Pumpkin pretzels with fluffy centers and crispy outsides are the perfect Fall & Winter treat.

These are VERY pumpkin forward pretzels, and I’ve included a slight modification to reduce the pumpkin in case you’d prefer for the pumpkin flavour to be a bit more subtle. Homemade pretzels are such a fun and simple thing to make, and I often whip them up when friends come over, as everyone loves rolling out and shaping their own personal pretzels. The dough rises once, then is shaped, then rises again for a bit before getting dunked in a boiling baking soda solution, and then baked to perfection.

As with most pretzels, they’re best served fresh and warm! They can be kept in an airtight container for a couple days, or frozen if you’d prefer. I recommend not adding the coarse salt on top of the ones you may want to keep longer, as it sucks the moisture out of the pretzels over time.

pumpkin pretzels

PRINT RECIPE HERE

recipe: Kelsey Siemens

yields: approx 12 pretzels

ingredients

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 (60ml) hot water

1 cup (250g) pumpkin puree*

1 tsp salt

3 cups (375g) all purpose flour - may need a little more or less

Baking soda bath:

4 cups water

1/4 cup baking soda

to make

In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, sugar, and hot water. I use hot tap water to activate the yeast - you don’t want it so hot that it ends up killing the yeast. Let this sit and rise until nice and puffy. If it never rises, start over (and make sure your yeast hasn’t expired).

In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, salt, and 2 3/4 cups flour with a wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture, and stir until the dough starts to come together in a shaggy mass.

If using a stand mixer: mix the dough on speed 2 for about 5 minutes. As the dough is mixed, keep an eye on the stickiness level. If it continues to stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl after the first 2 minutes, gradually add a bit more flour.

If making by hand: knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, adding a bit of four as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands or the counter too much.

Key tips for either method: You want to end up with a slightly tacky dough, but it shouldn’t be super sticky. Try and refrain from adding too much flour! The dough is ready when you can rip off a small piece, and then carefully stretch it between your fingers until it becomes translucent. If it simply breaks off instead of stretching, then the gluten hasn’t developed enough and it needs a bit more kneading.

Place the dough into a clean, lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean dish towel, and set aside in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.

Next, divide the dough into 12 equal portions, and roll out each portion into a skinny log, and then fold two large loops and twist them together to form the pretzel shape. Place all 12 pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet, and cover with a clean dish towel to rise for another 15 minutes.

While the pretzels are rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Additionally, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the baking soda.

Pretzels have risen enough when they look puffy, but still bounce back when lightly poked with your finger. (If they don’t bounce back and an indent stays…they likely overproofed, but will still be fine, just not as fluffy).

Carefully place each pretzel into the boiling baking soda bath for 20 seconds on each side. Remove and let drain a bit before transferring back to the parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle immediately with coarse salt if desired. Once all pretzels have been boiled, transfer them into the oven.

Bake the pretzels for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly before serving warm with butter.

tips:

*These pretzels have a VERY strong pumpkin flavour. If that makes you nervous, swap 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree out and replace it with 1/2 cup water. The flour measurement may need tweaked slightly! Just remember the dough should be slightly tacky but not so sticky that it comes off on your hands when you need it.
Add in a bit of fresh chopped rosemary or sage for a flavourful twist.
For a sweeter treat, skip the coarse salt, and instead brush baked pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar directly before serving.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days - be sure to warm up before serving.