These deep brown, soft and chewy pretzels are slathered with a fragrant miso garlic butter, making them absolute heaven warm right out of the oven.
I distinctly remember my mom making pretzel dough when I was a little kid, and she would have me shape the pretzels. I never shaped them into the iconic pretzel shape. Twists and snails were definitely a favorite, but then every once in a while I’d create some obscure shape that my mom would complain about when it became undone in the baking soda bath.
After we baked them, we topped half of them with freshly ground salt and the other half with cinnamon sugar. Then, my mom would loudly declare “Pretzels are done!”, and all of the cousins we had over downstairs would run up. Within minutes, the pretzels would all be gone.
Homemade pretzels are definitely one of my favorite snacks. You just can’t beat a warm, soft pretzel with that iconic chew and flavor. These are extra-special though. Before and after baking, you are going to generously brush these pretzels with a butter that has garlic, parsley, and miso! The miso adds this amazing umami-goodness that is SO addictive and yummy. You can find white miso paste in your local Asian grocery or at a Whole Foods.
Pretzels may seem intimidating to make, but they are nothing to be scared of and are so worth it in the end. You are just going to make a simple pretzel dough, shape the pretzels, boil them in a baking soda bath (this may sound weird, but it’s what gives them their iconic flavor and deep brown crust!), and then finally bake them. Trust me, they are actually quite simple to make.
tips for success
- shape the pretzels on an UN-FLOURED surface – this dough isn’t too sticky, and it’s much easier to roll the pretzels into long ropes when they are just slightly sticking to the surface.
- try out different shapes! – don’t limit yourself to just the classic pretzel shape. You can braid the dough ropes, swirl them to make a snail, or shape them however your heart desires!
Looking for other recipes to use miso in? Try my miso brown butter chocolate chip cookies! I’m not kidding when I say they’re the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made.
buttered miso garlic soft pretzels
makes 12 pretzels | adapted from america’s test kitchen
ingredients:
for the dough
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water (around 110°F)
- 3 cups (360 grams) bread flour
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
for the baking soda bath
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
for the miso garlic butter
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
instructions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the instant yeast and warm water together. Let sit for one minute. Add the bread flour, honey, and kosher salt. Fitted with the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for about 6 minutes at low speed until a smooth and stiff dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, tossing the dough to coat it with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about an hour at warm room temperature, or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and let it rise again, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until doubled again.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the miso and garlic, and let sizzle for about a minute over medium heat. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, and set aside.
- In a 12-inch skillet, mix 6 cups of water and the baking soda together. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat.
- Divide the dough into 12 portions, and roll each portion into a 22-inch long rope. Shape each pretzel into a pretzel by overlapping both ends of the rope in a circle, twisting them, and then pinching them down. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Carefully place the pretzels in the boiling water for 30 seconds, tops down. Flip the pretzels, and boil for an additional 30 seconds. Using a slotted spatula, remove the pretzels, letting the excess water drain, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Generously brush the pretzels with the miso garlic butter, and sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Bake for 12 minutes, until well-browned. Brush the pretzels again with the rest of the miso garlic butter. Let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, and devour.
Looks like another keeper recipe!