Pretzel Burger Buns (Laugenbrötchen)
Freshly baked pretzel burger buns take your homemade burgers or sandwiches to a whole new level AND they’re easier to make than you might think. No scary lye required! All you need are 7 staple ingredients and a bit of foresight to make soft and chewy pretzel buns at home.
Quick and easy pretzel buns
I worked in a bakery café in Swabia during my studies, where these pretzel rolls are sold as Laugenweckle. You could buy them plain or with a generous lashing of butter as a quick breakfast or hearty snack.
- Authentic pretzel roll recipe: Enriched dough that’s put through a baking soda bath before baking is a common way Germans make pretzels at home without lye. Swabian pretzels are particularly rich, just like this recipe.
- Perfect for burgers: Soft chewy pretzel rolls with a dark color make excellent burger buns that taste as good as they look. A great alternative to brioche burger buns!
- Oktoberfest staple: Just like my soft German pretzels and pretzel hot dog buns, these burger buns are a must-make for any Oktoberfest celebration.
Ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Butter – Soft unsalted butter, cut into small cubes works best.
- Milk – I use whole milk to create a rich dough but you can also opt for a lower fat alternative.
- Yeast – Instant yeast works well but you can also use active dry yeast or fresh yeast.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour but you can use bread flour as well. Many German bakeries also use white spelt flour.
- Salt – I add a fair bit of salt to the dough as I top the buns with sesame seeds. Reduce the salt by half if you’re topping the buns with coarse salt.
- Baking soda – This is used instead of lye which can be hard to source and dangerous to work with.
- Sesame seeds – These seeds give the burger buns an authentic look but you can also top them with coarse salt or other seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, or poppy seeds.
Variations
- Cheese buns: Add some shredded cheddar or mozzarella to the top of the buns for a cheesy twist.
- Everything pretzel buns: Everything bagel seasoning adds ALL the flavors to a bagel-like bun.
- Cinnamon sugar: Simply dip the bathed pretzel buns into a cinnamon sugar mix.
How to make pretzel burger buns
See the recipe card for full information on the steps.
Smooth dough after kneading, before the first rise.
Dough after the first rise which has almost doubled in size.
Shaped buns in the baking soda bath.
Pretzel buns half scored with sesame seeds before being baked.
Serving
Pretzel burgers: Whether you’re making traditional beef burgers or German-inspired sausage burgers with sauerkraut, freshly baked pretzel buns take them to a whole new level!
Pretzel BLT: One of my favorite cafés has this on the menu and I love it. Crispy bacon, crunchy lettuce, and fresh tomato plus a delicious mayo. Yum!
Obatzda buns: Serve freshly baked pretzel rolls with obatzda, a German cream cheese spread you can find on many beer garden menus or during Oktoberfest.
Storage tips
Pretzel rolls easily get stale and you best store them in a bread bin or plastic bag at room temperature. Reheat them in the oven or under the grill briefly before enjoying them with a generous lashing of butter.
I recommend freezing them unbaked after the baking soda bath. That way you’ll have fresh pretzel rolls on demand whenever you feel like it. Let the dough balls defrost for several hours before adding the toppings and baking them.
More pretzel recipes
For more easy homemade pretzels, check out the following recipes:
If you loved this Pretzel Burger Bun Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating below. Thank you!
Pretzel Burger Buns (Laugenbrötchen)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk lukewarm
- 7 g instant yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter unsalted, softened, cubed
Water Bath
- 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp baking soda
Topping
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds white
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or a large spoon, combine all ingredients, and knead the dough until you have a homogenous dough ball (3-5 minutes).1 1/4 cups milk, 7 g instant yeast, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup butter
- Place the dough into a large clean bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel, plate, or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. It will significantly increase in size.
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Form 4 large, 8 regular-sized, or 16 slider burger buns (Note 2). Add the dough balls to 1 or 2 baking tray(s) and rest them for another 30 minutes.
- To make the baking soda water, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda one tablespoon at a time (Note 1) and bring it to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer and add the burger buns to a ladle one by one. Boil them in the baking soda water for 30 seconds each, turning them half way. They will float at the top. Transfer them back to a lined baking tray.3 tbsp baking soda, 4 cups water
- Add your topping of choice. I add sesame seeds but coarse salt is a common choice as well. Score a small + onto pretzel burger buns with a sharp knife at the top.2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Bake the burger buns for 17 minutes until they've reached the dark brown pretzel color. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack if you have one. Serve with a generous lashing of butter while warm (Note 3).
Great solid pretzel bun! They were soft and good flavor. I used less flour than called for.
Thanks Erin, great to hear you liked it!
They take me right back to growing up in Germany. A tasty food memory!