Pretzel Sourdough Bread
If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the viral pretzel sourdough bread that’s been taking over baking feeds. After seeing countless versions, I knew I had to test it in my own kitchen. As always, I couldn’t resist making a few changes to create a recipe that’s reliable, easy to follow, and delivers bakery-quality results every single time.
After several rounds of testing, I found the perfect balance between classic artisan sourdough bread and authentic German-style pretzels. This Pretzel Cheddar Sourdough Bread has a rich, tangy flavor, an incredibly soft and fluffy crumb, pockets of melted sharp cheddar cheese, and a beautifully deep mahogany crust that’s slightly chewy yet still easy to slice.
The biggest breakthrough came while experimenting with the traditional food-grade lye bath. Most recipes recommend dipping the entire loaf, but during my tests I found that this often caused the dough to spread too much in the oven, resulting in a flatter loaf. Instead, I dip only the top of the bread into the lye solution. This simple adjustment helps the loaf maintain excellent oven spring while still producing the classic pretzel flavor, color, and shine.
The dough itself is based on my quick sourdough method but is lightly enriched with butter and a touch of sugar. These small additions make the crumb softer, help the crust caramelize beautifully, and create a loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, grilled cheese, or simply enjoying warm with butter.
Whether you’re an experienced sourdough baker or looking for your next exciting bread project, this homemade Pretzel Cheddar Sourdough Bread is a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients
Starter (Night Before)
10 g sourdough starter
100 g bread flour
100 g water
Dough
300 g bread flour
218 g water
150 g active sourdough starter
30 g sugar
6 g salt
15 g salted butter, softened
60–70 g sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
Lye Bath
900 g cold water
30 g food-grade lye
Finishing
Melted butter
Flaky sea salt
Prepare the Starter
In a clean bowl or jar, combine 10 g sourdough starter, 100 g bread flour, and 100 g water. Stir until smooth and no dry flour remains. Cover loosely and ferment overnight for 8–12 hours at room temperature. By morning, the starter should be bubbly, airy, slightly domed, and have a pleasant tangy aroma. A healthy active starter is essential for achieving a light, flavorful sourdough loaf. Learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch here)
Mix & Autolyse
Combine 300 g bread flour, 218 g water, 150 g active sourdough starter, 30 g sugar, and 6 g salt until no dry flour remains. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This hydration period allows gluten to begin developing naturally, making the dough smoother, stronger, and easier to knead.
Knead the Dough
Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add the 15 g softened salted butter gradually and continue mixing for another 4–5 minutes until fully incorporated. Gently mix in the 60–70 g cubed cheddar just until evenly distributed.
For this recipe, I use my Halo Pro Spiral Mixer, and it has completely changed the way I make bread at home. After years of baking with traditional stand mixers, I can confidently say I won’t be going back. A spiral mixer develops gluten much faster and more efficiently while keeping the dough significantly cooler throughout mixing. That’s especially important for sourdough, where dough temperature directly affects fermentation and the final texture of the bread. Unlike most stand mixers, which tend to warm the dough as they mix, the Halo Pro gently kneads the dough using a true spiral mixing action similar to commercial bakery equipment. The result is stronger gluten development, better dough structure, improved elasticity, and noticeably better oven spring while reducing overall mixing time.
Bulk Fermentation
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and ferment at room temperature. Perform stretch and folds every 45 minutes for 2–3 sets. Allow the dough to rise nearly 100% if using strong bread flour, or 50–70% with average bread flour. The dough should feel airy, soft, and slightly jiggly.
Shape & Cold Fermentation
Shape the dough into a tight loaf, place seam-side up into a floured banneton, cover, and refrigerate for 16–18 hours at 3–4°C (37–39°F). The long cold fermentation develops deeper flavor while improving oven spring and scoring.
Prepare the Lye Bath
Slowly dissolve 30 g food-grade lye into 900 g cold water, always adding lye to water. Wear gloves and eye protection. Remove the cold loaf from the basket and dip only the top into the lye solution before placing it onto parchment. Dipping only the top helps maintain loaf height while creating the signature pretzel crust.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a baking steel inside. Score the loaf and bake covered with a baking shell, bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking shell, reduce the temperature to 430°F (220°C), and bake for another 10 minutes. If necessary, loosely tent with foil, reduce to 370°F (188°C), and bake an additional 15 minutes until fully baked.
Finish
Brush the hot loaf with melted butter and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for the best crumb texture.
Success Tips
• Feed your starter so it’s at peak activity.
• Add cheddar after gluten develops.
• Watch the dough, not the clock.
• Cold dough is easier to score and dip in lye.
• Dip only the top for better oven spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why feed the starter the night before? It reaches peak activity by morning for better fermentation.
Why did my loaf spread? Usually from over-proofing, weak flour, or dipping the entire loaf.
Is food-grade lye safe? Yes, when handled properly with gloves and by always adding lye to water.
