Sourdough Discard Pretzels

Soft, salty, golden perfection—aka the only thing your beer cheese soup is missing.

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly finding new ways to use your sourdough discard. And this one? She’s a winner. These homemade soft pretzels are pillowy, flavorful, and have just the right amount of tang from the starter. I made them on a whim and immediately knew what had to come next: my Irish Beer Cheese Soup.

(That recipe lives here—you’re going to want to bookmark it.)

Whether you serve them as a snack, side, or soft pretzel dinner (no shame), they’re the perfect way to use up discard without feeling like you’re eating “discard food.”

Let’s get into it.

Ingredients

Pretzel Dough:

• 1 ¼ cups (300 grams) warm water (80–90℉)

• ½ cup (113 grams) sourdough starter discard (100% hydration)

• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar

• 4 ¾ cups (565 grams) all-purpose flour

• 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) kosher salt

For Boiling & Topping:

• 10 cups water

• ⅔ cup baking soda

• 1 large egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)

• Pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt, for topping

Instructions

Step 1: Build your dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a big mixing bowl if you’re kneading by hand), combine the warm water, sourdough discard, and sugar. Give it a good whisk until everything’s dissolved.

Add the flour, melted butter, and kosher salt. Mix with the dough hook attachment for about 2 minutes until a shaggy dough forms. If doing it by hand, stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes too thick to mix, then switch to your hands.

Step 2: Knead & rise

Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until it’s smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Shape it into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 4–6 hours, or until doubled in size. You want it puffy and airy—like it’s ready for greatness.

Step 3: Shape the pretzels

Once risen, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces (around 130g each). Roll each piece into a 24-inch rope—this is your moment to really play with dough.

To shape: make a U with the rope, twist the ends twice, and press them into the bottom of the U to form that classic pretzel shape.

Place each shaped pretzel onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover them with a towel and let them rest for 1 hour. They’ll puff slightly, which is exactly what we want.

Step 4: Boil the pretzels

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil. Carefully lower each pretzel into the water—one at a time—for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spatula or spider to gently lift them back out and return them to the baking sheet.

Step 5: Toppings & bake

Whisk the egg yolk and water to make your egg wash. Brush each pretzel with it generously, then sprinkle with pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt (don’t be shy).

Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the pretzels are a deep golden brown and your kitchen smells like heaven.

Let them cool slightly, then serve warm.

How to Eat Them (besides straight off the tray)

✨ Dip them in mustard.

✨ Smother them in melted butter.

✨ Or, my personal favorite—serve them alongside a bowl of Irish Beer Cheese Soup. Trust me, it’s a combo that’ll have you questioning why you ever bought mall pretzels in the first place.

Your Turn

Tried the recipe? Tell me what you paired your pretzels with!

Comment your favorite soft pretzel pairing below so I know you made it to the end of this post—and because I love hearing how you make these recipes your own.