Sourdough Pretzel Loaf

Ingredients

The Dough

• 165g (⅔ cup) active bubbly sourdough starter (100% hydration)
• 400g (1¾ cups) water (room temperature)
• 325g (2½ cups) King Arthur bread flour
• 325g (2½ cups) Kirkland all-purpose flour
• 15g (2½ tsp) fine sea salt

The Bath

• 4.7L (5 quarts) water
• 120g (½ cup) baking soda

For the Bake

• 4-5 cubes (4-5 cubes) ice cubes (for steam)
• 2 sheets (2 sheets) parchment paper (for sling and Dutch oven liner)

The Finish

• 28g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter (melted)
• 3g (1 tsp) Maldon flake sea salt

Total flour: 650g

Hydration: 66%

Pro tip: This recipe runs lower in hydration on purpose. The dough needs to be firm enough to hold its shape through the boil. Don't push the water higher.

Equipment

Method

Mix and Fermentolyse

Start by dissolving the starter into the water, then mix in the flour and let it rest. This is a fermentolyse, a combined autolyse and fermentation that builds flavor and starts gluten development before the salt goes in.

1. Dissolve the starter. Combine the starter and water in a large bowl. Whisk with a dough whisk or spoon until the water turns milky and the starter is fully dissolved.
2. Add the flours. Add both flours to the starter mixture. Start mixing with a whisk to wet the flour, then switch to your hands using a clawing motion. Mix for 7 minutes until no dry flour remains and the dough comes together as a shaggy mass.
3. Cover and rest. Cover the bowl and rest the dough for 1 hour at room temperature.

Wait: PT1H

Tip: The clawing motion at the end of mixing pulls flour up from the bottom of the bowl. Don't skip it. Dry pockets at this stage cause uneven fermentation later.

Add the Salt

After the fermentolyse, the salt goes in. The salt tightens the dough, slows fermentation slightly, and adds the flavor backbone every loaf needs.

1. Dimple in the salt. Wet your hands lightly. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and dimple it in for 1 minute, pressing your fingertips through the dough to distribute it.
2. Incorporate fully. Use the rubaud method (lifting and squeezing the dough rhythmically with one hand) for 2-3 minutes to fully incorporate the salt. If Rubaud feels awkward, do a set of stretch and folds instead until the salt is fully absorbed.
3. Cover and rest. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Wait: PT30M

Build Strength

Three rounds of folds with rests in between. This is where the dough goes from shaggy to strong, smooth, and ready to hold its shape through bulk fermentation.

1. 10 slap and folds. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter. Perform 10 slap and fold repetitions to tighten the gluten. Return to the bowl, cover, rest 30 minutes.
2. First set of stretch and folds. In the bowl, perform 2 sets of stretch and fold (lift one side, stretch up, fold over center, repeat 4 times around the bowl). Cover, rest 30 minutes.
3. Second set of stretch and folds. Perform 2 more sets of stretch and folds. Cover, then leave the dough undisturbed for the bulk fermentation.

Tip: After the second set of stretch and folds the dough should feel smooth and slightly elastic. If it still feels slack, do one more set before walking away.

Bulk Fermentation

The dough now needs time to ferment and rise. Aim for a 75% increase in volume, not a full double. This is the lower end of bulk because the cold retard will continue developing the dough overnight.

1. Watch the dough, not the clock. Cover the bowl and let it sit at 78°F (26°C) until the dough has risen by 75%. At 78°F this typically takes 3-6 hours. Cooler kitchens take longer, warmer kitchens move faster. Mark the dough level on the bowl with tape so you can track progress accurately.
2. Look for these signs. When ready: the dough will be smooth and domed on top, increased in volume by about 75%, and a finger indent will spring back slowly. At this lower hydration the dough won't get jiggly or foamy the way higher-hydration sourdough does. You may see a few bubbles on the surface, but don't wait for a heavily bubbled top. Trust the volume increase. Don't push past 75% rise. Overproofed dough won't survive the boil.

Wait: PT5H

Tip: If your kitchen runs cold, build a proofer: a microwave with a cup of just-boiled water inside holds about 78°F for hours.

Pre-shape, Shape, and Cold Retard

After bulk, the dough gets pre-shaped, rested, and final shaped into a tight boule. Then it goes into the fridge to develop flavor overnight and firm up enough to handle the boil.

1. Pre-shape. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a bench scraper to round it into a loose ball. Cover with a damp towel and rest 15 minutes.
2. Laminate and shape. Lightly flour the top of the dough, flip it onto the counter, and gently stretch it into a rectangle. Fold the edges into the center laminate-style to build tension, then flip seam-side down and shape into a tight boule using the bench scraper to drag and rotate the dough on the counter.
3. Into the banneton. Flour your banneton generously. Flip the boule seam-side up into the banneton. Pinch any open seams closed.
4. Cold retard. Cover the banneton with a plastic bag or shower cap. Refrigerate for 12-16 hours. The cold cold retard develops flavor and firms the dough so it holds its shape during the boil.

