Soft Guinness Pretzels with Sea Salt

Easy and flavorful homemade soft pretzels, using Guinness. A perfect snack for St Patrick’s day celebrations.

Soft Guinness Pretzels with Sea Salt Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Day three and the final day of boozy recipes for St Patrick’s day is my favorite of the bunch! Shocker… it’s carbolicious! We already covered St Patrick’s day dinner plans: beef and Guinness pies, obviously. And of course dessert is taken care of too because you’ll be making mini Baileys cheesecakes. So we needed to cover snacks.

Party or not, you want these and need these Guinness pretzels in your life. They’re ridiculously flavorful and in the absolute best way possible. I know, given that I’m sharing a few boozy recipes this is about to sound really odd but I’m always a bit scared to add liquor of any sort into recipes. I’m always worried it’s going to change the flavor of the food in a bad way. But somehow Guinness only makes food better. Even if you don’t like Guinness (*raising hand* totally not a beer fan) you’ll love just about any food that it’s added to. Promise. It pairs really well with so many things.

Soft Guinness Pretzels with Sea Salt Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Like just about any homemade snack or bread, these Guinness pretzels were gone within a matter of hours. I think there was maybe 1 or 2 left the next morning but even those didn’t last long. They were a huge hit with everyone in the family. Yes, the kids were begging for more! These babies are irresistible! Eat these warm, dipped in the mustard of your choice. Yes, that’s kind of mandatory. I opted for dijon but yellow or even spicy brown would totally work too. 

Soft Guinness Pretzels with Sea Salt

Easy and flavorful homemade soft pretzels, using Guinness. A perfect snack for St Patrick's day celebrations
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Total Time1 hour 44 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 pretzels

Ingredients

  • 3/4 C water heated to 115-120°F
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 - 4 1/2 C all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 3/4 C Guinness
  • 1/3 C baking soda
  • 8 C water
  • 1 large egg
  • Course sea salt

Instructions

  • Heat 3/4 cup water to 115-120°F in a large measuring cup, add yeast and sugar. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer add 4 cups of flour and salt. Measure out Guinness and melt butter.
  • When yeast has proofed, slowly add to dry ingredients with mixer on low, followed by Guinness and butter. Add additional flour as needed until dough is no longer stick and is manageable.
  • Shape dough into a smooth ball, transfer to a large greased bowl. Flip dough once to coat completely with oil. Cover and allow to rise in a warm location for one hour or until doubled in size.
  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil with baking soda. In a small bowl, beat one egg with 1 tbsp of water.
  • Divide dough into 8 equal portions, weighing if possible. My sections were each roughly 4.25oz each. Grease your hands lightly with oil, shape dough into a 24" rope. Form a 'U' shape crossing the ends over each other and twisting once, then bringing the ends down to the bottom of what was the 'U' to complete the pretzel shape. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining balls of dough.
  • Carefully place shaped pretzels in boiling water, one at a time, for 30 seconds. Use a spatula to remove the pretzels from the water, placing back on parchment lined baking sheets. Brush each boiled pretzel well with egg wash and immediately sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes. Enjoy warm.

Notes

An original recipe from Baked by Rachel
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35 Responses to “Soft Guinness Pretzels with Sea Salt”

  1. #
    1
    Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie — March 8, 2013 at 8:23 am

    Normally I made a guinness bread but this might have to happen instead!

    • #
      1.1
      Rachel — March 8, 2013 at 9:48 am

      Yes! It absolutely should be these :)

  2. #
    2
    Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama — March 8, 2013 at 8:31 am

    I have made about 5 different pretzel recipes in the past month or two trying to find the perfect one for my mom’s farmer’s market stands. (she sells gourmet mustard) I can’t wait to try this one. LOVE Guinness addition.

    • #
      2.1
      Rachel — March 8, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Gourmet mustard sounds so good!

  3. #
    3
    Ali | Gimme Some Oven — March 8, 2013 at 8:41 am

    These look SO GOOD, Rachel!!! They would definitely disappear instantly at my house!

  4. #
    4
    Liz @ The Lemon Bowl — March 8, 2013 at 9:02 am

    I am such a sucker for soft pretzels!! Why does baking and yeast scare me so?!?

    • #
      4.1
      Rachel — March 8, 2013 at 9:49 am

      It’s so easy! Don’t fear the yeast :)

  5. #
    5
    Little Kitchie — March 8, 2013 at 10:15 am

    HOLY COW these look amazing!!! I love making soft pretzels… have GOT to try these!!

