By

Wendy Stoltz,

Florina Dobre / Last Modified On March 31, 2026

Soft pretzels are one of those foods that feel impossible to replace on a gluten-free diet. Mall pretzels are off the table. Ballpark pretzels? Off the table. That warm, salty, chewy snack that everyone else grabs without thinking? Gone.

This recipe changes that. These gluten-free soft pretzels are everything a classic pretzel should be: genuinely soft, properly chewy, and golden brown right out of the oven.

The dough uses instant yeast for a real pretzel texture, the baking soda bath gives you that characteristic crust and color, and a quick honey mustard dipping sauce rounds out the full experience. I've made these more times than I can count, and they hold up.

Why You're Going to Love These Gluten-Free Pretzels

Great flavor and texture - These pretzels have the flavor and texture of traditional soft pretzels without any gluten-containing ingredients. The yeast dough is the key difference here. Most gluten-free pretzel recipes skip the yeast entirely, and you can taste the difference.

Great appetizer - These go down well for game day or any family gathering. Double the batch. Everyone will ask for more.

Best comfort food - Fresh from the oven with the honey mustard dipping sauce, these are genuinely hard to stop eating.

Ingredients in Gluten-Free Pretzels

For the Pretzel Dough

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour - Use one of our gluten-free flour blends, or your favorite 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure both work well in this recipe. Avoid single-ingredient flours like almond or coconut flour here. Blends formulated specifically for gluten-free baking are what give the dough the right structure.

Dark Brown Sugar - Sugar feeds the yeast and helps the pretzels brown beautifully. Dark brown sugar adds a slightly deeper, more complex flavor than white sugar would. You can swap in light brown sugar in a pinch.

Instant Yeast - This is what gives gluten-free pretzels their real pretzel texture and rise. Use packets or yeast from a jar, but make sure the label says "Instant." Active dry yeast requires a different activation process and won't behave the same way here.

Sea Salt - Salt gives the dough flavor. You can experiment with garlic powder or dried herbs in small amounts if you want to change things up.

Xanthan Gum - Essential in gluten-free doughs for creating the stretch and structure that gluten normally provides. If your gluten free flour blend already includes xanthan gum, skip this. Check the label.

Baking Powder - Works alongside the yeast to give these pretzels their chewy, airy texture.

Warm Milk - Use warm milk (around 110°F) in place of plain water for a slightly richer, softer dough. Not hot, not cold. If it's too hot, it will kill the yeast before it can do its job. You can substitute warm water if you need the recipe dairy-free.

Egg - Let your egg come to room temperature before mixing. Cold eggs can stiffen the dough and affect the rise.

Melted Butter - Adds richness and depth. Use unsalted and let it cool slightly before adding it to the dough so it doesn't affect the yeast.

Oil - A small amount to coat the bowl during the rise. Any neutral oil works.

For the Baking Soda Bath

Water and Baking Soda - Before baking, the pretzels are quickly boiled in a large pot with baking soda and a small amount of sugar. This is what gives them their characteristic dark golden brown color and the slightly chewy outer layer. Don't skip it. Without it, you'll have pretzel-shaped bread.

Coarse Sea Salt - Sprinkle coarse sea salt on top before baking. You can use pretzel salt for a more classic look, or skip the salt entirely if you prefer.

For the Honey Mustard Dip

Totally optional, but highly recommended. The basic ratio is a few tablespoons of mayo, a couple teaspoons of Dijon mustard, a drizzle of honey, and a pinch of salt. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

If you're new to gluten-free baking, check out these staple gluten-free baking ingredients and our guide to the best gluten-free flour blends before you start. And if you love soft, bread-style GF baking, don't miss our gluten-free garlic knots and gluten-free rolls either.

