🥨 Sourdough Pretzels & Grissini (50% Hydration Dough)

Let's make some dough!

This is a versatile recipe that can be used equally well for Italian grissini or Bavarian pretzels.

Whether you're getting ready for Oktoberfest, craving a classic snack, or eager to explore low-hydration dough, this recipe will guide you through the steps to a fun snack. With only 50% hydration, this dough is stiff, easy to shape, and packed with old-world character. You can twist classic pretzels, form simple knots, or roll out grissini — thin, crisp breadsticks.

Why It Matters

Pretzels are the ultimate test of simplicity: low hydration, basic ingredients, and a traditional baking soda bath for that signature chew and color. Learning to work with tight dough will sharpen your shaping, tensioning, and surface-handling skills — plus, it's just plain fun and delicious.

A Personal Note

The first time I made pretzels, I was amazed how a few simple moves transformed dense dough into something magical. And remember, forming a pretzel is the fancy part — you can just as easily roll breadsticks or knots if you want to double or triple your dough-shaping skills.

Recipe

Ingredients:

- 400 g bread flour

- 200 g water (50% hydration)

- 8 g salt (2%) + more for garnish

- 40–80 g mother dough

Instructions

1. Mix: Combine flour and water (you can do this by hand or using a mixer) until no dry spots remain. Rest 20–30 minutes, then mix in salt and mother dough.

2. Fold: Perform 3–4 gentle stretch-and-fold rounds over 1–2 hours, resting 20–30 minutes between each, until the dough tightens and becomes smooth.

3. Bulk Ferment: Cover and let rise at room temperature 18–26 hours in moderate weather (8–16 hours in summer heat), until light and puffy.

4. Reserve Mother Dough: Cut off 40–80 g (about 5–10%) of the dough and reserve it as your culture. Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

5. Divide & Shape: Divide the remaining dough into ~80–100 g pieces for pretzels or 40–50 g for grissini. Roll each into a rope (~20–24 inches). Twist into classic pretzels, shape into twisted knots, or make grissini — thin, straight breadsticks that skip the baking soda bath and bake up crisp and simple.

6. Final Proof: Rest 20–30 minutes while preheating the oven to 450°F.

7. Dip (pretzels only): Prepare a baking soda bath (¼ cup baking soda in 4 cups boiling water). Dip each pretzel 20–30 seconds, then place on a baking sheet.

8. Bake:

Pretzels: Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 12–15 minutes, until deep bronze brown.

Grissini: Sprinkle with coarse salt, sesame seeds, or cracked pepper. Bake 10–14 minutes, until golden brown.

9. Cool & Serve: Cool briefly before serving.

For serving: Bavarian pretzels pair beautifully with whole grain mustard, Bavarian cheese sauce, or a warm fondue. Italian grissini are perfect alongside salumi, cheeses, or an antipasto platter.

Bonus Tip

For Bavarian-style shine and chew, use a food-grade lye bath instead of baking soda. Lye is caustic — wear gloves and eye protection.

Note

This is a relaxed, hands-on recipe — plan time for fermentation, shaping, and baking to get the best results.

Stay tuned for our next post: Sweet & Savory Pretzel Twists — perfect for brunch or gifting.

Until next time, let's give thanks for our daily bread…

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