Can I substitute baking soda? Yes, but the crust and flavor will be different.
What cheese works best? Sharp cheddar, Gruyère, Gouda, smoked cheddar, or mozzarella.
Can I knead by hand? Yes, until the dough passes the windowpane test.
Why add butter? It softens the crumb and improves crust color.
Final Thoughts
This Pretzel Cheddar Sourdough Bread combines artisan sourdough with the rich flavor and beautiful crust of a traditional pretzel. Once you learn to read your dough and adjust fermentation to your kitchen, this recipe becomes incredibly consistent and rewarding. Enjoy it fresh, toasted, or as the ultimate sandwich bread.
Pretzel Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 300 g Bread flour
- 218 g Water
- 150 g Active sourdough starter
- 30 g Sugar
- 6 g Salt
- 15 g Salted butter (Softened)
- 60–70 g Cheddar cheese (Cubed)
- 900 g Cold water
- 30 g Food-grade lye
- Coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt (For topping)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (Fitted with a dough hook attachment)
- Square Container (Lightly oiled)
- Proofing Basket (Banneton)
- Gloves and Eye Protection (Mandatory for handling lye safely)
- Shallow Glass or Stainless Steel Bowl (For the lye bath)
- Baking Steel
- Baking Shell (For covering the loaf)
- Sharp Scoring Lame
Method
- Combine 300g of bread flour, 218g of water, 150g of active sourdough starter, 30g of sugar, and 6g of salt until no dry flour remains.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This hydration period allows gluten to begin developing naturally, making the dough smoother, stronger, and easier to knead.
- Transfer the rested dough to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Add the 15g of softened salted butter gradually and continue mixing for another 4 to 5 minutes until fully incorporated into the dough matrix.
- Gently mix in the 60–70g of cubed cheddar cheese just until it is uniformly distributed.
- Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled square container. Cover with a lid and let it bulk ferment at warm room temperature for 4 to 5 hours, performing a few sets of stretch and folds during the first 2 hours to help build structural strength until puffy and showing visible air bubbles along the sides.
- Gently tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape it tightly into a round boule or an oval batard, ensuring the outer skin is smooth and taut.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured proofing basket.
- Cover tightly and place it into the refrigerator to cold proof overnight for 14 to 15 hours. (This cold rest stabilizes the dough matrix so it can handle being dipped without deflating).
- Preheat the Oven: Place your Baking Steel inside the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C), ensuring it saturates thoroughly with heat.
- Prepare the Lye Bath: Put on your safety gloves and eye protection. In a shallow glass or stainless steel bowl, slowly dissolve 30g of food-grade lye into 900g of cold water, always adding the lye to the water (never water to lye) to prevent splashing.
- The Dip: Remove the cold loaf directly from the proofing basket. Carefully dip only the top of the loaf into the lye solution, then place it seam-side down onto a sheet of parchment paper. (Dipping only the top helps maintain loaf height while creating the signature pretzel crust).
- Score and Bake: Score the top of the loaf quickly with a sharp lame and sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.
- Carefully transfer the loaf along with the parchment paper directly onto the preheated Baking Steel. Immediately cover the dough completely with a baking shell to capture the steam.
- Bake covered at 500°F (260°C) for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the hot baking shell, reduce the oven temperature to 430°F (220°C), and bake for another 10 minutes.
- If necessary to prevent over-browning, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil, reduce the temperature to 370°F (188°C), and bake for an additional 15 minutes until fully baked through. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before cutting!
Nutrition
Notes
- Lye Safety First: Always wear rubber gloves and protective eyewear when handling lye. Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowls—avoid aluminum entirely as it chemically reacts dangerously with lye.
- Why Dipping Only the Top Matters: Unlike traditional small pretzel buns that get fully submerged, dipping only the top of a large artisan loaf ensures the bottom structure remains unaffected. This allows the bread to retain maximum oven spring and height without flattening out on the baking steel.
- Why the Sugar Matters: The 30g of sugar feeds the active starter during bulk fermentation and works in tandem with the alkaline lye bath to accelerate the Maillard reaction, resulting in a beautifully dark, authentic pretzel finish.
Tried this recipe?
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I know it wouldn’t have the pretzel finish, BUT could I skip the lye bath?
Absolutely! You can skip the lye bath if you prefer. For a milder alternative, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil, add ½–1 cup of baking soda, and dip the loaf before scoring. Just be very careful, as the water will be extremely hot. Or simply skip the bath altogether and bake it as is—it won’t have the classic pretzel finish, but it will still be absolutely delicious!
Thank you! I wondered how much baking soda could be used!
This looks amazing and I will be giving it a try! I think that my first go will be with water and soda dip and then go for the lye.
Thanks so much for the wonderful post!
That sounds like a great plan! 😊 The baking soda bath is a perfect way to start, and you can always try the lye version next time. I hope you love it—I’d love to hear how it turns out!