At Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich, there are always people walking around selling large pretzels, says Canadian expat Chris Gilles, who moved to the city in 2018. The large pieces of golden, twisted pretzel dough come topped with coarse salt for a savoury crunch with every bite. “They don’t come with any dipping sauce,” Gilles says, “but you could dip it in sauce if you had ordered something else”—say, the honey mustard or stone-ground mustard you might have with your bratwurst or sauerkraut balls. But don’t feel bad if you prefer to break from German tradition and dip them in caramel or tahini instead!
There’s no need to flour a surface when rolling out your dough; the psyllium keeps it from sticking.
Gluten-Free Pretzels
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500 mL) sweetened or unsweetened nondairy milk, divided
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) active dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cane sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp (125 mL + 30 mL) cornstarch
- 3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) psyllium husk powder
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- 5 cups (1.25 L) water
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) baking soda
- Coarse salt
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories311
- protein4 g
- total fat8 g
- sat. fat2 g
- total carbohydrates56 g
- sugars1 g
- fibre4 g
- sodium557 mg
Directions
01
In small pot, heat 1/2 cup (125 mL) nondairy milk (or microwave) until warm to the touch but not scalding. In heat-proof bowl, add yeast and sugar, then pour milk overtop. Set aside for 15 minutes.
02
In stand mixer or large bowl, whisk tapioca starch, cornstarch, flour, psyllium, and salt. Add melted butter or oil, remaining 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) nondairy milk, and yeast mixture. Use dough hook or hand mixer on low speed to beat until just combined.
03
Shape dough into a ball. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, cover with dish towel and set in a warm, draft-free place for 90 minutes.
04
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
05
In medium pot, bring 5 cups (1.25 L) water to a simmer with baking soda. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On cutting board or clean countertop, divide dough into 10 pieces and roll into 15 in (38 cm) strands. Push edges away from you into a “U” shape and twist the ends over each other twice (there are plenty of videos online for this if you need help). Then bring the ends down to the bottom of the “U.”
06
Remove pot of water from heat. Using large, flat spatula, carefully pick up and slide a pretzel into water for 30 seconds. If water doesn’t cover the pretzel, rotate pot to submerge. Remove pretzel to parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining pretzels. You can do this all at once, but the pretzels are delicate.
07
Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Scatter some caraway seeds overtop if you wish.
Amie Watson
Amie Watson is a Montreal-based freelance writer, television contributor, and founder of the Fork That app. Her work has appeared in the Montreal Gazette, enRoute magazine, and The Globe and Mail.
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