Brezn (Bavarian pretzel)
Photo: Sundar1 · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

The pretzel, derived from monastic baking of the early Middle Ages, took its Bavarian form (Brezn) by the 19th century, with the distinctive lye dip giving the dark crust. Munich's Brezn is wider and softer than the northern Pretzel; it sits at every breakfast table, every beer-garden counter, and accompanies every Weisswurst order in the city.

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Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 12Hands-on 45 minTotal 3 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g strong white bread flour
  • 10g salt
  • 10g sugar
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 30g unsalted butter, soft
  • 270ml lukewarm water
  • 1L cold water + 40g food-grade lye (NaOH), or 50g baking soda boiled into 1L water as alternative
  • Coarse pretzel salt

Method

  1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, yeast, butter and water in a stand mixer. Knead 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  2. Cover and rise 60 minutes at room temperature until doubled.
  3. Divide into 12 pieces of about 70g. Roll each into a 60cm rope, fat in the middle, tapering at the ends.
  4. Form the pretzel: cross the ends over, twist once, fold down onto the fat middle. Place on a parchment-lined tray.
  5. Refrigerate uncovered 30 minutes; this dries the surface for the lye dip.
  6. Dip each pretzel in food-grade lye solution for 15 seconds (wear gloves, lye burns), or simmer in baking-soda solution 30 seconds. Drain.
  7. Score the fat belly with a sharp blade, sprinkle with coarse salt.
  8. Bake at 230 degrees C for 12 to 15 minutes until deep mahogany. Eat warm.

Tip from the editors. Food-grade lye gives the authentic crust colour and flavour. Baking soda works in a pinch but the colour is lighter and the flavour duller.

Where to eat brezn (bavarian pretzel)

Brezn (Bavarian pretzel) in Munich

Hofpfisterei ★ 4.5

€ BakeryWood-fired sourdough Pfister-BrotMaxvorstadtWalk-in only

Hofpfisterei in Munich's Maxvorstadt bakes Pfister-Brot in wood-fired ovens; a 700-year-old Munich tradition, now operating 100+ branches across Bavaria.

Worth the queuePfister Bio-Hausbrot

Directions

Rischart ★ 4.0

€ BakeryBavarian pastries, Prinzregententorte, sandwichesAltstadt LehelWalk-in only

Rischart has anchored Munich's Marienplatz with bakery and café since 1932; Prinzregententorte and Münchner Kindl are the house specials, with a long.

Worth the queuePrinzregententorte

Directions

Julius Brantner Brothandwerk ★ 4.7

€ BakeryOrganic sourdough breads, regional grainsSchwabingWalk-in only

Julius Brantner Brothandwerk in Munich's Schwabing-Maxvorstadt has run a transparent organic bakery since April 2019, small regional product list.

Worth the queueSlow-fermented sourdough loaf

Directions

Privat-Bäckerei Wimmer ★ 4.0

€ BakeryBavarian breads, pretzels, LeberkäsweckenSchwabingWalk-in only

Privat-Bäckerei Wimmer has been an original Munich family bakery since 1932 with 50+ city branches; the Schwabing Friedrichstrasse counter sells pretzels.

Worth the queuePretzel with butter (Brezn mit Butter)

Directions

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