Sourdough Pretzel Buns Made with Fresh Milled Flour

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baked sourdough pretzel buns on a blue rimmed plate

Sourdough pretzel buns have that chewy crust you love plus a fluffy inside. They are going to be your new go-to for a fun twist on sandwiches and burgers, or even an afternoon snack.

By using fresh milled flour, the flavor and nutrient profile is taken up a notch. Our step-by-step recipe will help you through baking these delicious buns so they’re perfect every time.

Once you try these soft buns with their perfectly golden skin, you’ll never not want to eat or bake them.

Benefits of Using Sourdough Discard in Pretzel Buns

I like to use sourdough in many of my fresh milled bread recipes where I can. It adds a vitamin and mineral boost, makes for easier digestion, and creates more depth and flavor development.

If you are really in the pretzel mood, you can also try our Soft Pretzel Bites recipe or if you want a recipe for a Fresh Milled Dinner Roll.

Why Use Fresh Milled Flour to Make Pretzel Buns

Freshly milled flours retain all of the nutrients that processed flours often have removed or destroyed during commercial milling. “In fact, of the 44 known essential nutrients needed by our bodies and naturally obtained from foods, only 4 are missing from wheat– vitamin A, B12, and C, and the mineral iodine.” – Sue Becker (Source)

These sourdough pretzel buns will give your mealtimes a boost! With fresh milled flour they have some fluff, but also have that “stick to your ribs” heft of whole wheat. No one will go hungry when they use these for their sandwich.

Sourdough Pretzel Buns Pinterest

Essential Ingredients & Tools

Healthy Sourdough Starter: An active sourdough starter works best in this recipe. You can use unfed discard, but your rise time will likely take a bit longer than the recipe states.

Best Grains for Fresh Milled Flour: We use hard white wheat in this recipe. This grain has the right protein content to create the perfect soft and chewy texture for your pretzel buns without too much of an overpowering flavor.

Baking Soda: This gives the classic pretzel skin finish to your buns when they are boiled before baking.

Grain Mill: We like to mill our flour fresh to get as many nutrients as possible in our buns.

Mixer with Dough Hook: You could knead by hand but it will take a LONG time with fresh milled flour. Best to use a machine, unless you’re looking for a good workout.

Large Stock Pot: You’ll need to boil the pretzel buns before baking so your pot will need to hold quite a bit of water.

Tools to Make Sourdough Pretzel Buns

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Ingredients for Fresh Milled Sourdough Pretzel Buns

Dough

  • 2.25 Cups (545g) Water, warm (45g reserved)
  • 1 Cup (200g) Active Sourdough Starter
  • 4 Cups (780g) Hard White Wheat Berries
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 4 Tbsp Butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp Salt

Boiling Bath and Prep

  • 1/2 – 3/4 Cup Baking Soda
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg & 1 Tbsp Water for egg wash
  • Extra melted butter for topping

Recipe for Sourdough Pretzel Buns

Making the Dough

  1. Add 500g warm water to mixing bowl
  2. Mill flour into water and mix into a shaggy dough, it will be a little dry
  3. Let autolyse 30-60 minutes
  4. Mix remaining 45g water with sourdough starter
  5. Add sourdough slurry, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt to mixing bowl
  6. Knead 10-15 minutes, or until smooth and elastic (windowpane, or close to it)
  7. Cover and let rise 4-6 hours, or until about doubled
  8. Dump dough onto lightly greased surface
  9. Divide into 15 pieces, shaping each into a bun
  10. Using bench scraper to lift each bun and place on silicone baking mats on pans
  11. Cover buns and let proof around 30 minutes, or until puffed

Boiling & Baking Pretzels

  1. When buns are almost done proofing bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 450 degrees
  2. Prepare egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tbsp of water and set aside
  3. Add brown sugar and baking soda to water (be careful as it may foam up)
  4. With water boiling, (carefully) place on or two buns at a time into water and boil for 30-45 seconds
  5. Remove with slotted spoon, shaking off excess water and return to the silicone baking mat
  6. Using pastry brush, coat each bun with egg wash and then score an “x” in the top about 1/8-1/4″ deep
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 until all pretzel buns have been boiled, egg washed, and scored
  8. Bake buns for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown
  9. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before coating in melted butter
  10. Let cool before slicing for sandwiches or burgers

Notes:

  • Recipe makes around 15 buns, depending on size
  • For soda bath, depending on pot size you made need more or less baking soda, or you may need to add more baking soda half way through the batch

Step By Step Making the Dough

milling flour into bowl of water

Add 500g warm water to mixing bowl. Mill flour into water.

dough before autolysing in mixing bowl

Mix into a shaggy dough, it will be a little dry. Let autolyse 30-60 minutes.

water and sourdough starter

Mix remaining 45g water with sourdough starter.

brown sugar butter and sourdough starter on top of pretzel dough

Add sourdough slurry, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt to mixing bowl.

kneading sourdough soft pretzel dough with dough hook

Knead 10-15 minutes.

Sourdough Soft Pretzel dough

Knead until smooth and elastic (windowpane, or close to it).