Equipment Needed

• Baking Sheets
• Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat (Silpat)
• Stand Mixer - Pretzel dough is thick and requires sustained mixing. The bowl of a stand mixer with either a paddle attachment or dough hook attachment is the best tool here. You can mix by hand, but it takes longer and the results are less consistent.
• Large Stockpot - For the baking soda bath.
• Whisk, Pastry Brush, Spider Strainer or Large Slotted Spoon

How to Make Gluten-Free Pretzels

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, dark brown sugar, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Whisking first ensures you don't end up with uneven pockets of any one ingredient in the finished pretzels.
2. Add the dry mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the warm milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix with the paddle or dough hook attachment for 5 minutes, or until a firm dough forms. Gluten-free doughs tend to be stickier than wheat doughs. That's normal and expected.
3. While the dough mixes, make the honey mustard dipping sauce. Stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Set it aside so the flavors have time to come together.
4. Remove the dough from the mixer and place it on a clean surface. Knead gently until smooth, then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rise on the counter until nearly doubled in size. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, this takes between 45 and 90 minutes. Look for the dough to be visibly puffier rather than watching the clock. While you wait, preheat your oven to 425°F/220°C, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and fill a large stockpot with about 8 cups of water and set it on the stove to boil.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press it down and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 to 14 inches long.
6. Shape each rope into a pretzel. See the shaping guide below if you need a visual walk-through.
7. Add baking soda and a small amount of sugar to the boiling water. It will foam up. Wait until the foaming subsides. Drop one pretzel at a time into the baking soda bath. They'll sink briefly, then float back to the surface. Each pretzel only needs about 5 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and return to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired. Bake for 18 minutes, or longer depending on how golden brown you want them. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving with the honey mustard dipping sauce.

These numbered steps match the photos above. For the complete ingredient list and measurements, see the full recipe card below.

Watch How to Make These Gluten-Free Pretzels

If you're a visual learner, this step-by-step video walks through the full process including the baking soda bath and shaping.

How to Shape a Pretzel

• Form the rolled dough into a U shape on the counter.
• Take the two ends and cross them over each other to create a twist. Bring the twisted ends down to the bottom curve of the U to connect.
• Press the ends down gently so they hold.

Don't stress about making them perfect. You can also make pretzel bites by cutting each rope into 1-inch pieces before the baking soda bath, or make pretzel sticks by skipping the shaping entirely and baking the ropes straight. For pretzel bread rolls, spiral the dough without leaving holes. All versions use the same dough and the same baking soda bath method.

Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Pretzels

Check your yeast first. If you're unsure whether your yeast is still active, dissolve a small amount in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. It should foam within 5 to 10 minutes. If nothing happens, the yeast is dead and the recipe won't rise properly.

Don't skip the baking soda bath. This is what creates the crust and the golden brown color. Without it, you'll have pretzel-shaped bread with none of the texture you're after.

Work with a lightly floured surface. Gluten-free doughs are stickier than wheat doughs. Dust your hands and your surface lightly with gluten free flour while shaping. Avoid adding extra flour directly into the dough, as that can dry out the finished pretzels.

Bake to your preference. At 18 minutes, the pretzels are soft and lightly browned. Leave them in a few extra minutes if you want a deeper color and slightly firmer exterior.

Which Gluten-Free Flour Works Best for Pretzels?

Not all gluten free flour blends behave the same way, and pretzels are less forgiving than a lot of other GF baking. Here's what works and what doesn't:

• Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour - Reliable and widely available. Produces a slightly denser pretzel with good flavor.
• King Arthur Measure for Measure - Produces a lighter texture and better rise. One of the best options for yeast-based recipes.
• Cup4Cup - Works well and gives a smooth dough, but is more expensive.
• Single-ingredient flours (almond, coconut, oat) - Not a substitute here. These need to be part of a blend with starches and binders to function in a yeast dough.

Gluten-Free Pretzel Variations

Gluten-Free Pretzel Bites

Same dough, same baking soda bath. After rolling each rope, cut it into 1-inch pieces instead of shaping. Bake at 425°F for 12 to 14 minutes. Pretzel bites work especially well for parties since they're easier to dip and share.

Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks

Skip the shaping step entirely. Roll the dough into 8-inch ropes, run them through the baking soda bath, and bake until golden brown. Great for kids or anyone who finds pretzel shaping frustrating.

Cinnamon Sugar Gluten-Free Pretzels

Skip the coarse sea salt topping. After baking, brush immediately with melted butter and roll in a mix of cinnamon and sugar while still warm. These are a completely different direction from the classic and worth making once just to see if you prefer them.

Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Pretzels

Swap the warm milk for warm water and use vegan butter in the dough. For the dipping sauce, use vegan mayo. Everything else stays the same.

Make-Ahead and Storage

These pretzels are best eaten the day they're made, ideally still warm. The texture softens noticeably after the first day, as is common with gluten-free yeast breads.

