Pretzel bites fresh out of the oven

Pretzel recipes instruct us to boil pretzels in a baking soda solution before baking them in the oven. It’s what gives them their signature chewy texture and golden color. Can you skip this step? Yes, but the resulting pretzels won’t be what you’re used to.

Boiling the dough causes it to instantly puff, creating a chewy interior and giving the exterior a head start on forming a crisp crust. The baking soda also produces pretzels with a deep golden brown and cracked appearance.