Heritage Grain Soft Pretzels
Best with: Turkey Red Wheat
There are few things better than a warm, soft pretzel fresh from the oven. These heritage grain soft pretzels use our Palouse Heritage Turkey Red wheat, bringing deeper flavor, subtle sweetness, enhanced nutrition, and a beautifully tender chew that modern flours simply can’t match.
Turkey Red’s rich protein structure and mineral content make it an ideal grain for yeasted doughs like pretzels. The result is a pretzel with real character. It is nutty, aromatic, and satisfying on its own or dipped in mustard, cheese sauce, or butter.
This recipe blends Turkey Red with all-purpose bread flour for structure while still letting the heritage grain shine.
Why Turkey Red Wheat Works So Well for Pretzels
Turkey Red is a historic hard red winter wheat with exceptional baking qualities. In soft pretzels, it contributes:
A full-bodied, wheaty flavor
A slightly sweet, malty depth
Excellent dough strength without toughness
A more satisfying chew than all-white flour pretzels
This is comfort food with real agricultural heritage and health behind it.
Ingredients
283 g lukewarm water (about 1¼ cups)
237 g bread flour (about 2 cups)
237 g Turkey Red flour (about 2 cups)
50 g malted milk powder (about ½ cup)
14 g unsalted butter, softened (about 1 Tbsp)
10 g salt (about 1¾ tsp)
7 g instant yeast (about 2¼ tsp)
Instructions
1. Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the lukewarm water and instant yeast. Add the bread flour, Turkey Red flour, malted milk powder, salt, and butter.
Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then let the dough rest for ~15 minutes.
Then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Add a small amount of flour or water as needed.
2. First Rise
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 60–90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
3. Shape the Pretzels
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into about 8-12 equal pieces as preferred. For 12 pieces, you want about 70 grams for each.
Roll each piece into a rope about 18–20 inches long, then twist into classic pretzel shapes.
4. Baking Soda Bath
Create a baking soda batch using 1 tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water. For these pretzels, shoot for 4 cups water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda. You only need enough to be able to submerge the dough.
Submerge the pretzel in the baking soda bath, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt.
5. Bake
Bake at 450°F for 5 minutes. Then rotate and bake for another 5 minutes for a total of about 10 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.
Brush with melted butter immediately after baking and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Serving Ideas
Classic: Butter and flaky salt
Savory: Whole grain mustard or beer cheese
Sweet: Cinnamon sugar with honey butter
Hearty: Pretzel sandwiches with sausage or ham
Storage & Reheating
Best enjoyed fresh the same day
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days
Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to restore softness
Grain Notes from Palouse Heritage
For the best results, we recommend freshly milled Turkey Red flour, sifted lightly if desired. Fresh milling preserves flavor, aroma, and nutrition that industrial flours lose over time.
Heritage grains like Turkey Red reward slower fermentation, careful handling, and simple recipes that let the grain speak for itself.