  6. #
    6
    Meagan @ A Zesty Bite — March 8, 2013 at 10:22 am

    Ahh beer with pretzels — sounds good to me!!! These look great!

  7. #
    7
    Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain — March 8, 2013 at 10:59 am

    I was just thinking I needed some carbs and beer for breakfast! Dang girl, this looks amazing!!!

    • #
      7.1
      Rachel — March 8, 2013 at 12:22 pm

      lol such a blogger thing to say ;)

  8. #
    8
    claire @ the realistic nutritionist — March 8, 2013 at 11:45 am

    I love this. Boozy pretzels RULE.

  9. #
    9
    Anne @The Cooking Campaign — March 8, 2013 at 11:49 am

    Love Guinness, for a long time it was the only beer I drank. These look incredible!

  10. #
    10
    Paige Flamm — March 8, 2013 at 11:59 am

    I love making pretzels, they’re so fun! I love making cinnamon sugar ones, but these look so yummy I’m going to have to try them!

    • #
      10.1
      Rachel — March 8, 2013 at 12:42 pm

      I’ve never made cinnamon-sugar pretzels but they are on my to do list!

  11. #
    11
    Erica @ In and Around Town — March 8, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    These sound amazing! I think we have the perfect mustard accompaniment!

  12. #
    12
    Nicole, RD — March 8, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    I want a dozen of these babies! Mmmm! Nothing like a soft pretzel? With Guinness? :):):):)

  13. #
    13
    Lindsey (Lou Lou Biscuit) — March 8, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    These are beautiful! And, you’re right: Guinness makes everything taste better, even though it is one of my least favorite beers to drink!

  14. #
    14
    Carrie @ poet in the pantry — March 8, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    Lovely pretzels! And you’re right–Guinness definitely makes food taste better!

  15. #
    15
    Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen — March 8, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Oh yes. 1000 times yes!!

  16. #
    16
    Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. — March 8, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    Holy yum!! I love me some soft pretzels!

  17. #
    17
    Amy Tong — March 8, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    oh my…this Soft guinness pretzel is so pretty. I wish I know how to do that pretzel twist. I guess I would just need to play with the dough to figure it out. ;) This is definitely the best snack for St. Patrick’s Day….or any day.

    • #
      17.1
      Rachel — March 9, 2013 at 7:29 am

      It’s fairly easy, just follow the instructions in the recipe :)

  18. #
    18
    a farmer in the dell — March 9, 2013 at 12:46 am

    pretzels and beer. Best combo ever!

  19. #
    19
    Averie @ Averie Cooks — March 9, 2013 at 4:36 am

    This is an awesome sounding recipe and better yet, your site makeover! Forgive me that I haven’t popped by in a week or two but it’s absolutely gorgeous! Lindsay is working on mine now! That lonnnng wait is finally over :) Yours turned out beautifully! I love the logo and font and your overall colors!

    • #
      19.1
      Rachel — March 9, 2013 at 7:30 am

      Thanks so much! And good luck with your redesign :)

  20. #
    20
    Megan {Country Cleaver} — March 9, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    These are going to be in my dreams, I just know it.

  21. #
    21
    sally @ sallys baking addiction — March 10, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    oh my HEAVENS. These obviously look amazing and I can only imagine how incredible they taste. Pretzels and beer – can you really go wrong?!

  22. #
    22
    Tracey — March 10, 2013 at 5:19 pm

    I absolutely love Alton’s base recipe so I know your version with Guinness is going to be pure awesomeness :) I’m going to surprise my husband with these next weekend!

  23. #
    23
    natalie@thesweetslife — March 11, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    getting together with my husband’s fam on St. Patty’s day and these just might need to be on the menu!

  24. #
    24
    Caren — March 11, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    I love pretzels! I will have to try this. They look yummy!

  25. #
    25
    Micha — March 14, 2013 at 2:17 pm

    Adding this to my weekend baking with the 6 pack of Guinness in my fridge. Excited to try this out.

    • #
      25.1
      Rachel — March 14, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      I hope you like them! :)

  26. #
    26
    Yvonne @ bitter baker — March 18, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    Yes please! I’ll have a dozen to go!!

  27. #
    27
    Ali @ Inspiralized — February 24, 2014 at 8:30 am

    These look OUT OF THIS WORLD – yum, I’m going to have to try these.

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