Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Pretzels: 500 g bread flour, 7 g instant yeast, 10 g fine sea salt, 10 g barley malt syrup or brown sugar, 300 ml cold water, 30 g unsalted butter (soft)
- Bath (choose one): Option A 30 g food-grade lye + 1 L cold water; Option B 60 g baked baking soda + 2 L water
- Finish: 2 tbsp pretzel salt
- Obazda: 300 g ripe Camembert, 80 g soft butter, 100 g cream cheese, 1 small red onion or shallot (finely diced), 1.5 tsp sweet paprika, 1/4 tsp hot paprika, 1 tsp crushed caraway, 30–45 ml pale lager or wheat beer, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp chopped chives
- To serve: 1 bunch radishes
Do This
- 1. Mix dough ingredients and knead 8–10 min until smooth; rise 45 min.
- 2. Divide into 8 (about 110–115 g each), pre-shape logs, rest 10 min, then roll ropes 60 cm with tapered ends.
- 3. Form pretzels (twist ends twice, fold down), place on parchment-lined sheet; chill 30 min (or freeze 15–20 min) to firm.
- 4. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F). Prepare bath: lye 3% cold dip 10–15 sec; or simmer baked soda solution and dip 30 sec/side.
- 5. Drain, place on parchment, score belly 2–3 cm, sprinkle pretzel salt.
- 6. Bake 12–14 min until deep mahogany. Cool 10 min.
- 7. Mash Obazda ingredients; adjust beer, salt, pepper. Chill 30 min; serve with chives and radishes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Bavarian flavor: glossy, chestnut-brown pretzels and creamy, paprika-kissed Obazda.
- Clear, home-cook friendly method with both lye and baking-soda bath options.
- Make-ahead friendly: shape and chill pretzels in advance; Obazda improves as it rests.
- Perfect for sharing with cold beer, crisp radishes, and good company.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 small red onion or shallot, 1 bunch radishes, fresh chives
- Dairy: Ripe Camembert (300 g), unsalted butter, cream cheese (100 g)
- Pantry: Bread flour, instant yeast, fine sea salt, pretzel salt, barley malt syrup or brown sugar, sweet and hot paprika, caraway seeds, beer (pale lager or wheat beer), baking soda (if not using food-grade lye)
Full Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 500 g bread flour (12% protein if possible)
- 7 g instant yeast
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 10 g barley malt syrup or brown sugar
- 300 ml cold water
- 30 g unsalted butter, softened
Lye or Baking Soda Bath
- Option A (most glossy): 30 g food-grade lye (sodium hydroxide) dissolved in 1 L cold water
- Option B (lye-style, milder): 60 g baked baking soda (sodium carbonate) in 2 L water, gently simmering
- Note: To make baked baking soda, spread 120 g baking soda on a foil-lined tray and bake at 135°C (275°F) for 60 minutes. Cool and store airtight; use 60 g for the bath.
To Finish
- 2 tbsp pretzel salt (or coarse kosher salt)
Obazda (Bavarian Cheese Spread)
- 300 g very ripe Camembert, room temperature (use some rind for flavor)
- 80 g unsalted butter, very soft
- 100 g cream cheese (traditional is optional; adds creaminess)
- 1 small red onion or shallot (about 60 g), very finely diced
- 1.5 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp hot paprika (optional, to taste)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
- 30–45 ml pale lager or wheat beer (2–3 tbsp), to taste
- 1 tsp mild mustard (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
To Serve
- 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and halved
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the pretzel dough
In a stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl), whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the barley malt syrup (or brown sugar) and cold water. Mix on low until shaggy, then add the softened butter in small pieces. Knead on medium speed 8–10 minutes (or by hand 10–12 minutes) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. It should clear the sides of the bowl and pass a light windowpane test.
Step 2: First rise
Form the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at warm room temperature (24°C/75°F) until slightly puffy, about 45 minutes. It may not double; a gentle rise is fine.
Step 3: Divide and pre-shape
Turn the dough onto an unfloured surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces (about 110–115 g each). Pre-shape each into a tight 12 cm log, cover lightly, and rest 10 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
Step 4: Roll and shape pretzels, then chill
Roll each log into a 60 cm rope, tapering the last 15 cm of each end. Form a wide U, cross the ends twice to make a double twist, then fold the ends down to the bottom of the U and press to adhere. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes (or freeze 15–20 minutes) until the pretzels feel firm and develop a dry surface; this helps the bath adhere and improves oven spring.
Step 5: Prepare the bath and preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment. For a lye bath, in a non-reactive container dissolve 30 g food-grade lye in 1 L cold water, wearing gloves and eye protection. For a baking-soda bath, bring 2 L water to a gentle simmer and whisk in 60 g baked baking soda (or use 100 g regular baking soda for a lighter color). Keep the solution at a gentle simmer (for soda) or cool (for lye).
Step 6: Dip, score, salt, and bake
Using gloved hands or a slotted spider, dip each chilled pretzel: 10–15 seconds in cold lye solution, or 30 seconds per side in the simmering soda solution. Let excess drip, place on the parchment, and score a 2–3 cm slash across the thick belly with a razor or sharp knife. Sprinkle each with a pinch of pretzel salt (about 1/8 tsp). Bake 12–14 minutes until deep mahogany brown with a glossy crust. Cool 10 minutes on a rack.
Step 7: Make the Obazda
While the pretzels bake, mash the Camembert (rind and all, or trim to taste) with the soft butter and cream cheese until mostly smooth but rustic. Stir in the onion, sweet paprika, hot paprika (if using), crushed caraway, mustard (if using), and 30 ml beer. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the chives. Adjust with up to 15 ml more beer for a spreadable, spoonable consistency. Cover and chill 30 minutes to meld and thicken.
Step 8: Serve Bavarian-style
Heap the Obazda in a small crock, dust lightly with paprika, and scatter chives. Serve slightly warm pretzels alongside crisp radishes. For the classic experience, pair with a cold Helles or Weissbier.
Pro Tips
- For maximum gloss and classic flavor, use the 3% lye bath and work with gloves and eye protection in a well-ventilated area. Use only stainless steel, glass, or food-safe plastic tools.
- Chilling the shaped pretzels is the secret to clean scoring, better oven spring, and a beautifully lacquered crust.
- If the dough fights you while rolling, pause for 5 minutes to relax the gluten, then continue.
- Use very ripe Camembert at room temperature for Obazda; the riper the cheese, the deeper the flavor.
- Score decisively across the belly—too shallow and it won’t open, too deep and it may deflate. Aim for 2–3 cm long and 5–7 mm deep.
Variations
- Pretzel shapes: Form sticks, rolls, or twists; adjust bake time to 10–12 minutes for thinner sticks, 14–16 minutes for rolls.
- Cheese blend: Swap in half Brie or add 50 g washed-rind cheese (like Limburger) for a bolder Obazda.
- Toppings: After dipping, sprinkle pretzels with sesame, poppy, or pumpkin seeds instead of salt.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Shaped pretzels can be refrigerated up to 12 hours before dipping; chill uncovered 30 minutes, then cover lightly. You can also freeze shaped pretzels on a tray until solid, transfer to a bag, and dip/bake from frozen (add 2–3 minutes bake time). Baked pretzels are best same day; to refresh, bake at 190°C (375°F) for 5–6 minutes. Obazda keeps refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days; stir and bring to cool room temperature before serving. Radishes keep crisp refrigerated for 3–4 days in a damp towel.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per serving (1 pretzel with about 1/8 of the Obazda): 490 kcal; 27 g fat (16 g saturated); 49 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 2 g fiber; 900 mg sodium.
