Hello lovelies,
in Switzerland we call them Laugenbrötli, and on Sunday mornings they are the big hit in our house: vegan pretzel rolls with a shiny, chestnut-brown crust, a cross on top and coarse salt crystals that crunch softly when you bite in. Inside they are soft and fluffy, and the best part: you do not need real lye, just baking soda from the supermarket.
Ever since I started baking my rye rolls with flaxseed regularly, weekend roll baking has become a ritual in our family. The pretzel rolls are the version the kids ask for the loudest.
Baking soda instead of lye
At the bakery, pretzel rolls are dipped in lye. It is caustic and does not belong in a family kitchen. Baking soda in boiling water does something chemically similar, only much more gently: the water becomes alkaline, the surface of the rolls changes, and in the oven you get exactly that dark, slightly shiny crust with the typical pretzel flavor. The color turns out a little lighter than at the bakery, but the taste wins me over every single time.
The dough itself is a very simple yeast dough made from just 5 ingredients, and it is naturally vegan. I let my stand mixer knead it while I make the coffee. After about an hour of rising it has doubled, and then things move quickly: shape the balls, a short dip in the baking soda bath, score, salt, into the oven.
If you love the pretzel flavor as a snack, try my vegan pretzel balls for nibbling too. The little bites are perfect for an apéro or the school snack box.
The coarse salt straight after the baking soda bath is really important, while the rolls are still damp. That way it sticks and stays crunchy. We eat the rolls warm with vegan butter, jam or a savory spread.
And if you are in the mood for even more pretzel baking, my pretzel bagels with sesame and salt are the next level: the same technique, just with a hole in the middle and perfect for a big brunch sandwich.
Give these pretzel rolls a try and tell me in the comments what you like to top them with.
