These soft pretzel hot dog buns are the best way to enjoy bratwurst and sausages for summer cookouts and Oktoberfest parties. The exterior is chewy and glossy (thanks to a dip in boiling water + baking soda), while the interior is buttery and pillowy from melted butter mixed into the dough.
Featured Review
"These came out similar to pretzel buns from the store, but a bit fluffier and tastier. They were a hit!!" -Nora
A Little Bit Germany, A Little Bit Backyard BBQ
I grew up on giant, soft German pretzels that were nothing like the mall version from Auntie Anne's. And since these days my evenings have been filled with backyard bbq's, and I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I combined the two. My first attempt was kind of lazy; I sliced a regular pretzel in half and stuffed it with a hot dog. It tasted right, but its shape couldn't quite hold a bratwurst properly. Enter Laugenstangen. Literally translated to "lye rods" in German, named for the lye bath that gives traditional pretzels their brown crust and tang. But I swap in baking soda instead, which is much more forgiving in a home kitchen, while still achieving the same color and bite.
Where my version really departs from classic Bavarian Brezeln is the dough itself. I add melted butter and a little brown sugar, which does two things: it keeps the crumb soft for days longer than standard pretzel dough, and it adds a subtle buttery richness that just works with the salty, malty flavor of the crust. It's also part of why these hold up so well once you stuff them with bratwurst or pile on sandwich fillings. They won't buckle or tear the way a lot of pretzel buns do.
Also, I use instant yeast here, since butter naturally slows down fermentation, so instant yeast helps keep the rise time at a reasonable two hours. And don't skip the boil before baking, since it's what "sets" the crust, so you end up with an actual pretzel bun, rather than a glorified breadstick.
I highly recommend making a batch for your next barbecue, or go full Oktoberfest-mode with bratwurst, mustard, and sauerkraut. No hot dogs on hand? They're just as good piled with cheese and sliced meat for a sandwich. And if you love this "twist" on traditional pretzels, you'll definitely want to make my pretzel hamburger buns next, or go sweet with my soft cinnamon pretzels.
Let's Make Pretzel Hot Dog Buns Together!
My Pretzel Bun Troubleshooting & Tips
- Pretzel Salt: I recommend using pretzel salt which you can buy online, or coarse salt. Smaller salt granules like table salt dissolve on the surface of the pretzels. I've tested this with kosher salt before and it's worked okay, but it dissolved after a day.
- Equipment: Make sure you line your baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. I've used parchment paper before, which completely sticks to the bottom of the buns as they bake.
- Shaping: Make sure you're rolling the buns tightly, so they don't spread open. I like to flatten the dough into a rectangle, tightly roll it up, then roll it to about 7-inches with even pressure between my hands on the counter.
- Brown Crust: Don't skip simmering the baking soda in water for a few minutes without the lid on the pot before you dunk the buns. In testing, I found that this concentrates it, which browns far better than baking soda straight out of the box.
- Chewy Crust: I use my phone's timer to make sure I boil each side for just 30 seconds. Any longer and you'll build up a thick, tough shell instead of that classic thin, glossy pretzel crust.
Easy Pretzel Hot Dog Buns
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1¼ cups warm water (between 105-115°F or 41-46°C)
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Baking Soda Bath
- 10 cups water
- ½ cup baking soda
Topping
- 1 teaspoon pretzel salt (or extra coarse salt)
Instructions
Prepare the Pretzel Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the instant yeast, flour, brown sugar, and salt.
- Add the warm water and melted butter to the flour mixture. Mix until it forms a shaggy dough.
- Knead the dough until it's smooth an elastic, either by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for 5-6 minutes.
- Lightly grease a mixing bowl with a little olive oil or butter. Place the dough ball in the oiled bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel or dinner plate (to retain warmth & moisture). Let the dough rise until the dough doubles in size, after about 2 hours.
Shape and Boil the Buns
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or generously grease it with cooking spray or oil.
- Bring a pot of 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil.
- Divide the dough into 8 even portions, and roll each one into a log about 7-inches long. Keep the dough covered with a damp kitchen towel so it doesn't dry out.
- Use two slotted spoons to lower the first two logs of dough into the boiling baking soda and water. After 30 seconds, use a spoon to turn the logs over and boil for another 30 seconds. Use the slotted spoons to remove the logs from the pot and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough logs, in batches of two.
Bake the Pretzel Hot Dog Buns
- While the loaves are still wet, immediately sprinkle pretzel salt evenly on top.With a sharp kitchen knife, slice 3 cuts, each ½-inch deep, diagonally across the buns.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until they're golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing lengthwise to fill with hot dogs or bratwurst.
Notes
- Pretzel Salt: I recommend using pretzel salt or extra-coarse salt. Small salt granules like table salt and kosher salt will dissolve into the buns.
- Shaping: Roll the dough with both hands, applying even pressure. This will help form even logs so they aren't lopsided or curved.
- Scoring: Slicing three diagonal cuts into your homemade pretzel buns helps them have a place to rise and expand as they bake. Otherwise they could burst open down the center.
- Storing: Store leftover cooled buns in a paper bag at room temperature, to avoid moisture from an airtight container or the fridge from dissolving the salt.
Nora says
These came out similar to pretzel buns from the store, but a bit fluffier and tastier. They were a hit!!
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Nora, I'm so glad you enjoyed these pretzel buns! I think homemade is always better than store bought <3
Laurie says
Homemade hot dog buns without all the chemicals and preservatives? Yes please!
Rolf says
HOOOT DOG! very good recipe
Carissa Erzen says
Haha! Thank you!