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This pretzel dogs recipe is an Auntie Anne’s copycat featuring a simple homemade pretzel dough wrapped around juicy hot dogs and baked!
I made lunch. Then I ate it.
That’s about the end of that story.
Except for, you know, the part where I cried tears of joy because these pretzel dogs were ridiculous in all the right ways. They even made it to the Buns In My Oven Favorites Category!
While I love all of the recipes that I share with you, the Favorite Recipes section is where you’ll find the best of the best, those recipes that I make for my family as often as I can get away with!
Don’t be too intimidated by this recipe – it does look like a lot of steps, but it’s pretty straightforward and we think it’s totally worth the effort.
Working with yeast is one of my favorite things. If you also enjoy that, check out our one hour dinner rolls! A total family favorite!
Ingredient Notes:
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Hot Dogs – You can use any variety of hot dogs that you’d like for this recipe. All beef, pork, or whatever mix you like will work but I’d stick to using the regular sized and not jumbo sized hot dogs for this.
Pretzel Dough – You’ll prepare this homemade pretzel dough using flour, active dry yeast, warm water, sugar, kosher salt, and butter.
Baking Soda Water – This is just water mixed with baking soda. The baking soda is going to help add that deep brown pretzel color and crispy texture when baking!
Egg – Before baking the pretzel dogs you’ll brush them with an egg yolk and water mixture. It’ll help hold the salt in place and add a deeper golden color.
Pretzel Salt – This is my favorite part of a pretzel! You’ll sprinkle this on after applying the egg wash. Use as much or as little as you like! Kosher salt works just fine, too.
What Readers are Saying!
“WOW! These are amazing! My 9-year-old made these (with some help) for dinner tonight and I’m trying not to eat the whole batch. The only thing we did differently from the recipe was to use a Silpat for baking. They turned out wonderful.” – Glynis
How to Make Pretzel Dogs:
Yeast: To begin you’ll need to activate the dry yeast by combining warm water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and then sprinkling the yeast on top. It’ll take about 5 minutes or so for it to begin foaming.
Pretzel Dough: When the yeast is ready add the flour, salt, and butter to the bowl and mix on low speed with a dough hook until well combined.
Next, increase the speed to medium and knead until the pretzel dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It may take about 4 to 5 minutes of mixing.
Cover: When the pretzel dough is ready remove it from the stand mixer bowl and place it into a clean, oiled bowl.
Cover it up with some plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Prepare: Mix 10 cups of water with the baking soda and bring to a boil. While the water heats separate the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces and stretch them into ropes about 12″ long.
You’ll also want to start preheating the oven now. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and brush it with oil.
Wrap: Now you can start wrapping the hot dogs with the pretzel dough! Wrap one piece of dough around each hot dog leaving just a bit of each end uncovered. Press the ends together to seal the dough in place.
Boil: When the baking soda water has come to a rolling boil start boiling the pretzel dogs, one at a time, for 30 seconds each. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water to the prepared cookie sheet.
Brush: In a small bowl beat together egg yolk and water and then start brushing the tops of each pretzel dog with the mix. Finally, sprinkle the pretzel salt over the top of each one after brushing.
Bake: To finish up place the sheet with the pretzel dogs into the oven and bake until they are a dark golden brown pretzel color. It should take approximately 12 to 14 minutes.
Transfer the pretzel dogs to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. You’re going to need some dipping sauce too, and I’d strongly recommend my homemade honey mustard sauce to go with this recipe! Other favorites include ketchup and mustard, cream cheese (sounds weird, but try it!), and our Carolina BBQ sauce! This Chick-Fil-A sauce or homemade ranch dressing would also be tasty!
FAQs:
A quick boil of the pretzel dough in baking soda water gives it the characteristic golden brown color and crispy exterior with chewy interior that makes pretzels so popular! That, and the salt.
They’re similar except you’re taking the extra step of boiling the pretzel dogs in baking soda water to give it that golden brown pretzel look and crispy, crackly exterior. Try out my air fryer pigs in a blanket recipe if that’s what you are looking for!
Yes, but if you are planning to do so you’ll want to skip adding the egg wash and pretzel salt. See the tips & notes section in the recipe card below for more info on freezing.
MORE HOT DOG RECIPES!
