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Sourdough Pretzel Dogs with Chewy Crust

Four freshly baked sourdough pretzel dogs, dark brown and sprinkled with coarse salt, arranged on a white plate.
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Make artisan pretzel dogs from scratch using your sourdough starter. This recipe guides you through preparing the tangy sourdough soft pretzel dough and achieving the classic dark, chewy pretzel crust using a baking soda bath.

Ingredients

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  • 100g active sourdough starter (fed 4–8 hours prior)
  • 350g bread flour
  • 150g warm water (about 105F)
  • 20g unsalted butter, softened
  • 10g malt syrup or honey
  • 5g fine sea salt
  • 8 large all-beef hot dogs (best hot dogs for pretzel wrapping)
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup baking soda (for the baking soda bath pretzel recipe)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Coarse pretzel salt, for topping

Instructions

  1. Combine the active sourdough starter, warm water, malt syrup, and half the flour in a large bowl. Mix until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  2. Add the remaining flour, softened butter, and salt to the dough. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 50%.
  4. Gently deflate the dough. Divide it into 8 equal pieces.
  5. Take one piece of dough and roll it into a rope about 10-12 inches long. Wrap the rope around one hot dog, overlapping slightly, and pinch the ends securely to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and hot dogs.
  6. Prepare the baking soda bath: Carefully pour 1 cup of boiling water into a shallow dish. Whisk in the 1/2 cup of baking soda until dissolved. Work in batches, carefully lowering each pretzel dog into the hot bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  7. Preheat your oven to 425F. Brush the tops of the dipped pretzel dogs with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is deep brown and chewy.
  9. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, such as a sharp Dijon mustard or homemade cheese sauce.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use high-quality, all-beef hot dogs.
  • If you do not have malt syrup, honey or brown sugar works as a substitute to aid in browning.
  • This recipe works well using sourdough discard if you feed your starter and let it sit for 1 hour before mixing, though the rise may be slightly slower.
  • If you prefer a deeper color, you can increase the baking soda in the bath to 3/4 cup, but monitor closely as it darkens quickly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/sourdough-pretzel-dogs-recipe/