Wait: PT14H

The Alkaline Bath

This is the step that makes the loaf a pretzel. The baking soda creates an alkaline bath that gelatinizes the surface starches, which then bake into the deep mahogany crust pretzels are known for. Move quickly and stay focused. The dough only spends 60 seconds in the water total.

1. Boil the water and preheat the Dutch oven. Bring 4.7L (about 5 quarts) of water to a rolling boil in a large stock pot. Preheat your dutch oven (with lid) in the oven to 450°F (232°C) at the same time. The Dutch oven needs at least 30 minutes to come up to temperature.
2. Prepare two pieces of parchment. You need two pieces of parchment, each doing a different job: the BREAD SLING and the DUTCH OVEN LINER. Cut the bread sling first: a square of parchment large enough to fit under the loaf with extra on the sides for handles. Cut the Dutch oven liner second: a smaller piece that fits the bottom of your Dutch oven. Set the liner inside the preheated Dutch oven now (carefully, lid back on after) so it's ready when the loaf is.
3. Score the loaf on the sling. Take the banneton out of the fridge. Flip the loaf onto the bread sling (NOT the Dutch oven liner). Score the top with a lame: a single slash, a cross, or a square pattern all work well. Don't score deeper than ¼ inch. Pretzel-bath dough doesn't bloom the way regular sourdough does.
4. Add the baking soda to the boil. Once the water is boiling, slowly pour the 120g of baking soda into the pot. The water will fizz and rise dramatically. Wait for the foam to settle before adding the dough. Splashes from this water will bleach fabric and irritate skin, so move carefully.
5. Boil 60 seconds total on the sling. Lower the loaf into the pot using the bread sling, with the loaf still ON the sling. The loaf and sling will float together. Set a timer for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, use a slotted spoon or spider to flip the loaf (still on the sling) and boil another 30 seconds on the second side. 60 seconds total. No longer.
6. Lift out and drip briefly. Lift the loaf out using the bread sling. Let it drip for a few seconds. The surface will look slightly wet and slick. That's exactly right. Keep the loaf on the sling. It goes into the Dutch oven on this same sling.

Tip: Hot baking soda water is no joke. Wear long sleeves, keep a towel nearby, and keep kids and pets out of the kitchen for this step.

Bake

The loaf goes straight from the boil into the preheated Dutch oven. Speed matters here. The wet, alkalized surface needs immediate high heat to set the crust.

1. Add ice cubes to the Dutch oven. Open the preheated Dutch oven. The pre-cut Dutch oven liner should already be in the bottom. Drop 4-5 ice cubes around the edges of the liner (NOT directly on the parchment surface where the loaf will sit). The ice cubes will sit on the hot Dutch oven floor and generate steam during the bake. Even though the loaf is wet from the boil, this extra steam helps oven spring at this lower hydration.
2. Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven. Lift the bread sling (with the boiled loaf still on it) and lower the entire sling into the Dutch oven, on top of the liner. The loaf bakes on the sling. The liner underneath separates the loaf from the ice cubes so the cubes can melt and steam without soaking the bottom of the loaf. Cover with the lid immediately.
3. Bake covered. Bake at 450°F (232°C) for 30 minutes with the lid on.
4. Rotate and continue. After 30 minutes, rotate the Dutch oven 180 degrees. Bake another 25 minutes covered, or until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 205-210°F (96-99°C). Total bake time runs 55-60 minutes depending on your oven.
5. Verify doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer pushed into the side of the loaf. Don't rely on color alone. The pretzel finish makes the crust look done long before the interior is.

Tip: The ice cube technique was Candi's call. The wet boiled surface alone doesn't generate enough steam in a covered Dutch oven for proper oven spring at this hydration. A few ice cubes on the hot Dutch oven floor (kept off the loaf by the parchment liner) make a real difference in how the loaf opens up during the bake.

Butter and Salt the Crust

The moment the loaf comes out of the oven, brush it with melted butter and sprinkle with flake salt. The hot crust will soak up just enough butter to glisten, and the salt locks on while the surface is tacky.

1. Butter immediately. Pull the loaf out of the Dutch oven onto a wire rack. Brush the entire surface with melted butter while the loaf is still hot.
2. Sprinkle the salt. While the butter is still wet, sprinkle Maldon flake salt across the top of the loaf. Don't be shy. The crust can take it.
3. Cool completely. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Cutting too early will gum the crumb and waste the work you just did.

Shape and Variation Options

The base recipe is a plain pretzel boule. Two variations are documented below, both inspired by community bakers who pushed the recipe further.

Plain Pretzel Boule (recommended)

The base recipe as written. Butter and Maldon salt finish.

1. Follow the base recipe. No additions or substitutions. The pretzel crust and the open sourdough crumb do all the talking.

Cheddar-Stuffed (Candi's Version)

This is the version Candi Brown-McGriff baked when she introduced the recipe to the Academy. The cheese caramelizes through the score lines for a finish that looks like it came out of a German bakery.

