Giant Sourdough Pretzel Pizza Bread
Everyone is going to want to know how you made this Giant Sourdough Pizza-Stuffed Pretzel Bread loaf, and they don’t have to know how unbelievably easy it is! The recipe makes two large pretzels stuffed with pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and any other favorite toppings.
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If you’re looking for more unique sourdough bread recipes, check out my sourdough twisted loaf stuffed with cheese and herbs.
- TESTED FLOURS – This recipe uses a mixture of unbleached white bread flour, all-purpose flour, and a touch of whole wheat flours. It has been successfully made with 100% bread flour and 100% all-purpose flour. If you make a whole-grain or ancient/heritage-grain version, please leave a comment and let me know how it turned out!
- LEAVEN: You will be making a poolish with your sourdough starter, a type of preferment.
- SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: I’m using a stand mixer to mix the dough, but this is not necessary.
- TIME NEEDED: Times with sourdough will always vary from one kitchen to another, but you can expect to spend about 20 minutes on prep, 9-11 hours for rise, and 35 minutes to bake. The poolish will need to be made the night before, or about 12ish hours beforehand.
- YIELD: 2 Giant Pretzels
- NON-SOURDOUGH VERSION: Yes! Use store-bought pizza dough and follow the instructions.
- FRESH MILLED FLOUR VERSION: In development.
Watch the dough and not the clock: sourdough bulk fermentation has no precise time measurements, as the temperatures of your kitchen and the strength of your starter can be different from mine. Check out my sourdough calculator if you want to play around with ingredient amounts.
Ingredients Notes
The full ingredient list with quantities is in the recipe card below.
Sourdough Pizza Pretzel Bread Recipe Instructions & Process Photos
Step 1 (The Night Before):
The night before, combine the starter ingredients: ripe starter, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and warm water. Combine and cover. Keep this at a warm temperature for approximately 12 hours. This process grows a specific amount and strength of a starter (from your mother starter) that will be used to leaven your pretzels.
The float test is utterly useless for judging your sourdough starter’s strength or readiness. You can safely abandon this practice.
In the morning, or 12 hours later, using a **stand mixer, combine the main dough ingredients: flours, water, salt, softened butter, and the starter (poolish) you made last night.
Mix on low speed for a few minutes until all ingredients are incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then continue mixing on medium speed for another 5 minutes until it is smooth. Scrape down the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and allow the dough to rise for 5 hours at room temperature or 8 hours in a cooler kitchen.
**Alternatively, use your hands, a dough whisk, or a combination of the two and work the dough into a smooth, shiny ball before resting—about 10 minutes. You want to feel the gluten actively fighting you and becoming tight.
Step 2:
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it evenly into two portions. Roll each portion into a rope about 15 to 18 inches long, maintaining an even thickness throughout.
When working with white flour, I find that it makes no difference when you add the salt. Adding the salt later, after autolyse, does seem to make a difference with fresh milled flour and whole grains. Check out my guides on homemade flour for beginners and tips for baking with fresh milled flour.
Steps 3-4:
Gently flatten each dough rope into a long rectangle. Spread a thin layer of marinara (or your preferred pizza sauce) along the center, leaving about a ½-inch border on each side.
Layer on pepperoni slices and a generous amount of shredded mozzarella.
Step 5:
Fold the edges over the filling and pinch them tightly to seal, ensuring no gaps remain.
Step 6:
Form each filled dough rope into a large U-shape. Cross the two ends over each other once to create a twist, then bring the twisted ends down and press them onto the base of the U to form the classic pretzel shape.
Place the shaped pretzel on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with a damp tea towel while you shape the second pretzel.
Step 7:
Cover both pretzels and let them proof for 45 minutes at room temperature. You’re looking for the dough to become puffy at the surface. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F. Dissolve ⅓ cup of baking soda in 1 cup of boiling water to create your baking soda wash.
Transfer the pretzels to a cooling rack and generously brush them with the baking soda solution, then let them dry for about 5 minutes. Return the pretzels to the parchment, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes to 45 minutes or until they turn a golden brown.
Step 8:
Remove the pretzels from the oven and enjoy them warm for the best flavor and texture. For leftovers, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes to restore their crispy exterior.
Recipe FAQs
Freezing: Wrap the loaves tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze baked pretzels in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the oven directly from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Reheating: Reheat the pretzels in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes to restore their crisp exterior and warm the filling. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the dough soggy.
While sourdough adds a unique tangy flavor and chewy texture, you can substitute store-bought pizza dough for convenience. However, the flavor profile will differ.
