oh so good. What did you do to keep them from baking in the leftover water from the bath? Did you let them sit for a while to dry off? We both baked immediately after the bath.
I can’t believe how well they turned out! Classic pretzels with a crispy, brown outside and soft, fluffy inside. I never thought pretzels were something I could make at home, but I’m excited to know I can! I sprinkled a few with cinnamon-sugar… very tasty. I also think some Italian herbs and Parmesan would be good, but I had no Parm. And the salty pretzels go great with mustard.
Thanks!
I’m so glad you loved these pretzels, Carmen! That really means a lot to me, especially that you’d take the time to let me know. You just made my whole day! 🙂
When you put the pretzels in the baking soda bath, did you let them soak for an equal amount of time on both sides? And had the baking soda fully dissolved? When you removed them from the baking soda bath, did you use a slotted spatula, like I included in Step 8? The slotted spatula is important — it allows the excess water to drain off so your pretzels don’t turn out soggy!
Because of my pot sizes, I have to boil the pretzels in stages, so the first pretzels typically drain for a few minutes longer than the final ones. However, I didn’t notice a big texture difference between the ones I boiled in the beginning and towards the end… So I’m guessing it has something to do with how much water was transferred with the pretzels out of the bath. Does that make any sense? (I’m not sure I’m explaining myself very well right now! 🙁 )
PS I love your ideas of cinnamon sugar and Parmesan + herbs! Those both sound incredible!!
Makes perfect sense. I talked to my sister and she says she did use a slotted spatula. I think she probably just didn’t let them drain off much. Thanks for the response!
It’s my pleasure, Carmen! I’m happy to help. 🙂 If you and your sister ever decide to try making these pretzels again (I know they’re a labor of love!), then I hope draining them a bit more next time really helps with the texture!
Hi!
Could I substitute the maple syrup with something else, for example honey? I don’t have any maple syrup at the moment but I’m dying to try this recipe!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Sara! I’ve actually covered the answer to this exact question in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these pretzels if you try making them!
I usually love your recipes but this one was a disaster for me. Followed it word for word but the bottoms were super soggy and not much taste. I used a slotted spatula, baking soda was dissolved, timed boiling plus had a rack to put them on so they could drip dry a bit more until they were all finished with the boiling process. I did use honey instead of maple syrup. Any thoughts?
PS. I love your chocolate chip gingerbread oatmeal cookies.
It means a lot that you tried making my recipe, Zoey! That sounds disappointing and not at all like how these pretzels should turn out, so I’m happy to help figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you!
Did you make a single batch with 18 mini pretzels in total?
Can you describe the texture of the pretzels’ tops and insides? Were those soggy too? Or were the tops firm and dry — and the insides soft and chewy?
How long did you let the boiled pretzels drip dry on the wire racks before transferring to the baking sheets? (Especially the last batch you boiled!)
Did you use silicone baking mats or parchment paper?
How much water ended up on the silicone baking mats or parchment paper? (I know it’s an imperfect process to transfer the pretzels! 😉 )
Did you use dark metal baking sheets, light metal, or air-bake/insulated ones?
Do you have a convection (fan-assisted) oven or a regular oven?
How many oven rack positions does your oven have, and which one did you use?
How long did you bake your pretzels?
Did you transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely — and were the bottoms soggy once they reached room temperature?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them! 🙂
Thank you for the quick reply! Will try to answer questions.
Made a single batch
Bottom half of pretzels were soggy tops were fine. Insides were half and half.
Boiled each pretzel for about 15 seconds on each side. Let them sit on the rack after for about 7-2 mins. Last few were just on there for 2 mins.
Used parchment paper.
Dark cooking sheets.
Regular oven.
7 positions in over, used 3rd and 5th.
Baked for about 7-11 mins, left some in longer hoping the bottoms would crisp up.
Transferred them to to wire rack to cool. Let them cool. Tried too fry some of the bottoms in a pan to get the water to dissipate but that didn’t work.
Perhaps, using convention oven and a preheated pizza stone might help? And only boiling for 5 seconds each side and let drip dry each for at least 10 mins might help?
Thank you.
Thanks for sharing this info with me, Zoey! I think I have a pretty good idea of the culprit, but I have a few quick follow-up questions to confirm.
Did you make 18 pretzels? (The size of the pretzels can make a difference, so I wanted to make sure yours were about the same size as mine!)
How much water ended up on the parchment paper? (I know it’s an imperfect process to transfer the pretzels!)
Did you bake both trays of pretzels at the same time? (Since you mentioned using the 3rd and 5th rack positions, that’s what it sounded like, but I still wanted to double check!)
Does your oven have a convection setting, as well as operating as a standard oven?
We’re nearly there — thanks so much for your patience and answering these questions too! 🙂
Here you go. 🙂
Yes made 18 pretzels, used a scale to measure so they were the same.
Hardly any water on parchment paper since I put them on a rack to drip dry before transferring.
Yes my oven has convection.
Yes I baked both trays at same time.
Thank you. 😊
Thanks so much, Zoey! The biggest issue is actually baking both trays at the same time. When you do that, it interrupts the circulation and flow of hot air inside of your oven, which means baked goods don’t bake quite the same as when you just put one tray in the oven at a time. If you end up making these pretzels again, I’d recommend baking just one tray at a time, using the center oven rack position, and letting the pretzels drain for at least 5 minutes (if not closer to 8-10!) before transferring them from the wire racks to the baking sheet. You can also try boiling them for a little less time, more like 5-10 seconds per side, like you mentioned. All of that should help improve the texture!
One last question! Just to be thorough. 😉 Can you see a heating element or heating coil in the bottom of your oven? If not, then using a preheated pizza stone a rack or two underneath where you’ll bake the individual tray of pretzels could also help. (Not everybody owns a pizza stone, but it sounds like you probably do!)
Sounds like a good plan. I will try these again. Thank you.
My pleasure, Zoey! I’m happy to help. 🙂