1. Add shredded cheese during the second stretch and fold. During the second set of stretch and folds in the strength-building phase, scatter 100g (1 cup) of shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese across the dough. As you complete the folds, the cheese gets distributed throughout the dough rather than layered. This is Candi's actual method and it produces the caramelized cheese-through-the-score-lines finish you see in her bake.
2. Shape carefully. Shape into a tight boule. Some cheese will be visible near the surface and that's fine. During the boil and bake, exposed cheese caramelizes into the crust, which is what gives this loaf its signature look.
3. Boil and bake as written. Follow the boil and bake steps as written. The cheese will bubble through any score lines. That's the point.

Everything Topped

Apply everything bagel seasoning right after the boil, while the surface is still wet and tacky, so it fuses to the alkaline crust during the bake.

1. Apply seasoning straight after the boil. Right after lifting the loaf from the alkaline bath onto the bread sling, while the surface is still wet and tacky, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning evenly across the top. The wet boiled surface holds the seasoning through the transfer and the bake.
2. Skip the butter and flake salt finish. Bake as written, but skip the butter brush and Maldon salt at the end. The seasoning blend already contains salt, and butter on top would soften the alkaline crust.
3. Cool completely. Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before slicing.

Bake

High heat, covered, in a preheated Dutch oven. The covered bake traps steam from the wet surface and produces the characteristic pretzel sheen.

Oven: 232°C / 450°F. Internal temperature when done: 96-99°C / 205-210°F.

Dutch Oven (recommended)

The only method recommended for this recipe. The post-boil dough needs trapped heat and steam to set the crust properly.

Equipment: Dutch oven with lid, preheated to 450°F (232°C) for 30+ minutes

1. Preheat with liner. Preheat the Dutch oven (with lid on) at 450°F (232°C) for at least 30 minutes. Place a parchment liner in the bottom of the Dutch oven during the preheat or just before transfer.
2. Add ice cubes. Drop 4-5 ice cubes around the edges of the parchment liner (not directly on the surface where the loaf will sit). The cubes generate steam during the bake for proper oven spring.
3. Transfer on the bread sling. Lower the bread sling (with the boiled loaf still on it) into the Dutch oven on top of the liner. Cover immediately.
4. Covered bake. Bake covered for 30 minutes, rotate the pot 180°, then continue covered for another 25 minutes or until internal temp hits 205-210°F (96-99°C).

Note: Don't try this on an open baking sheet. The post-boil surface needs the trapped steam of a Dutch oven to develop the pretzel finish properly.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2-3 days in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean cloth. The pretzel crust stays best at room temp.
• Refrigerated: Not recommended. Refrigeration accelerates staling and softens the crust.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing and toast slices directly from frozen.
• Refresh: Toast slices in a toaster or warm a whole loaf at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes to revive the crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use food-grade lye instead of baking soda?

Yes, food-grade lye (sodium hydroxide) is the traditional pretzel bath and produces an even darker, glossier crust. A 4% lye solution (40g lye in 1L of water) is standard. Lye requires gloves, eye protection, and serious caution. For a home recipe, baked baking soda is the safer middle ground: bake ½ cup of baking soda on a foil-lined sheet at 250°F for 1 hour to convert sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate. It's stronger than regular baking soda but safer than lye.

My dough won't hold its shape after the cold retard. What happened?

Two likely causes. First, the bulk fermentation pushed too far. This recipe wants a 75% rise, not a full double. Second, the shape was too loose going into the banneton. Shape with intentional tension and let the cold retard firm everything up before the boil.

Why does the crust look pale even after the boil?

The boil is what produces the pretzel color, but only if the bath is fully alkaline. Make sure you're using ½ cup of baking soda (120g) in 5 quarts of water, and that the water has stopped fizzing before you add the dough. A weak bath gives a weak crust. If the crust still looks pale, try baking the baking soda first to convert it to sodium carbonate (see lye question above).

Can I make this without the 12-16 hour cold retard?

Technically yes, but the loaf will be harder to handle. The cold retard does two things: develops sourdough flavor and firms the dough so it holds its shape through the boil. A same-day version needs to proof to slightly underproofed (so it doesn't blow out during the boil) and chill for at least 1 hour before boiling. The flavor won't be as deep, but it works.

What do I do if the cheese leaks out during the boil?

Cheese leakage during the boil is normal and desirable for this version. Candi's method uses shredded cheese folded in during the second stretch and fold, which means some cheese will be near or at the surface by the time the loaf hits the boil. That's how you get the caramelized cheese-through-the-score-lines finish in the hero image. If the leakage is so heavy that the loaf is structurally compromised (large holes, dough collapsing), pull back on the cheese amount next time. Otherwise, trust the process.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 70g)): 180 calories, 33g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 2g fat, 1g fiber, 510mg sodium. Makes 10 servings.