Soft Pretzels Lab · Decision tree
Find your soft pretzel
Three questions sort all 173 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More sugar than most, or less?
Brown sugar or malt feeds the yeast and deepens the crust color.
All 173 recipes: median 2.4% of the flour weight, 12 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 1.2% to 4.3%; 17% use none.
Question 2
More butter than most, or less?
A little butter keeps the inside soft.
All 173 recipes: median 7% of the flour weight, 35 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 2.8% to 10%; 20% use none.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More yeast than most, or less?
Instant or active dry yeast; most recipes rise once.
All 173 recipes: median 1.4% of the flour weight, 7 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 1.2% to 1.7%; 5% use none.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Sugar | 2. Butter | 3. Yeast | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| More2.4% or more88 | Moreover 6.5%44 | Moreover 1.4%21 | A21 |
| Less1.4% or less23 | B23 | ||
| Less6.5% or less44 | More1.4% or more25 | C25 | |
| Lessunder 1.4%19 | D19 | ||
| Lessunder 2.4%85 | Moreover 7.5%42 | Moreover 1.2%18 | E18 |
| Less1.2% or less24 | F24 | ||
| Less7.5% or less43 | More1.4% or more22 | G22 | |
| Lessunder 1.4%21 | H21 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 500 g of flour, beside the typical batch of all 173. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 21 recipes · 12% of all
More sugar, more butter and more yeast
Sugar 2.4% or more, butter over 6.5% and yeast over 1.4% of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 350 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 35 g |
| Sugar | 33 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 10 g | 7 g |
Bake425°F (220°C) for about 13 minutes, the medians of the 18 recipes here that state a temperature and the 21 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Amish Soft Pretzels · foodnetwork.comsugar 6.5% · butter 6.7% · yeast 1.7%
- Almond Crunch Soft Pretzels · crazyforcrust.comsugar 7.4% · butter 15% · yeast 1.9%
- Cheese Pretzel Bites · joyfoodsunshine.comsugar 11% · butter 11% · yeast 1.9%
- Soft Pretzel Bite Recipe · livewellbakeoften.comsugar 3.2% · butter 7.5% · yeast 1.9%
- Bretzels mous · troisfoisparjour.comsugar 3.3% · butter 7.6% · yeast 2.1%
Group B · 23 recipes · 13% of all
More sugar, more butter and less yeast
Sugar 2.4% or more, butter over 6.5% and yeast 1.4% or less of the flour weight. 3 of the 23 use no yeast.
| At 500 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 295 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 60 gabout 1/4 cup | 35 g |
| Sugar | 21 gabout 1 1/2 tbsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 9 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 7 g |
Bake425°F (220°C) for about 17 minutes, the medians of the 21 recipes here that state a temperature and the 23 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Bites · twopeasandtheirpod.comsugar 4.6% · butter 14% · yeast 1.2%
- Pizza Pretzel Bites · twopeasandtheirpod.comsugar 4.6% · butter 14% · yeast 1.2%
- Pretzel Rolls · twopeasandtheirpod.comsugar 4.6% · butter 14% · yeast 1.2%
- Pretzel Bread · tarasmulticulturaltable.comsugar 2.4% · butter 12% · yeast 1.4%
- Silserli (Swiss Pretzel Rolls) · tarasmulticulturaltable.comsugar 2.4% · butter 12% · yeast 1.4%
Group C · 25 recipes · 14% of all
More sugar, less butter and more yeast
Sugar 2.4% or more, butter 6.5% or less and yeast 1.4% or more of the flour weight. 11 of the 25 use no butter.
| At 500 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 355 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 14 gabout 1 tbsp | 35 g |
| Sugar | 14 gabout 1 tbsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 7 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 7 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 13 minutes, the medians of the 21 recipes here that state a temperature and the 25 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels · sallysbakingaddiction.comsugar 2.8% · butter 2.8% · yeast 1.4%
- Soft Pretzel Knots · sallysbakingaddiction.comsugar 2.8% · butter 2.8% · yeast 1.4%
- Jalapeño Cheddar Soft Pretzels · sallysbakingaddiction.comsugar 2.5% · butter 2.8% · yeast 1.4%
- Soft Pretzel Bites · sallysbakingaddiction.comsugar 2.8% · butter 2.8% · yeast 1.4%
- Soft Pretzel Recipe · preppykitchen.comsugar 2.5% · butter 5.6% · yeast 1.4%
Group D · 19 recipes · 10% of all
More sugar, less butter and less yeast
Sugar 2.4% or more, butter 6.5% or less and yeast under 1.4% of the flour weight. 9 of the 19 use no butter. 5 of the 19 use no yeast.
