Heart Shaped Soft Pretzels
Soft pretzels shaped into hearts, sprinkled with coarse salt, and served warm. Perfect for Valentine’s Day movie night!
These heart-shaped Soft Pretzels are fluffy, chewy, soft, and salty. They come together in a little over an hour with very little rise time and a few pantry staples. And they make such a fun and festive snack for Valentine’s Day movie night (or game day)!
How to shape homemade pretzels
Don’t let shaping stand between you and homemade soft pretzels. These pretzels are super versatile and can be made into all kinds of shapes:
- Knots: Form each rope into a U. Twist the ends around each other, a few inches from the end. Bring both ends down and press into the bottom of the U on opposing sides. Makes 6 pretzels.
- Hearts: Form each rope into a V. Bring both ends down and in to meet above the point of the V in a heart shape. Press the ends together. Makes 6 pretzels.
- Sticks: Cut each rope in half. Makes 12 pretzel sticks.
- Bites: Cut each rope into 2-inch pieces. Makes 50-60 pretzel bites.
How to make homemade soft pretzels
Step 1: Activate the yeast. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, brown sugar, and yeast. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make the dough. Once the yeast is bubbly and foamy, add the melted butter, 2½ cups flour, and salt. Stir together until combined and the flour is well incorporated. You want the dough to be tacky, but not sticky. If the dough is wet and sticky, stir in more flour a spoonful at a time (up to ½ cup).
Step 3: Knead the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare the water bath and put it on to boil.
Step 4: Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 18-22″ rope. If the dough resists stretching past a certain point, cover for 10 minutes then continue rolling out to the desired length.
Step 5: Shape the ropes into hearts. Form a V, then bring both ends down and in to meet above the point of the V in a heart shape. Press the ends together to seal.
Step 6: Boil the pretzels. Gently transfer one pretzel to the water bath and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the pretzel from the bath and place it on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
Step 7: Bake the pretzels. Place the salted pretzels on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
How to store soft pretzels? Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to serve with soft pretzels
Mustard. Salty, chewy pretzels dipped in bright, tangy mustard. It’s a classic pairing! Here are a few mustard pretzel dip ideas:
- Yellow mustard: Classic American ballpark vibes.
- Dijon mustard: Smooth, pungent, spicy.
- Whole grain mustard: Thick, course, punchy.
- Honey mustard dip*: Sweet honey, bright mustard, and mayo.
- Hot mustard dip*: Spicy hot sauce, tangy mustard, and mayo.
*See the recipe card for these dip recipes.
Looking for more snack recipes? Try my shareable French Fry Snack Board, loaded with hot and crispy fries seasoned with homemade seasoning salt, served with homemade fry sauce and dips. Or, my Jalapeño Popper Dip with charred jalapeños and smoky bacon, topped with melty cheese, served hot in a bread bowl.
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Heart Shaped Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, 110-115°F
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 2½-3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- coarse salt, for topping
For the water bath
- ¼ cup baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the water, brown sugar, and yeast. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Once the yeast is bubbly and foamy, add the melted butter, 2½ cups flour, and salt. Stir together until combined and the flour is well incorporated. You want the dough to be tacky, but not sticky. If the dough is wet and sticky, stir in more flour a spoonful at a time (up to ½ cup).
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water and whisk in ¼ cup baking soda. Turn on the water bath to boil.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 18-22" rope. You may need to do this in two stages, if the dough resists stretching past a certain point. Cover the ropes and let them sit for 10 minutes, then continue rolling them out to the desired length.
- Shape the ropes into hearts. Working one rope at a time, form a V. Then bring both ends down and in to meet above the point of the V in a heart shape. Press the ends together to seal. Cover until the water bath is ready.
- Gently transfer one pretzel to the water bath and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the pretzel from the bath and place it on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
- Place the salted pretzels on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with mustard for dipping.
