Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Soft, warm pretzels are such a tasty and nostalgic comfort food. If you grew up getting pretzels at the mall, you know what I’m talking about!
These pretzels are just as delicious as the classic soft pretzels you know and love. Dip them in cheese sauce or mustard, or roll them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. There’s no wrong way to enjoy these gluten-free pretzels!
Why You’ll Love It: The gluten-free dough is SO easy to work with and turns out deliciously chewy every time. They’re the perfect make-ahead appetizer to take to parties and events!
Top Tip: Only King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour creates the perfect soft pretzel texture and structure! No other flour will produce the same results.
For more gluten-free bread flour recipes, try these gluten-free dinner rolls, gluten-free hamburger buns, gluten-free cinnamon rolls, gluten-free apple fritters, or these gluten-free donuts.
xoxo erin
This post is sponsored by King Arthur Baking Company.
Featured Comment
From Sharlene: “I was blown away by these gluten-free soft pretzel bites! They’re absolutely delicious—perfectly soft, chewy, and full of that classic pretzel flavor. You’d never guess they’re gluten-free! They’re great for snacking or serving at gatherings, and they pair wonderfully with dips like cheese or mustard. If you’re gluten-free and missing soft pretzels, these are a must-try!”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free soft pretzels. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-free flour: King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour is a must for the perfect rise and texture! No other flour blends will work the same with this recipe.
- Yeast: I like to use instant yeast. This recipe is unique in that boiling the pretzels activates the yeast so you don’t have to take time to let the dough rise.
- Whole Psyllium husk: It is important to use whole psyllium husks (not psyllium husk powder) to get the right homemade pretzel dough consistency.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar gives these pretzels an irresistible, yet mild sweetness and adds to the overall depth of flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Using a stand mixer: Add in all of the dry ingredients.
Combine: Mix on medium-low until evenly combined.
With the mixer on low: Slowly add in the melted butter and water, then increase the mixer to medium-high and mix for 5 minutes. You want thick cookie dough consistency! The key is to add just enough flour so it’s reasonably workable without making it dense.
Divide the dough: Form a dough ball, then transfer it to a lightly greased or floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 pieces.
Make strips: Roll each of the six pieces into thick 1-2″ strips.
Cut the pretzel bites: Cut each strip into 1-2″ pieces. You don’t have to measure the pieces, but aim for making them all roughly the same size.
Prep the bath: Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. This step makes a big difference for the color and texture!
Boil the bites: I like to add about 8-10 pretzel pieces at a time. Boil them for just 10-15 seconds, then remove. You don’t want to boil them too long or they’ll taste metallic!
After boiling: Let the extra water drip off the pieces, then place them a couple inches apart on a baking sheet. Cut a diagonal slit across the top of each pretzel. Want to freeze to finish later? This is where you’ll stop for now and freeze the pretzel bites.
Prepare the egg wash: Whisk together the egg and water until combined.
Top the pretzels: Brush each pretzel bite with egg wash, then sprinkle coarse salt on top.
Bake: You want to bake the pretzels until they’re golden brown (about 15-18 minutes). These are best served warm straight out of the oven. Enjoy!
Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Tips
- Don’t overdo it with extra flour: This recipe won’t look like typical pretzel dough! You want the dough to be thick enough to roll and work with, but also light, like thick cookie dough. It’s tempting to add extra flour, but adding too much can create stiff dough and dense pretzels.
- Don’t skip the baking soda bath: This step helps give the gluten-free pretzels a nice, golden-brown color and chewy texture. This step is a must!
- Use whole psyllium husk: Whole psyllium husk is essential to the chewy texture of these pretzels. Psyllium husk powder will not give the same results!
Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Dough:
- 4 ¼ cups (638g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- ¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup (20g) whole psyllium husk
- 3 tablespoons (42g) butter, melted
- 2 1/2 cups (600ml) water
For the Baking Soda Bath:
- 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
- 9 cups (2160ml) water
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- coarse salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
MAKE THE GLUTEN-FREE PRETZEL DOUGH
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, instant yeast, salt, baking powder and whole psyllium husk. Mix on medium-low speed until evenly combined.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the melted butter and water. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 5 minutes.
- NOTE: The dough should look like thick cookie dough. Add another couple tablespoons of flour to the dough if it looks too wet. You don’t want the dough to be too stiff or the pretzel bites will be dense, but you want it thick enough so you can roll it out. Basically you want to keep the dough as light as possible, but still rollable. Don't overdo it with adding more flour! Add just enough so you can reasonably work with it.
- Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Form the dough into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or floured work surface, and cut the dough into 6 pieces.
- Roll each chunk of dough into a 1-2 inch thick strip.
- Cut each strip of dough into 1-2 inch pieces. It doesn’t have to be exact, but try to make the pieces even.
MAKE THE BAKING SODA BATH
- Mix the water and baking soda together in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
- Place 8-10 pretzel bites into the boiling water for a quick 10-15 seconds. (Any longer and your pretzels could take on a metallic taste.)
- Let the excess liquid drip off before placing the pretzel bites a couple inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Cut a slit diagonally across each pretzel bite. (This is the point where you can stop and freeze the pretzel bites for later! See note.)
MAKE THE EGG WASH/BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Whisk together the egg wash.
- Brush each pretzel bite with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake the pretzel bites for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2022. It was updated with new photos and instructions in March 2026.
Sooooo delicious! Made them yesterday and they were a huge hit! Everyone couldn’t believe they are gluten free! Will def be making some to keep in the freezer
Do you use the dough hook or the mixing attachment when baking?
Hi Gary, thank you for this amazing feedback! We’re so happy to hear the pretzels were such a success! We use the paddle attachment. Happy baking!