Vegan beer pretzels — soft, flavourful pretzels made with optional beer for extra depth. Easy to make and delightfully chewy with a dark, glossy crust.
I originally posted a beer pretzel hot dog bun recipe years ago and recently decided to revisit and veganise it, shaping the dough into classic pretzels. The beer adds a subtle maltiness that complements the chewy crumb and shiny, deeply browned crust.
These pretzels are lovely straight from the oven, brushed with melted vegan butter, but they also pair well with mustard, dips or alongside a bowl of soup.
What Are Pretzels?
Pretzels (or Bretzel) are a traditional baked speciality from Germany, also popular in Austria, Switzerland and Alsace. Soft pretzels are a yeast-leavened bread shaped into a knot, usually finished with coarse salt. Commercial and regional variations exist — hard, crunchy pretzels originate from later adaptations — but the classic soft pretzel is prized for its contrast of chewy interior and caramelised, slightly crisp crust.
Authentic pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before baking to develop their characteristic colour and flavour. For home baking, a bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) bath is a safer alternative and produces a very similar result.
How to Make Vegan Beer Pretzels
(Full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Combine white bread flour, fast-action yeast, salt and dark brown soft sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add beer (or water), lukewarm unsweetened plant milk and melted vegan butter, then mix until a rough dough forms.
Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow it to double in size — roughly 1½ hours at a warm room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator for a slower, more developed flavour.
Knock back the risen dough, briefly knead to remove large air pockets and divide into eight even pieces (use a kitchen scale for accuracy if you like). Shape each piece into a smooth ball, cover with a tea towel and rest for 10 minutes before shaping.
Shaping Pretzels
Shaping pretzels is straightforward. Roll a dough ball into a long rope about 40 cm / 16 in, with a thicker centre and thinner ends. Make a U-shape with the thick part facing you, cross the two arms with the right over the left, cross the right over left again for a double twist, then fold the ends down and press them gently onto the thicker centre to seal.
Place each pretzel on a greased baking sheet, picking it up by the top holes to avoid deforming it. Let the shaped pretzels rise for about 30 minutes until puffy; leave them uncovered so a thin skin forms, which helps with the final crust. Preheat the oven while they rest.
Prepare the bicarbonate bath: bring 2 litres (8 cups) of water to a boil in a large pan, then reduce the heat so it’s not boiling and stir in 5 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). Carefully lower each pretzel into the bath for about 30 seconds, using a ladle to baste the surface. Remove with a wide spatula and return to the lined baking tray. Once all pretzels are poached, slash a deep cut across the thick centre of each one, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt or pretzel salt.
Bake at 200°C / 400°F (gas mark 6) for 15–20 minutes until a deep, mahogany brown. Resist removing them too early — the darker colour indicates the proper Maillard reaction that gives pretzels their flavour.
Brush generously with melted vegan butter as soon as they come from the oven, then cool briefly on a wire rack. Serve warm for the best texture and flavour.
Top Tips
- Weigh ingredients in grams with a digital scale for consistent results; cup measures are less reliable for baking.
- Don’t skip the bicarbonate of soda bath — it’s key to the pretzel’s flavour and crust.
- Brush with melted vegan butter after baking for richness and shine.
- Bread flour gives the best chew, but plain (all-purpose) flour will work in a pinch.
- Dark brown sugar contributes to colour, flavour and yeast activity; include it for the best results.
- Not all beers are vegan-friendly, so check labels. Choose a lighter ale rather than a stout or porter. If you prefer, substitute equal parts water for the beer.
- The recipe yields eight large pretzels or ten smaller ones if you prefer smaller portions.
Storage and Freezing
Pretzels are best eaten the day they are baked. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a day and refresh in a low oven before serving. To freeze, cool completely, pack in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze on the day of baking. Thaw at room temperature and warm in a low oven to refresh.
More Vegan Bread Recipes
Vegan naan bread
Vegan challah bread
Vegan Hokkaido milk bread
Sea salt and rosemary focaccia
Easy vegan flatbreads
Vegan cornbread
Vegan brioche
Pumpkin bread rolls
If you try this recipe, tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and use the hashtag #domesticgothess
*All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. Please share recipes using the site’s share buttons rather than reposting the full content.*
Vegan Beer Pretzels
Ingredients
Dough:
- 500 g (4 cups) white bread flour
- 7 g (1 sachet/2 tsp) fast action/instant yeast
- 1 rounded tsp salt
- 1 heaped Tbsp dark brown soft sugar
- 200 ml (½ + ⅓ cup) beer (or water)
- 110 ml (⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp) lukewarm unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 40 g (scant 3 Tbsp) melted vegan butter/margarine
Bicarb Bath:
- 2 liters (8 cups) water
- 5 Tbsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- Flaky sea salt or pretzel salt for sprinkling
- 30 g (2 Tbsp) melted vegan butter/margarine for brushing
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the beer (or water), lukewarm milk and melted vegan butter. Mix to form a rough dough and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1½ hours at warm room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
- Punch down the dough, knead briefly to deflate, then divide into eight even pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and rest under a tea towel for 10 minutes.
- Roll each ball into a rope about 40 cm / 16 in long, form a U shape, cross the arms twice and fold the ends over to seal into a pretzel shape.
- Place shaped pretzels on greased baking sheets and let rise uncovered for about 30 minutes so the surface develops a skin. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (gas mark 6).
- Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat, then stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Poach each pretzel in the bath for 30 seconds, basting with the solution, then return to the lined tray.
- Slash a deep cut across the thick centre of each pretzel, sprinkle with salt and bake for 15–20 minutes until deep brown.
- Brush with melted vegan butter when they come out of the oven, then cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
- Weigh ingredients for best results; gram measurements are more reliable than cup conversions.
- Bread flour produces a chewier texture; plain flour can be used if needed.
- Check beer labels if you need vegan-friendly options. Any lighter ale works well; avoid very dark beers like stout or porter for this recipe.
- If you prefer not to use beer, substitute an equal amount of water.
- The recipe makes eight large pretzels; for smaller portions you can make ten.