Counter storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes.

Refrigerator: You can store baked pretzels in the refrigerator for up to four days, though the texture will be firmer when cold. Reheat before eating.

Freezer: Baked pretzels freeze well. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The make-ahead option that works best is to prepare and shape the dough, freeze the unbaked pretzels on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the baking time.

Troubleshooting

My pretzels are dense and heavy.

Most likely a yeast issue. Check that your yeast is fresh and that your warm milk was not too hot (above 115°F kills yeast). Also check that you let the dough rise long enough. Gluten-free doughs often take longer to rise than wheat doughs, especially in a cool kitchen.

My pretzels are gummy in the middle.

Underbaked. Gluten-free baked goods hold moisture longer than wheat-based ones. Add 3 to 5 minutes to the bake time and test by pressing gently on the center. It should feel set, not soft.

My pretzels didn't brown.

The baking soda bath is essential for browning. If you skipped it or the bath wasn't boiling when the pretzels went in, that's likely the cause. Also make sure the oven is fully preheated before the pretzels go in.

My dough is too sticky to shape.

That's normal for gluten-free doughs. Dust your hands and work surface generously with gluten free flour before shaping. Don't work the extra flour into the dough directly. It's also helpful to chill the dough for 15 minutes in the refrigerator before shaping if it feels unmanageable.

If you make these gluten-free pretzels, leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out. And if you loved them, check out our gluten-free cheesy breadsticks and gluten-free bread recipe for more from-scratch GF baking.

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Yield: 12 Pretzels

Gluten-Free Pretzels

Print

Gluten-Free Pretzels are soft and chewy, just like you'd expect from a fresh hot pretzel, and as good as or better than anything you'd get at a mall kiosk!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pretzels

• 3 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• ½ tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (only add this if your GF flour blend doesn't include any)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water, warm
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• Coarse sea salt or pretzel salt, optional, as a topping

For the Water Bath

• 1-gallon water
• ⅓ cup baking soda
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Add the water, egg, and butter, and using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix for 5 minutes until a firm dough forms. If the dough is too dry add 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water.
2. On a clean surface, knead the dough until smooth. Then transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it rise on the kitchen counter until almost doubled (45 to 90 minutes)
3. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In the meantime, bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured clean surface. Gently deflate it and divide it into 12 equal pieces.
   Cover the dough pieces. Then one at a time, roll them into 12” to 14” ropes. Shape the ropes into pretzels and place them onto the prepared baking pan.
5. Add the baking soda and the sugar to the boiling water and wait for the foam to subside.
   Drop the pretzels one ae in the water and wait for 5 seconds. They will initially sink but they will float back to the surface.
6. Return the boiled pretzels to the baking pan and sprinkle with some coarse salt if you wish.
7. Bake the pretzels in a preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until golden brown and baked to your liking (check recipe notes).
8. Allow the pretzels to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before serving.
9. To Prepare the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce: Combine all the ingredients (mayo, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt) in a small serving bowl.
   

Notes

• For extra soft and savory pretzels, brush them with melted butter after they come out of the oven.
• If you'd like to make sweet pretzels, bake them without any salt on top. Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while they're still warm.
• Only add xanthan gum to the dough if your all-purpose flour doesn't include any.
• Bake the pretzels for 18 minutes if you want them soft, and up to 35 minutes if you want them to be crunchy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. They never cost you extra.

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  Hiware Solid Stainless Steel Spider Strainer Skimmer Ladle for Cooking and Frying, Kitchen Utensils Wire Strainer Pasta Strainer Spoon, 5.4 Inch
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  Farberware Enamel on Steel Stock Pot/Stockpot with Lid - 16 Quart, Aqua Blue
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  Cuisinart SM-50CRM Precision Master 5.5-Quart 12-Speed Stand Mixer with Mixing Bowl, Chef's Whisk, Flat Mixing Paddle, Dough Hook, and Splash Guard with Pour Spout, Coconut Cream
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  Silpat AE295205-01 Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, 11-¾-Inch x 8-¼-Inch (2 pack) by Silpat
• 
  Bobs Red Mill, Baking Flour 1 To 1 Gluten Free

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 pretzel and dip
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 225Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 2157mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 4g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.