Absolutely! While mozzarella is classic for a pizza flavor, you can substitute it with provolone, cheddar, or a cheese blend for variation.
Use a thicker marinara sauce and spread it sparingly to prevent excess moisture. Serve extra marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Yes! You can assemble the pretzels and refrigerate them (unbaked) for up to 24 hours. Bring them to room temperature before baking. Alternatively, bake them and reheat in the oven before serving.
You can substitute marinara with pizza sauce, pesto, or even a garlic butter spread for a different flavor.
The baking soda bath (in this recipe, brushing with baking soda) is essential for creating the classic pretzel crust and flavor. If you skip this step, the texture and appearance may be more like bread than pretzels.
Roll the dough into ropes approximately 12-14 inches long to ensure they are large enough to hold the filling while maintaining a balanced dough-to-filling ratio.
My Top Tips for the Best Sourdough Pretzel Pizza Bread
If you tried this Sourdough Pizza Pretzel Bread or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Sourdough Pizza Pretzel Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer optional
- Mixing bowl and 2 small bowls
- Damp tea towel or plastic wrap, or a shower cap
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Pastry (or basting) brush
Ingredients
Starter (Poolish/Preferment):
- 10 grams sourdough starter ripe (100% hydration)
- 50 grams all purpose flour
- 50 grams whole wheat flour
- 100 grams warm water
Main Dough:
- 120 grams all purpose flour
- 635 grams bread flour
- 370 grams warm water
- 18 grams fine sea salt
- 60 grams butter softened (room temperature)
Filling:
- 14 large pepperoni
- 2 cups marinara sauce, divided keep 1+ cups back for dipping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or more as you prefer
Baking Soda Wash:
- ⅓ cup baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water can also use milk or cream
- Coarse Sea Salt for topping prior to baking
Instructions
- Prepare the Starter: Mix 10 grams ripe sourdough starter, 50 grams all-purpose flour, 50 grams whole wheat flour, 100 grams warm water; cover and let sit in a warm spot for 12 hours.10 grams sourdough starter, 50 grams all purpose flour, 50 grams whole wheat flour, 100 grams warm water
- Make the Main Dough: In the morning, or 12 hours later, using a *stand mixer and dough hook, combine the main dough ingredients: flours, water, salt, softened butter, and the starter (poolish) you made last night.Mix on low speed for a few minutes until all ingredients are incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then continue mixing on medium speed for another 5 minutes until it is smooth. Scrape down the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and allow the dough to rise for 5 hours at room temperature or 8 hours in a cooler kitchen. Note: You're looking for a rise of about 30-40% but if it doubles, don't worry, this recipe is very forgiving.*Alternatively, use your hands, a dough whisk, or a combination of the two and work the dough into a smooth, shiny ball before resting—about 10 minutes. You want to feel the gluten actively fighting you and becoming tight.120 grams all purpose flour, 635 grams bread flour, 370 grams warm water, 18 grams fine sea salt, 60 grams butter
- Form the Dough Ropes: Gently turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide it into 2 equal portions, and roll each into a long rope about 15–18 inches long. Maintain an even thickness.
- Add the Filling: Gently flatten each dough rope into a long rectangle, then spread a thin layer of marinara sauce along the center, layer with pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese, and fold the edges over to seal tightly.Do not add fillings all the way to the top or sides.14 large pepperoni, 2 cups marinara sauce, divided, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Shape the Pretzels: Form each filled rope into a U-shape, twist the ends once, and press them onto the base to create the classic pretzel shape; place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Proof, Wash & Bake: Cover the pretzels and let proof for 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a baking soda wash by dissolving ⅓ cup baking soda in 1 cup boiling water; brush it generously over the pretzels, let dry for 5 minutes. Make the egg wash by whisking the egg and water together until smooth, brush loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for about 30-45 minutes until golden brown.⅓ cup baking soda, 1 cup boiling water, 1 egg, 1 tbsp water
- Serve & Reheat: Enjoy the pretzels warm. For leftovers, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes to restore the crisp exterior.
Notes
- The pretzels are best when served warm, as the cheese cools, it sinks into the pretzel dough.
- You can change up the fillings as you like, but if using vegetables, make sure they are precooked and drained.
- If they still have a lot of moisture in them when put in the filling, there is the potential the pretzels will start leaking during baking.
Hi! I know sourdough can be tough and confusing, so I want you to know that I’m here in the comment section to answer your questions. The dough here is very forgiving, so although this looks fancy and complicated, it really is easier than nailing the perfect crumb on a sourdough sandwich loaf or boule.