- Hot Dog Chili
- Chili Dog Casserole
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Cajun Andouille Hot Dog
- Fried Green Tomato and Pimento Cheese Hot Dogs
- Mac and Cheese Dogs
- Corn Dog Bites
Pretzel Dogs
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup warm water 110 to 115 degrees F
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Pretzel salt
- 8 hot dogs
Instructions
- Combine the water and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let set for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.
- Add the flour, butter, and salt and mix on low speed using the dough hook until well combined. Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place in a clean, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and brush with the vegetable oil.
- Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a large, deep pan.
- In the meantime, separate the dough into 8 equal pieces. Use your hands to roll and stretch the pieces of dough into ropes, about 12 inches long.
- Wrap one piece of dough around each hot dog, leaving just a bit of the dog peeking out at the ends. Press the ends of the dough together to hold in place.
- Place the pretzels, one at a time, into the boiling water for 30 seconds.
- Remove them from the water using a slotted spoon. Return to the prepared cookie sheet, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
- Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I’ve wanted to make pretzel dogs forever! Just because they look so fun!
Karly says
Do it! Soooooo good!
Marcie says
These look so screamin’ good! I’d have eaten them all up, too. Kids don’t appreciate the work. I’d give them crescent rolls and save the good stuff for myself. Lol
Karly says
Ooh, I’d forgotten about crescent dogs. I haven’t made those in years!
carrian says
oh man, hot dogs are my favorite put put a pretzel around it?! Dang, girl!
Teresa says
I’ve been making these for a while and they are THEE best! I was surprised at how quickly they come together, and oh so yummy! Last time I doubled the batch and made cinnamon sugar pretzel bites. Dinner and dessert for a carb lover!
Karly says
Sounds like a fabulous idea! I need cinnamon sugar pretzels now!
Andi says
I’ve figured it out. You’re TRYING to kill me. Also you’re psychic and have been hearing the pretzel-dog craving that’s been happening in my brain for the past week. (Sorry about that.)
Kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
Karly, we rarely eat hot dogs around here primarily because a hot dog was the last thing my daughter ate before she ran into an airplane at an air show. The resulting concussion and assorted symptoms (that’s as clear as I’ll be) really turned her off the taste of hot dogs, so it became a rare thing, when we were out or when she wasn’t home.
However, this looks amazing, and I will make this since the rest of us like hot dogs, so perhaps the difference in bun-taste (is that a word?) will fool her into giving them a try–afterwards, I’m sure she’ll like it. Or, you know, only pretzel dogs for my son and I! Thanks for the freezing instructions, too.
BTW–the plane was just fine.
Karly says
Haha! Your comments always crack me up!
Glad to hear that the plane was okay. I hope your dad can recover from her hot dog phobia soon!
Tahnycooks says
I just started making my self some oatmeal…blah I know! But, these dogs look so much better!! Darn you! I want one of those with mustard!
Jess Cadena says
I’ve been sitting here at my desk for 45mins trying to come up with this week’s menu so I could be off to the grocery store! Tonight, we’re having pretzel dogs. Sounds SO GOOD! Thanks for hitting my inbox before I pulled my hair out <3
Karly says
So, tell me about the bacon…did you wrap it around the dog before the pretzel dough or what? I’m intrigued by how that worked!
Wendy says
This is a hot dog dressed for the prom….or maybe a baseball game! Serve some cracker jacks on the side and all of my family’s concession stand treats would be in one place! ๐ I love how the pretzles and the hot dog tips browned in the oven.
madison says
AMAZING looking! These would be great to bring to a potluck or party. Thanks for sharing!
Mimi @ Culinary Couture says
Oh these are a million times better than gross hotdog buns! Also, what is it with kids and half the water going back into their water bottle! My nephews do it all the time and it is my biggest pet peeve!
Tieghan says
Seriously???
You just went above and beyond awesome!! These are just, WOW!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
I love pretzel inspired rolls so these I’m all over. In fact I think I would just snack on them! Yum, can’t wait to make them!
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
YUMMMM!!!!! These are my favourite type of bread and meat combo. I made one that is hong kong style (condensed milk bread with a frank ford) for my blog if you want to take a look. more sweet than savoury but you get the picture
http://themoonblushbaker.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/clutter-bug-paradox-hong-kong-sausage.html
I could definitely give these germany ones a go too! pass the mustard please!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
This would so be a winner in my house!! Looks great!