These Pumpkin Soft Pretzels feature a fluffy, spiced pumpkin dough with the classic chewy exterior you expect from a soft pretzel. After baking they’re brushed with butter and rolled in a pumpkin-pie-spiced sugar for a cozy fall twist on cinnamon-sugar pretzels.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classic soft pretzel with a fall twist — This is essentially a cinnamon-sugar soft pretzel adapted with pumpkin puree in the dough and a pumpkin-spiced sugar coating. The pumpkin adds subtle flavor, vibrant color, and a seasonal flair.
Perfect texture — These pretzels have the chewy, slightly crisp exterior from a baking soda water bath and a soft, tender interior.
Simple method — No special equipment required; the dough comes together by hand so you can make this at home without a stand mixer.
Ingredients
- Active dry yeast — activated in warm water to ensure it’s active.
- Light brown sugar — used in the dough to feed the yeast and add depth.
- Pure pumpkin puree — use 100% pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling).
- Baking soda — 1/4 cup for the water bath; essential for flavor, texture, and color.
- Granulated sugar — for coating the baked pretzels.
- Pumpkin pie spice — adds the warm fall spice notes to the sugar coating and dough.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap salted butter for unsalted if needed.
- Use granulated sugar in the dough if you don’t have brown sugar.
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice: 3 tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1½ tsp ground allspice, 1½ tsp ground cloves.
- Shape the dough into bites, sticks, or twists instead of traditional pretzels.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Combine warm water (about 110°F), yeast, and brown sugar. Wait 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Step 2: Stir in salt, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 3: Add about half the flour and stir until a paste-like dough forms.
Step 4: Pinch in softened butter pieces and mix; the rest will incorporate during kneading.
Step 5: Add the remaining flour and bring the dough together by hand.
Step 6: Generously flour your work surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until soft and pliable. The dough should indent and slowly spring back when pressed.
Tip #1: To knead, fold the dough, press with the heel of your hand, turn a quarter turn, and repeat for 5–7 minutes.
Tip #2: A bench scraper helps remove sticky dough from the counter. If hands get very sticky, wipe them partway through kneading.
Step 7: Shape dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (30–90 minutes).
Step 8: Make sure the dough has roughly doubled before shaping.
Pretzel Dough Assembly
Step 9: Punch down the dough, transfer to a floured surface, and form a rectangle.
Step 10: Cut the rectangle into 8 even strips and separate them so they don’t stick together.
Step 11: Roll each strip into a long log about 20–30 inches (aim for ~25″).
Step 12: Form a “U”, cross the top once, fold the ends down and press to seal to create the pretzel shape.
Step 13: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1/4 cup baking soda, and add pretzels one at a time to the water bath for about 30 seconds, submerging halfway through.
Step 14: Bake on the middle racks at 450°F for 12–14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until nicely browned. While cooling, melt butter and mix granulated sugar with pumpkin pie spice.
Step 15: When warm enough to handle, brush pretzels with melted butter on both sides and roll them in the pumpkin-spiced sugar to coat completely.
Expert Tips
- Let the yeast get fully foamy before continuing; if it doesn’t foam, the yeast may be inactive.
- Flour the work surface generously during kneading; keep a bench scraper nearby to lift sticky dough.
- Knead until the dough is soft and elastic; if it still feels tight after 7 minutes, knead a bit longer.
- Take a photo of the dough before rising so you can easily tell when it’s doubled.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The baking soda water bath produces the characteristic pretzel tang, helps the crust brown and puff, and creates the chewy exterior.
Yes. After rolling logs, cut into 1–2 inch pieces, boil briefly as instructed, then bake. Reduce baking time slightly and watch for a golden brown color.
Yes. Freeze them after baking but before butter and sugar coating in a sealed bag for up to one month. Reheat at 350°F for about 10 minutes, then brush with butter and roll in sugar.
Storage
Store uncoated pretzels in a covered container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to three days. Keep them tightly sealed to retain moisture. Wait to butter and sugar them until the day you plan to serve.
Reheating Pumpkin Spice Soft Pretzels
Reheat uncoated pretzels at 350°F for about 5 minutes. Then brush with melted butter and roll in the pumpkin-spice sugar. For frozen pretzels, reheat from frozen at 350°F for about 10 minutes before coating.
Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Soft Pretzels
Equipment
- Digital thermometer (optional)
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Bench scraper (optional)
- Two large baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, warmed to 110°F
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 8 cups water (for boiling)
- ½ cup butter, melted (for coating)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice (for coating)
Instructions
Pretzel Dough
- Add yeast and brown sugar to 110°F water and stir. Let sit 5–10 minutes until frothy.
- If not frothy, the yeast may be old or the water temperature incorrect—start over if needed.
- Stir in salt, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree. Add half the flour and mix. Pinch softened butter into small pieces and lightly mix.
- Add remaining flour, switch to hands when needed, and incorporate fully.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead 5–7 minutes until soft and slightly springy.
- Grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (30–90 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the water bath.
- Punch down the dough, form a rectangle, cut into 8 equal pieces, and roll each into a 20–30″ log.
- Shape each log into a pretzel: form a “U,” cross the top once, fold the ends down and press to seal.
Water Bath
- Add ¼ cup baking soda to boiling water and stir. Add pretzels one at a time to the water bath for 30 seconds (submerge about halfway).
- Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and place back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Baking
- Bake on the middle racks at 450°F for 12–14 minutes, switching racks halfway. Pretzels should be nicely browned.
Coating the Pretzels
- Melt butter in a bowl. In another bowl mix granulated sugar with 1½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice.
- Brush warm pretzels with melted butter on both sides and roll in the pumpkin-spiced sugar until evenly coated.
Notes
Best eaten fresh, but can be stored covered for up to 3 days. Reheat uncoated pretzels at 350°F for 5 minutes, then coat with butter and sugar.
If not serving same day, skip butter and sugar until ready to eat and follow reheating instructions before coating.
Libby’s pure pumpkin puree is recommended for consistent texture and lower water content.
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