Risen Sourdough Soft Pretzel dough

Cover and let rise 4-6 hours, or until about doubled.

dough ball next to unrolled dough

Dump dough onto lightly greased surface. Divide into 15 pieces, shaping each into a bun.

rolled whole wheat dough balls ready to rise

Using bench scraper to lift each bun and place on silicone baking mats on pans. Cover buns and let proof around 30 minutes, or until puffed.

Boiling & Baking Pretzel Buns

When buns are almost done proofing bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 450 degrees, and prepare egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tbsp of water and set aside.

orange measuring cup pouring baking soda into pot of boiling water

Add brown sugar and baking soda to water (be careful as it may foam up). With water boiling, (carefully) place one or two buns at a time into water and boil for 30-45 seconds.

egg washed and scored sourdough pretzel buns on a pan

Remove with slotted spoon, shaking off excess water and return to the silicone baking mat. They will look a little flat after boiling, but don’t fret!

Using a pastry brush, coat each bun with egg wash and then score an “x” in the top about 1/8-1/4″ deep. You can also sprinkle with coarse salt if desired. Repeat until all pretzel buns have been boiled, egg washed, and scored.

baked sourdough pretzel buns

Bake buns for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before coating in melted butter.

Let cool before slicing for sandwiches or burgers. You can also just eat plain as a snack!

Storing and Reheating Pretzel Buns

Store any leftover pretzel buns in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days.

You can freeze pretzel buns for 2-3 months. To reheat, place in microwave for 15-30 seconds. To prevent drying out frozen pretzel buns, you can wrap them in foil before reheating in the oven, or you can wrap in a damp paper towel before microwaving.

Sourdough pretzel buns made with fresh milled flour are a delicious and nutritious alternative to your normal sandwich bread or burger bun. Easy and fun to make, and perfect for any picnic or lunch!

Try some of our other Fresh Milled Flour Recipes:

sourdough pretzel buns featured image

Sourdough Pretzel Buns Made with Fresh Milled Flour

Yield: 15 Pretzel Buns
Prep Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Make soft and flavorful sourdough pretzel buns with fresh milled flour! Perfect for sandwiches, burgers, or just snacking.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2.25 Cups (545g) Water, warm (45g reserved)
  • 1 Cup (200g) Active Sourdough Starter
  • 4 Cups (780g) Hard White Wheat Berries
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 4 Tbsp Butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp Salt

Boiling Bath and Prep

  • 1/2 - 3/4 Cup Baking Soda
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg & 1 Tbsp Water for egg wash
  • Extra melted butter for topping

Instructions

Making the Dough

  1. Add 500g warm water to mixing bowl
  2. Mill flour into water and mix into a shaggy dough, it will be a little dry
  3. Let autolyse 30-60 minutes
  4. Mix remaining 45g water with sourdough starter
  5. Add sourdough slurry, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt to mixing bowl
  6. Knead 10-15 minutes, or until smooth and elastic (windowpane, or close to it)
  7. Cover and let rise 4-6 hours, or until about doubled
  8. Dump dough onto lightly greased surface
  9. Divide into 15 pieces, shaping each into a bun
  10. Using bench scraper to lift each bun and place on silicone baking mats on pans
  11. Cover buns and let proof around 30 minutes, or until puffed

Boiling & Baking Pretzels

  1. When buns are almost done proofing bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 450 degrees
  2. Prepare egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 tbsp of water and set aside
  3. Add brown sugar and baking soda to water (be careful as it may foam up)
  4. With water boiling, (carefully) place one bun at a time into water and boil for 30-45 seconds
  5. Remove with slotted spoon, shaking off excess water and return to the silicone baking mat
  6. Using pastry brush, coat each bun with egg wash and then score an "x" in the top about 1/8-1/4" deep
  7. Repeat steps 4-6 until all pretzel buns have been boiled, egg washed, and scored
  8. Bake buns for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown
  9. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before coating in melted butter
  10. Let cool before slicing for sandwiches or burgers

Notes

  • Recipe makes around 15 buns, depending on size
  • For soda bath, depending on pot size you made need more or less baking soda, or you may need to add more baking soda half way through the batch

Nutrition Information
Yield 15 Serving Size 1 Bun
Amount Per Serving Calories 123Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 35mgSodium 2017mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 4g

*This has not been evaluated by the FDA

FAQS

Can I Make This Recipe Without a Grain Mill?

Yes, you can buy pre-milled whole wheat flour.

Can I freeze sourdough pretzel buns?

Yes! Freeze cooled buns in an airtight container for 2-3 months. To reheat microwave for 15-30 seconds.

Do I have to use baking soda when to boil pretzel buns?

Yes, this is how you get the traditional chewy skin you love.

       

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3 Comments

  1. Thankyou for the step by step images and guidance, it helps a lot when I am new to the bread making process. The pretzels were my first try and turned our awesome.

  2. This takes pretzel rolls and kicks them up a notch! Fresh milled flour and sourdough—yes please! Thank you for this recipe.