Place 3/4 cup warm water in bowl of a stand mixer; sprinkle with yeast. Stir in barley malt syrup until dissolved. Let mixture stand until yeast is foamy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour, beer, butter, and kosher salt; using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Attach bowl and dough hook to stand mixer. Beat on medium-low speed until dough comes together and forms a smooth ball, about 1 minute. Dough should be quite firm and may be slightly tacky but not sticky. If dough is sticky, add flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, and beat until dough is smooth. If dough is too dry, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and beat until smooth.
Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer dough to a large bowl greased with cooking spray; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rise in refrigerator until almost doubled in size, at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
While dough rises, preheat oven to 300°F. Spread baking soda in a small glass or ceramic baking dish, and bake in preheated oven 1 hour. Remove from oven, and let cool completely, about 10 minutes. Store cooled baking soda in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
Turn dough out onto an unfloured work surface, and firmly press down to deflate. Cut dough into 8 portions. Working with 1 portion at a time and keeping remaining dough covered, pat dough down with your fingertips to form a 3 1/2- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. Beginning on one long side, roll dough up tightly, forming a loaf shape; pinch seam together on bottom of loaf.
Shape each loaf into a rope by rolling it against the work surface with your palms, applying mild pressure and working from the center outward. (If you need more friction, moisten work surface with a few drops of water, dispersing it evenly with your hands.) Continue rolling until dough rope is 14 to 16 inches long and begins to shrink back toward middle. Set dough rope aside, and cover. Repeat process with remaining 7 dough pieces.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Return first rolled dough rope to work surface, and continue rolling rope to a length of about 30 inches, leaving middle about 1 inch in diameter and tapering ends by applying a little more pressure as you work your way out. Shape 30-inch dough rope into a U shape, positioning ends of the U pointing away from you. Holding one end in each hand, lift and cross ends over each other about 5 inches down from ends. Cross ends again, passing ends to opposite hands, creating a twist in the dough.
Holding ends and maintaining twist, fold ends toward bottom of U. Allowing for a 1/4 inch overhang on each side, press ends into bottom of U at 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock. Gently transfer shaped pretzel to prepared baking sheet; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough ropes, working in the order in which they were rolled, spacing shaped pretzels 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
Let covered pretzels rise in a warm place until puffy and increased in size by half, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500°F with racks in upper third and lower third positions. Stir together egg and milk; set egg wash aside.
Place baked baking soda in a wide stainless steel (nonreactive) saucepan, and add 6 cups tap water. With range hood vent running on high, bring mixture to a gentle simmer over high, stirring gently to dissolve baking soda. Reduce heat to low, and maintain a very gentle simmer. Using a large skimmer or fish spatula, gently place 1 or 2 pretzels in alkaline water. Cook 20 seconds, carefully flipping after 10 seconds. Using skimmer, lift pretzels from alkaline water, allowing excess to drip off, and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet, placing at least 1 inch apart. (Pretzels will be wrinkly.)
Wearing rubber gloves, reshape pretzels on baking sheet as needed. Repeat with remaining pretzels. Quickly brush tops and sides of pretzels with egg wash, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Immediately bake pretzels at 500°F until deep mahogany in color, 9 to 12 minutes, rotating pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Transfer pretzels to wire racks, and let cool about 10 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead
Baking soda can be baked up to 6 weeks ahead.
Notes
Barley malt syrup can be purchased at Whole Foods or online.
Suggested Pairing
Toasty, bready doppelbock beer: Ayinger Celebrator.
FAQs
Unlike their American counterpart, Bavarian pretzels pack a denser, chewier inside and a darker, crispier outside. And there's a certain "tang" to the Bavarian-style pretzel that sets it apart from other soft pretzels. But best of all, it doesn't need to be dipped in cheese or drenched in butter to taste delicious!
What are the ingredients in Bavarian pretzels? ›
We use only five natural ingredients when making our famous Bavarian pretzels: wheat flour, water, oil (usually soybean oil), salt and yeast.
What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›
Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.
What makes German pretzels different? ›
These authentic Bavarian pretzels are different than their American counterpart soft pretzels because they are dipped in a more traditional lye mixture. In fact, the German name for these pretzels laugenbrezel literally translates to “lye pretzels.”
Are pretzels German or Bavarian? ›
Pretzel baking has most firmly taken root in the region of Franconia and adjoining Upper German-speaking areas, and pretzels have been an integral part of German baking traditions for centuries.
Are Bavarian pretzels unhealthy? ›
Pretzels don't have many downsides as an occasional snack. Soft pretzels and flavored pretzels are usually higher in calories, salt, sugar, and fat than hard pretzels, so you may want to limit your intake of those varieties.
Why do they call it a Bavarian pretzel? ›
The pretzel, known as "Brezel" in German, is a type of baked bread product that is typically twisted into a distinctive knot-like shape. Its origin is often attributed to Germany, specifically to the region of Bavaria, although its precise beginnings are somewhat debated.
Why are German pretzels better? ›
You may pick up on how the taste is different, as German soft pretzels are known for containing a thicker, denser, and chewier inside while having a slightly crispier outside. The main difference to note between the more “American-style” pretzels and German pretzels is an ingredient called lye.
Why do German pretzels use lye? ›
Dipping the dough in a lye solution gives traditional German pretzels their characteristic salinity; chew; and smooth mahogany exterior, but the strong alkali (sodium hydroxide) is corrosive and can burn your skin, so it must be handled with caution.
Why is Auntie Anne's pretzels so good? ›
All those pretzels are made and twisted on the spot.
Auntie Anne's definitely doesn't serve pre-made pretzels! Every location receives shipments of the signature flour mixture, which is put in a mixer along with water and yeast. They're baked, brushed with real butter, salted and served right there.
Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.
What is the secret solution for Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›
While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
What do Germans eat on their pretzels? ›
Pretzels are topped with coarse salt or sometimes with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or poppy seeds. Before baking, the formed pretzel is dunked briefly in a mixture of sodium hydroxide and water. In German this mixture is called Natronlauge.
Do Germans put mustard on pretzels? ›
Given Oktoberfest was in full swing at the time, the conversation naturally shifted to German foods and beer. To my surprise, I learned that Germans don't typically eat their pretzels with mustard like Americans. Instead, they largely reserve the condiment to meats, and in particular sausages.
Is a Bavarian pretzel hard or soft? ›
The magic ingredients
No one makes pretzels quite like the Bavarians, however pretzels generally come in two forms: hard and soft. German-style pretzels tend to be soft, while the hard variety, to the east, are the type commonly referred to as pretzels found in grocery stores and gas stations.
What is the difference between German pretzels and American pretzels? ›
You may pick up on how the taste is different, as German soft pretzels are known for containing a thicker, denser, and chewier inside while having a slightly crispier outside. The main difference to note between the more “American-style” pretzels and German pretzels is an ingredient called lye.
What are the two types of pretzels? ›
Pretzels are one of America's favorite snacks. It's also one of the most versatile. While there are many different types of pretzels out there, the most common delineation is that between soft pretzels and hard pretzels.
