baking · bread
Homemade Pretzel Buns
From a video by Kenmore · Recipe by Shauna Sever · 6 min watch
Homemade pretzel buns made with a stand mixer, featuring a distinctive glossy brown crust achieved through a baking soda and sugar boiling solution. The buns can be served with butter or used as hamburger buns.
breadpretzelbunamerican

Source video — Kenmore on YouTube
From the creator
Total time
~1 hour 45 minutes+Estimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Hands-on
~15 minutesEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Servings
~8 servingsEstimated by Unreel from the complete recipe.
Difficulty
EasyEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Extraction confidence: high
Auto-generated from the video and rewritten in our own words. Double-check quantities against the source before cooking.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled to 8 servings
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 egg
- coarse pretzel salt
- salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- warm water
- 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast
Preparation
- Step 1 · 400°F / 204°C · 6-7 minutesAdd warm water to the stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Add instant yeast and melted butter. Mix on low speed for about a minute. Switch to the funnel attachment and add bread flour, then add salt (never add salt directly on top of yeast). Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 6-7 minutes until the dough has a smooth surface and springs back slightly when poked.Doneness — smooth, elastic dough that springs back slightly
- Step 2 · 1 hourSpray a bowl with nonstick spray and place the dough inside. Cover with the mixer bowl cover. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. The dough is ready when an indentation remains when poked.Doneness — doubled in bulk
- Step 3Punch down the dough and shape into a circle. Cut into 8 equal pieces. For each piece, pat into a rough circle, then gather all the edges with fingertips and pinch them toward the center. Flip over, cup hand over the ball, and round into a smooth bun shape. Set aside while preparing the boiling solution.
- Step 4Bring at least 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add about 1/4 cup baking soda and 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring until dissolved. Carefully drop 2-3 buns at a time into the boiling solution. Boil for 20-30 seconds on each side. Lift out carefully, let excess water drain, and place on a baking sheet. The buns will appear wrinkled and sticky—this is normal.Doneness — wrinkled and sticky surface
- Step 5Prepare egg wash by beating an egg with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt until smooth. Brush the surface of each boiled bun with egg wash. Make an X slash on top of each bun with a knife. Sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.
- Step 6 · 400°F / 204°C · 20-25 minutesPreheat oven to 400°F. Bake the pretzel buns for 20-25 minutes until they are deeply golden-brown and glossy. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.Doneness — deeply golden-brown and glossy
Notes
- Salt should never be added directly on top of yeast; always add after flour
- Dough is ready when it has a smooth surface and bounces back slightly when poked
- Dough should double in bulk during rising, leaving an indentation when poked
- Boil buns for 20-30 seconds on each side in the baking soda solution
- After boiling, buns will appear wrinkled and sticky—this is normal for pretzel crust development
- Slash an X on top of each bun before baking; it will open up during baking
- Serve with butter or use as hamburger buns