Fresh baked soft pretzels are one of those classic American treats--but since making the switch to a gluten free diet I've struggled to find good gluten free soft pretzels regularly available.
So what do we do?
We make them ourselves (with a super easy recipe).
This easy recipe for homemade gluten free soft pretzels only needs 5 ingredients and no yeast (which means no need for advance planning!)
Keep reading for the step by step directions and tips or use the jump to recipe button below to go straight to the printable recipe.
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Why you'll love this gluten free soft pretzels easy recipe!
- This is actually a really easy baking recipe with only 5 ingredients!
- These pretzels are yeast free, so if you cannot tolerate yeast, this is a gluten free baking recipe just for you.
- This recipe makes a soft and chewy pretzel–will totally bring back mall or ballpark vibes!
Is there gluten in soft pretzels?
Most soft pretzels are made using all purpose flour which contains wheat.
Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, rye, and crosses of these grains, so soft pretzels typically are not gluten free.
However, this recipe uses a gluten free all purpose flour made without gluten-containing grains resulting in safe gluten free soft pretzels that those with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance can enjoy!
Can you buy gluten free soft pretzels frozen?
If you're wondering whether you can buy gluten free soft pretzels, the answer is yes! There are a few gluten free bakeries that prepare soft pretzels in store.
One of my local bakeries, Birch Baked Gluten-Free, prepares them as a special.
Some of these bakeries ship, so you could special order them from a local bakery.
However, I haven’t seen any frozen soft pretzels in my local stores or health food markets, nor can you find them at popular online retailers like Amazon or Thrive Market.
That said, you can find a gluten free pretzel baking mix from Mom’s Place that makes a truly authentic soft pretzel.
Or you can give the recipe below a try 🙂
Ingredients you'll need:
Making these delicious homemade gluten free soft pretzels only requires five ingredients. You may find these at your local grocery store, but you’ll find great deals on gluten free baking essentials at Thrive Market.
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To make these gf pretzels, you’ll need:
- all purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan gum.
- salt.
- baking powder.
- Plain fat free Greek Yogurt, drained of any excess. I let mine drain for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Olive oil.
note: while most yogurts are gluten free, not all are! I wrote this guide to the best gluten free yogurt brands here.
What flours to use for gluten-free soft pretzels?
It usually takes blending a few different gluten free flours together to replicate the structure and texture of wheat flour, so using an all purpose blend with xanthan gum added makes it much easier!
I typically use the gluten free blend by King Arthur flour for all of my gluten free baking.
While you may find this in your local store, I find I get it much cheaper on Amazon!
You can find it on Amazon here.
How to make easy gluten free soft pretzels
To bake these homemade pretzels you first need to strain your Greek yogurt. I do this by placing my yogurt into a mesh strainer on cheese cloth. If you do not have cheesecloth, you can use a thin tea towel or paper towels. You want to remove quite a bit of the water, it should sit for around an hour in the fridge before you're ready to bake!
When it is drained, preheat the oven and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until well distributed.
Then, add the drained yogurt and mix well. Once incorporated, form a ball and knead it a few times ensuring everything holds together.
If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add water a tablespoon at a time while kneading. The dough should be firm, but pliable.
Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball.
Roll each ball into strips, about 11-12 inches long.
Twist the dough to form a pretzel shape and place on the parchment.
Generously brush each pretzel with olive oil and sprinkle with additional salt.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven until golden and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Homemade Gluten Free Soft Pretzels
What to serve with this gluten-free soft pretzel recipe?
This pretzel recipe is pretty versatile. Instead of topping with salt, you could sprinkle some garlic salt or other seasoning before baking, or bake them plain and while they’re still hot brush them with butter and sprinkle on some cinnamon and sugar.
If you’re looking for something to dip it in, try some gluten free mustard or a homemade cheese sauce.
How long do gluten free soft pretzels last?
These pretzels will taste best the day you make them.
You could store them for the next day or two in an airtight container and reheat them before eating, but they won’t be as tasty.
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Gluten Free Soft Pretzels
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- parchment paper
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour (with xanthan gum)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup fat free Greek Yogurt drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- coarse salt (for topping)
Instructions
- Strain your yogurt for around an hour to remove excess liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and until ingredients are distributed. Add the drained yogurt, and combine well.
- Roll dough into a ball and knead about 10 times.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball.
- Roll each ball into strips, about a foot long, and form a pretzel shape.
- Generously brush pretzels with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven until golden brown, about 22 minutes.
Notes
- ingredient and equipment suggestions & substitutions,
- troubleshooting tips, and
- frequently asked questions
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Elizabeth
I’ve made a similar dough and used it for pizza crust. I’ll have to get some coarse salt and try as pretzels! Great idea
Sharon McCaskill
I'll have to try it as pizza crust! Love that idea
Talyaa
My dough was extremely sticky and I had a LOT of trouble shaping it, so I scraped approximately 3-inch flattish blobs onto my parchment and baked them for about 30 minutes. Bottoms were nicely browned and the tops were starting to color, but there was little to no rise. (My baking powder is good, a recent purchase) The outsides are nicely crunchy but the insides are clearly uncooked. Any thoughts as to what I could have done differently?
I thought of adding more flour while I wrestled with the sticky dough but wanted to try the recipe as written to see how it went. I guess I could have baked them longer? What do you suggest?
Sharon McCaskill
oh no! What kind of yogurt did you use? Was it actual Greek yogurt? Greek yogurt has a lot less moisture than regular yogurt, and I still drained it as mentioned in the ingredients list. Maybe that step was missed? I'll write a paragraph detailing how I drained the yogurt using a cloth and strainer. That might have been it. Also, what kind of flour did you use? I used King Arthur's measure for measure which does contain xanthan gum.