| At 500 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 330 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 13 gabout 1 tbsp | 35 g |
| Sugar | 23 gabout 2 tbsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 9 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 7 g |
Bake425°F (220°C) for about 14 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 18 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Cheddar Jalapeno Pretzel Bites · lecremedelacrumb.comsugar 4.7% · butter 5.1% · yeast 1.3%
- Bayrische Brezen · marcelpaa.comsugar 3% · butter 3% · yeast 0.7%
- Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels · jamiegeller.comsugar 4.3% · butter 0% · yeast 1%
- Laugen Vollkornbrezel · marcelpaa.comsugar 3% · butter 5% · yeast 0.2%
- Soft Pretzels · completelydelicious.comsugar 5.5% · butter 0% · yeast 1.1%
Group E · 18 recipes · 10% of all
Less sugar, more butter and more yeast
Sugar under 2.4%, butter over 7.5% and yeast over 1.2% of the flour weight. 8 of the 18 use no sugar.
| At 500 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 310 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 50 gabout 1/4 cup | 35 g |
| Sugar | 3 gabout 3/4 tsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 10 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 7 g |
Bake425°F (220°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 14 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Laugengebäck · backenmitchristina.atsugar 0% · butter 10% · yeast 1.4%
- Pretzels – Recept · rutgerbakt.nlsugar 0% · butter 9% · yeast 1.4%
- Homemade Soft Pretzels · loveandlemons.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.3%
- Pretzel dog · cuisineaz.comsugar 2.3% · butter 11% · yeast 1.3%
- Giant Jalapeño Pretzels · kingarthurbaking.comsugar 2.1% · butter 9.3% · yeast 1.4%
Group F · 24 recipes · 13% of all
Less sugar, more butter and less yeast
Sugar under 2.4%, butter over 7.5% and yeast 1.2% or less of the flour weight. 4 of the 24 use no sugar. 1 of the 24 uses no yeast.
| At 500 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 315 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 50 gabout 1/4 cup | 35 g |
| Sugar | 11 gabout 2 2/3 tsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 10 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 7 g |
Bake450°F (230°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 21 recipes here that state a temperature and the 24 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Nacho Cheese Pretzel Bites · kirbiecravings.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.2%
- Nutella Filled Pretzel Bites · kirbiecravings.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.2%
- Peanut Butter Soft Pretzel Bites · kirbiecravings.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.2%
- Pretzel Dogs · kirbiecravings.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.2%
- Soft Pretzel Bites · kirbiecravings.comsugar 2.2% · butter 10% · yeast 1.2%
Group G · 22 recipes · 12% of all
Less sugar, less butter and more yeast
Sugar under 2.4%, butter 7.5% or less and yeast 1.4% or more of the flour weight. 8 of the 22 use no sugar. 13 of the 22 use no butter.
| At 500 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 325 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | none | 35 g |
| Sugar | 6 gabout 1 1/2 tsp | 12 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 10 g | 7 g |
Bake425°F (220°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 19 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Laugengebäck · oetker.desugar 1.1% · butter 0% · yeast 1.9%
- Pretzel bites · laurasbakery.nlsugar 1.1% · butter 0% · yeast 2%
- Pretzel Bites · inlaurasbakery.comsugar 1.1% · butter 0% · yeast 2%
- Laugenbrezeln · oetker.desugar 1.7% · butter 0% · yeast 1.9%
- Zoute pretzels · laurasbakery.nlsugar 1.1% · butter 0% · yeast 1.8%
Group H · 21 recipes · 12% of all
Less sugar, less butter and less yeast
Sugar under 2.4%, butter 7.5% or less and yeast under 1.4% of the flour weight. 11 of the 21 use no sugar. 3 of the 21 use no butter. 1 of the 21 uses no yeast.
| At 500 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Water | 295 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 315 g |
| Butter | 26 gabout 2 tbsp | 35 g |
| Sugar | none | 12 g |
| Salt | 9 g | 9 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 7 g |
Bake400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes, the medians of the 20 recipes here that state a temperature and the 21 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Bretzels · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frsugar 0% · butter 6% · yeast 1.1%
- Receta de bretzels, los lacitos de pan imprescindibles en la Oktoberfest · directoalpaladar.comsugar 0% · butter 4.8% · yeast 1.2%
- Pretzel · cucchiaio.itsugar 0.8% · butter 6% · yeast 0.7%
- German-Style Pretzels · kingarthurbaking.comsugar 0% · butter 4.6% · yeast 0.6%
- O´zapft is! – Brezeln · ketex.desugar 0% · butter 7.5% · yeast 0.5%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For soft pretzels the order is sugar (1.29), butter (1.04), yeast (0.36) and water (0.19), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.