Stopping at Auntie Anne’s used to be a given when we would go to the mall as kids. It was a fail-safe tradition because when we were anywhere near the Auntie Anne’s we would get a wiff of those salty, yeasty pretzels and we were goners. It wasn’t until many years, degrees and nutrition books later that we came to the brutal realization that Auntie Anne’s was probably a tradition better left in the past.
Although “moderation is key”, I would rather moderately enjoy something leaps and bounds healthier than those Auntie Anne pretzels. Which was the inspiriation behind these delectably irresisible homemade soft pretzels. Dip them in our Sweet & Spicy Dijon Dip and you’ve got yourself a treat that will have you cutting ties with Auntie Anne’s too!
I use my bread machine to make this pretzel dough. I will forever be a bread machine fan, although realistically I only use it once or twice a month. With that being said, each time I use it I remember how thankful I am that I bought it.
Here’s why its worth it… You put all the dough ingredients into the bread machine, set it on the dough setting and press start. An hour and a half later the dough is ready to go. Its kneaded and rises in the machine. It makes jobs like making yeast bread, pizza dough and soft pretzels 1000% easier.
Here’s the bread machine I have and its never let me down -> Cuisinart Bread Maker
While the pretzel dough is in the bread machine, you can whip up the Sweet & Spicy Dijon Dip in minutes. We recommend softening up the pitted dates by soaking them in hot water for about 10 minutes. This yields a smoother dip. If that isn’t important to you, feel free to skip this step.
Food processors are valuable appliances in the plant-based world. It’s worth the money to get a reliable one that will last. I used this small Ninja food processor for this dip -> Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper
It’s lasted 3 years and seems to be going strong, although it does get bogged down with big batches. If you’re typically preparing food for 1 or 2 people, then this should be perfect for you. Otherwise I would get a larger, more powerful food processor.
In this recipe we use a cup and a half of whole wheat flour. Wheat berries, which is what flour is made from, has 3 parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Whole wheat flour includes all three of these parts, hence the name “whole” wheat. White flour uses only the endosperm. This might not seem like a big deal until you learn what each part is made up of.
The bran is made up of antioxidants, B Vitamins and fiber.
The germ is made up of B Vitamins, some protein and healthy fats.
The endosperm is made up of mostly starch.
I think I’d like the bran and germ in my flour seeing that that’s where the good stuff is! Plus, all that fiber, protein and healthy fats are going to slow down digestion so this carb-heavy snack has a smaller impact on your blood sugar.
Breadmaker Soft Pretzels with Sweet & Spicy Dijon Dip
Equipment
- Breadmaker
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Pretzels
- 1 cup water room temperature
- 2 Tbsp water room temperature
- 1 1/2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
- 3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp fast rise yeast
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- salt to taste
Sweet & Spicy Dijon Dip
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 8 pitted dates or 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sriracha
- 5 Tbsp soy milk unflavored, unsweetened
Instructions
Pretzels
- Add the 1 cup + 2 tbsp water, agave, flour, and yeast to the bread machine in the order listed. Turn on the dough cycle. Make sure to check the dough after 5 or 10 minutes to scrape down sides and add a tablespoon of water or flour if needed.
- When the dough cycle is finished (mine takes 1.5 hours), remove the dough from the bread machine and place on a clean surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ~20 inch rope and form into a pretzel shape.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Drop 1 pretzel at a time into the boiling water; boil for 15 seconds. Remove it with a slotted spoon, place it on an oiled baked sheet and sprinkle with salt. NOTE: I don't recommend using parchment paper as they will stick!
- Bake pretzels for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Garnish with parsley if you're feelin fancy.
Sweet & Spicy Dijon Dip
- Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides. Add more soy milk to reach a thinner consistency.
Will they stick on a silicone mat?
Unfortunately they do stick on a silicone mat. Even when I use my silicone mat I have to rub oil on it to prevent them from sticking.
very good and easy .I made them impulsively for our irish session,and everyone thought they were good.
So glad to hear! We love the sweet and spicy dijon dip. ?
I made a double batch again, and used parchment without any problems.
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing.