These homemade pretzel bread bowls are perfect for serving bread bowl soup or bread bowl dip. Try your hand at this easy bread bowl recipe now!
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Spooning into Pretzel Bread Bowls is my favorite way to eat soup. I could say any bread bowl will do, but pretzel bread takes it to the top for me. However, these bread bowls are not just for soup. You can serve bread bowl dips, too! Even if the process time seems daunting, my recipe for these easy bread bowls takes little active time. This is one of my easiest dough recipes to work with, so do not be intimidated. Give it a try!
Pretzel Bread Bowl Recipe
With just a few simple pantry staples, you can create the most delicious pretzel bread and shape the dough into bread bowls. We're using my favorite pretzel dough recipe. Gather these ingredients:
- Butter: Melt the butter in the microwave; 4 tablespoons.
- Sugar: To give the yeast a good start.
- Salt: Table salt will do for mixing in the dough, but grab some coarse salt to sprinkle over top.
- Warm water: The temperature should be between 110°F to 115°F. Warm enough to bloom the yeast, but not too hot to kill it.
- Instant yeast: Also called rapid rise yeast.
- All-purpose flour: Just good ol' regular AP flour in your pantry.
- Additional water: About 10 cups to pre-boil the dough before baking.
- Baking soda: Boiled into the water and gives the pretzels its deep brown color and distinct flavor.
- Egg wash: Mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush over the tops to add shine.
How to Make Pretzel Bread Bowls
I've been making pretzel bread for years using this fantastic dough recipe for our favorite soft pretzels. This recipe is great for making pretzel buns, pretzel loaves, pretzel bites, and now these pretzel bread bowls. I promise you can work with this dough! The more you do it, the easier it gets, but it's not very hard to begin with.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt and warm water.
- Sprinkle the yeast over top. Let rest (bloom) for 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and mix until it forms a dough.
- Using the mixer's dough hook or your hands, knead for 4 minutes until dough is smooth and tacky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and shape into 4 equal balls.
- Place dough balls on a lined baking sheet, cover with kitchen towel and let rise another 30 minutes.
- Boil dough balls in water and baking soda for 1 minute. Place back onto baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, rotating pan halfway through baking time.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on wire rack.
How to Cut Bread Bowls
- Using a small serrated knife, cut the top off each bread bowl in a circular fashion.
- Using a spoon, remove the inside bread leaving about 1 inch edge.
- Serve immediately with hot soup or hot dip. Or, let cool completely to serve with cold soup or cold dip.
Scroll to recipe card for full recipe ingredients and instructions.
Make Ahead Bread Bowls
If you are not planning to use the bread bowls right away, you can make these ahead of time and keep on the counter until the next day or two. Or, plan way in advance and freeze them. When ready to use them, let the bread thaw and then cut out the top and remove the inner bread.
If serving cold food inside, you can use it immediately after this. If serving hot food inside (hot soup, hot dip) then you will want to follow the instructions to heat the bowl before adding the soup. This helps keep the food hot, down to the last bite!
Tips for Pretzel Bread Bowls
Fluff your flour. When measuring the flour, make sure you fluff the flour with a spoon before scooping and measuring. Others will tell you not to scoop your measuring cup and instead spoon your flour into the cup, but I have found as long as I fluff the flour first, I'm good.
Use the top for dipping. Don't discard the top of your pretzel bowl after cutting it! Use it for dipping. It's probably the best part of the bowl since it's salty and crispy and so so so good! Also, reserve the inside bread that you scoop out for either dipping, or bread pudding, or pineapple casserole, or... 🙂
Angle your knife. When cutting off the top of the bread bowls, angle the knife toward you so you avoid cutting through the bottom of the bowl. You just want to cut out the surface, and then let a spoon or your fingers get the rest of the inside.
Freshen in the oven. If you wait until the next day to cut the bread (whether you decide to eat it as a bread bowl or just want to slice into it and feast) try freshening the bread in your oven at 325°F for 5 minutes. This returns its shine and crispiness.
What to serve in Pretzel Bread Bowls
There are many ways you can use these bread bowls! Serve hot soup, cold soup, hot dip, cold dip.
Try these dip recipes in your bread bowls:
Or, these soup recipes in your bread bowls:
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Macaroni and Cheese Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Split Pea Soup
Print the recipe to save for later. Made this recipe? Leave a rating to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Pretzel Bread Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water (between 110°F to 115°F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 package)
- 4 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cups baking soda
- 1 large egg , beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- coarse salt , for topping
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, salt and 1 ½ cups warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over top and wait 5 minutes.
- Add the flour to the mixing bowl and mix with the dough hook attachment on low speed until a dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 4 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, wipe the bowl and lightly grease with nonstick spray. Return dough to the bowl, turning once to cover both sides with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Punch down the dough and remove from bowl to lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal sections and shape into rolls by gently pulling sides together and pinching to seal. Place the formed rolls, seam side down, on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean towel. Let rise 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°F and bring the 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once water is boiling, carefully stir in the baking soda.
- After dough finishes the second rise, carefully boil each roll for 1 minutes, flipping halfway. (You can boil 2 rolls at a time.) Use a large slotted spoon to remove from the water and return to the pan. Brush the top of each pretzel with the egg wash then sprinkle with coarse salt. Slice a shallow "X" onto the top of each roll.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until dark and sounds hollow when tapped. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing into bowls.
To slice bread bowls:
- Using a small serrated knife, cut the top off each bread bowl in a circular fashion.
- Using a spoon, remove the inside bread leaving about 1 inch edge.
- Serve immediately with hot soup or hot dip. Or, let cool completely to serve with cold soup or cold dip.
Notes
- To keep soup hot in bread bowl, brush the insides of the bread bowls with olive oil and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes right before adding the soup. This will keep the soup hot to the last bite!
- Brush the cut side of the tops and also bake with the bowls for a crispy dipper. SO good!
- Each pretzel bread bowl holds about 8 ounces of soup.
Nutrition
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Cindy says
I made the recipe exactly as written. Great recipe. Simple and clear instructions.
Thank you! I will be making this again.
Nikki Gladd says
This makes me so happy. Thank you, Cindy, for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Colleen says
After such a rough year, some comfort food was in order for our New Year's Eve at home. I made these and filled them with homemade beer cheddar soup. The rolls were easy to make, and came out beautifully! The comment about keeping the rolls shape while boiling was helpful, so we were extra careful. I'll be trying pretzel nuggets next. Thanks so much!
Nikki Gladd says
I'm so glad this recipe gave you NYE comfort, Colleen! Thank you for your review! 🙂
Victoria says
Definitely tasted good but it boiling the rolls messed up their shape and made them look a tad on the rustic side.
Nikki Gladd says
It can sometimes be tricky to preserve the shape while transferring to/from the boiling water. I love a rustic looking pretzel, though! 🙂
Nikki says
So tasty! And surprisingly easy!
Nikki Gladd says
Thank you, Nikki!