The best sourdough pretzel knots
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I have been wanting to dive into sourdough for awhile now, but for some reason I was a bit hesitant. I held back worried I would fail I guess.
It wasn’t for lack of knowledge. I read many blogs and watched many YouTube videos of how to make a starter.
Yet it wasn’t until Jill Winger introduced her Heritage Cooking Crash Course that I took the plunge. She just made it simple. If you haven’t yet checked out the course, take a peak. You won’t regret it.
I also learned a lot about sourdough from Butter For All. Courtney has so much great information on everything sourdough. Definitely a super resource.
Can I make this without much sourdough experience?
This is the first recipe I made with my sourdough starter after several batches of pancakes. So I would say that they are a great place for a beginner.
They were pretty quick and easy and next time I will have the kids help me with the rolling out of the dough. I think they would like making it like little snakes. Though I’m sure with how it goes around here, we might not end with as much dough as we start with!
I changed a few things making this recipe, but it came from A Chick and Her Garden.
Still Need to Make a Sourdough Starter? Click here
Sourdough Pretzel Knots
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup hot water (hot enough to melt butter)
- 1 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 4-5 cups flour (I use unbleached, all-purpose)
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda (for boiling)
- 1 Tablespoon sugar (for boiling)
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Sea/Kosher Salt for sprinkling or Trader Joes Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
Melt and dissolve butter and sugar with hot water in a mixing bowl.
When the butter and sugar are dissolved, add your sourdough starter.
Gradually mix in 3-4 cups of flour.
Turn out onto a well floured surface.
Knead in the flour and continue adding flour until you have a firm ball of dough.
Place the dough in a well greased bowl.
Put the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450°F after the dough has risen, and also preheat your baking stone if using one.
Give the dough a gentle punch down, and roll out onto a floured surface.
I always use my silicone pastry mat for all baking/bread making and I LOVE IT. Thank you sister for the gift!
Knead a few times, and roll out into a log.
Cut into 16 equal pieces. I love using my dough cutter for this.
Roll each piece out into a long, thin piece
Tie into a knot.
Boil a pot of water and add remaining sugar and baking soda.
Gently lower each pretzel into the boiling water and poach for about 1 minute. you should be able to fit 3 in the pot at the same time.
After a minute, remove the pretzel knots with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to dry. Repeat the process with the rest of the pretzel knots.
Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt or other seasonings.
Bake for 15 minutes
Helpful Notes
I like to use a baking stone to bake my pretzel knots. I recommend heating the stone for the best results. When I did not preheat it, they browned a little too soon on the top and I had to add foil to cover the top in order for the bottoms to finish baking.
Eat within a day or two. I found they were best right away. If they aren’t eaten in the first day, they can be put in the freezer. They are just as great when taken out and popped in the toaster oven for a few minutes.
Sourdough Pretzel Knots
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup hot water hot enough to melt butter
- 1 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 4-5 cups flour I use unbleached, all-purpose
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda for boiling
- 1 Tablespoon sugar for boiling
- 1 egg for egg wash
- Sea/Kosher Salt for sprinkling or Trader Joes Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- Melt and dissolve butter and sugar with hot water in a mixing bowl.
- When the butter and sugar are dissolved, add your sourdough starter.
- Gradually mix in 3-4 cups of flour.
- Turn out onto a well floured surface.
- Knead in the flour and continue adding flour until you have a firm ball of dough.
- Place the dough in a well greased bowl.
- Put the bowl in a warm place and allow it to rise for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F when the dough has risen.
- Give the dough a gentle punch down and roll out onto a floured surface.
- Knead a few times, and roll out into a log.
- Cut into 16 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece out into a long, thin piece.
- Tie into a knot.
- Boil a pot of water and add remaining sugar and baking soda.
- Gently lower each pretzel into the boiling water and poach for about 1 minute. You should be able to fit 3 in the pot at the same time.
- After a minute, remove the pretzel knots with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to dry. Repeat the process with the rest of the pretzel knots.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt or other seasonings.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Notes
Pin for Later
Other Sourdough Recipes
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Sourdough English Muffins Recipe
Congrats on the new blog Lindsay! I was going to share with you my cousin’s amazing blog (theprairiehomestead), but then I read your sourdough post and saw that you already knew about her! I just got her new cookbook, and it’s beautiful. Can’t wait to see what you do with your future homestead! 🙂
Thank you. Yes I have loved following Jill for a few years now. She is so inspiring with all that she does. I have been eyeing her new cookbook too. It looks like something I would definitely use.
These look so good. I’m not much of a baker but this makes me want to have a go at it.
Thank you! They have been a hit over here. My daughter is asking for them again. 🙂