Published: by Kim · This post may contain affiliate links · 59 Comments
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No more longing for mall style pretzels! The soft texture and buttery flavor of these gluten free Auntie Anne's pretzels will satisfy your craving 🥨
I've always loved the texture of a soft pretzel, the way they have that distinctive chew. When you "rip" them apart and they kind of resist a little bit. Texture is such an important thing when it comes to food, especially gluten free food. And getting that right can be difficult.
I originally posted these as "mall-style" pretzels a few years back. But, as I do, I was tinkering around with the recipe because it didn't quite meet my expectations of a true "mall pretzel," particularly Auntie Anne's. In my opinion, Auntie Anne's Pretzels were some of the BEST pretzels I'd ever had. Super soft, fluffy, perfectly salty, and buttery. Yes, they were bathed in melted butter. And they were heaven. They're still around, of course, but I speak of them in the past tense because that's what they are to me--in my past. I seriously doubt a gluten free pretzel will ever grace the pages of their mall menu.
When I finally finished tinkering around, THIS is where I landed. THIS pretzel is, oh my God, dare I say the BEST pretzel I've ever had in my entire life?!?!?! YES! I would go so far as to say it. After I took that initial bite, I told my husband, who is a soft pretzel fanatic, and the only thing he kept saying over and over was "WOW" as he took his second, third, and fourth bite. So when the non gluten-free people react this way, you know you've got it right!
Here's What You'll Need
- Kim's gluten free bread flour blend - my flour blend does amazing things. Without it, you will NOT get the same texture that I demonstrate in my video.
- Milk - not a typical ingredient in pretzels necessarily, but the milk helps to make the pretzels softer.
- Baking powder - baking powder added to the dough produces a lighter and3 fluffier pretzel, just like those famous mall pretzels.
- Baking soda - dipping the pretzels in a baking soda bath creates a chewy crust that pretzels are known for.
How To Make Gluten Free Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Make dough, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Knead and divide into 6 equal pieces.
Roll each piece out into a long rope that's about 26-28 inches long.
Make a large "U" shape with rope of dough.
Twist the ends of the dough rope twice.
Fold down twisted ends of dough onto the bottom of the "U" and press to adhere them to the dough.
To make pretzel nuggets (bites), cut long rope of dough into 1-2 inch pieces using a bench scraper or sharp knife.
Mix baking soda and warm water and stir to dissolve baking soda. Dip each pretzel in this baking soda solution, spooning the solution over the top of the pretzel (so there's no need to flip it).
Gently blot pretzel on kitchen or paper towels before placing them on a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet.
Repeat with pretzel bites.
Sprinkle Maldon flake sea salt (affiliate link) or coarse salt onto pretzels and/or nuggets. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Immediately upon removing from oven, dip pretzels (on both sides) in melted butter.
Auntie Anne's Pretzels FAQs
What's different about Auntie Anne's pretzels from other pretzels?
They're not the usual Bavarian style pretzels with a deep and dark crust. They are dipped in a melted butter bath after they come out of the oven, which helps to keep them soft on the outside, while they are fluffy on the inside.
Are Auntie Anne's pretzels boiled in a baking soda solution?
While they aren't boiled, they are dipped in a baking soda solution before being baked, which creates that same familiar chewy crust that's common for all pretzels.
How long will Auntie Anne's gluten free pretzels last and stay soft?
While they are best served fresh and hot from the oven, these pretzels are still soft for a few days after baking. To refresh them, pop them in a 450 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
More Gluten Free Snacks
- gluten free Olive Garden breadsticks
- gluten free Ritz style crackers
- gluten free sourdough soft pretzel recipe
- gluten free spicy cheese bread
- gluten free pizza monkey bread
- crispy gluten free coconut shrimp
- tomato crostini with bacon
- gluten free fresh tomato tart
Substitutions
Dairy free? Try using dairy-free milk and butter in both the dough and in dipping the pretzels.
Egg free? You're in luck because the recipe is already egg free!
What to Dip Pretzels In
- Mustard - just good 'ole yellow mustard.
- Gluten free beer cheese dip - it's so easy to make our own beer cheese and it's so good you'll forget all about that "plastic cheese" found at pretzel shops.
- Ham or spinach dip (found with my Hawaiian bread bowl recipe).
- After rolling around in the butter bath, dredge in a cinnamon sugar mixture and serve with cream cheese frosting. Like a cinnamon roll in pretzel form. So good!!
- Easy cheesy pizza dip
- Store bought honey mustard dipping sauce (or make your own with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and honey).
Want an Auntie Anne's pretzel that's gluten free? We'll just have to make them ourselves since that'll probably never happen. And boy, oh boy, these pretzels could put Auntie Anne's out of business, they're THAT good!
Gluten Free Auntie Anne's Pretzels Copycat Recipe
Kim
No more longing for Auntie Anne's style pretzels! The golden buttery flavor of these gluten free soft pretzels will satisfy your craving 🥨
4.25 from 41 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Chilling Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course bread, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 6 large pretzels or over 100 pretzel bites
Ingredients
- 240 milliliters whole milk (or dairy-free milk)
- 120 milliliters water
- 5 grams whole psyllium husks (or 3 grams psyllium husk powder) (to make without psyllium husks, please see notes below)
- 6 grams instant yeast
- 28 grams butter, melted (or dairy-free butter)
- 67 grams brown sugar
- 410 grams Kim's gluten free bread flour blend
- 6 grams kosher salt
- 4 grams baking powder
Baking Soda Solution
- 480 milliliters warm water
- 34 grams baking soda
Finishing
- Maldon flake salt (or coarse or pretzel salt)
- 84 grams butter, melted
Instructions
In the bowl of stand mixer, add dough ingredients in the order in which they're listed. Using the dough hook, start mixer on low until dough comes together. Turn speed up to medium and mix for 5 minutes.
Remove bowl from mixer and cover bowl. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or up to 4 days.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats (preferable to parchment as pretzels tend to stick to parchment paper).
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 equal. Roll one piece at a time into a rope about 26-28 inches long. Shape into a "U" shape on the counter. Twist ends twice and fold down onto bottom. Press ends firmly into bottom portion of pretzels so they will stick. Repeat with remaining pretzels. For pretzel nuggets (bites), roll into long rope shape and cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
Pour hot water into shallow bowl (I use a pie pan) and add baking soda to water. Whisk until the baking soda dissolves completely. Dip each pretzel and nugget into the baking soda solution, using a spoon to splash the tops of each pretzel (which prevents you from having to turn over the pretzel while in the solution). Carefully remove and blot on a paper towel before placing onto prepared baking sheets.
While still slightly wet, sprinkle each pretzel/nugget with Maldon flake salt, coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or pretzel salt.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed dramatically. While pretzels are baking, fill a shallow bowl or pie pan with melted butter and set aside.
Remove from the oven and immediately dip each pretzel (both sides) in melted butter while still hot. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Pretzels are best served warm from the oven, but can be kept at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container. To refresh them, place in a 450 degree F oven for 5 minutes.
To make without psyllium husks, simply reduce the water amount in the recipe to 60 milliliters. The dough may be a little harder to work with (but not impossible), so I would suggest refrigerating it overnight for better results.
Keyword auntie anne's pretzels, Gluten Free, mall pretzels
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