New Food Craze: Pretzel Rolls

If you haven't been introduced, pretzel rolls are a bigger, badder, and breadier version of classic soft pretzels. Which is particularly awesome if you're a fan of the chewy pretzel middles, as we are. We've noticed these salt-studded rolls popping up all over the place lately. Are you a fan?

In roll form, the pretzel becomes less of a mid-day snack and more of a meal accessory. They're a fun alternative to traditional dinner rolls, especially if the meal happens to feature German fare. We can personally verify their effectiveness at sponging the last bits of sauce off a plate.

They can also be split in half and made into sandwiches. Ham and cheese with mustard is fantastic on a pretzel bun, of course. But can you imagine eating pulled pork or even a freshly-grilled burger on one? Or a grilled cheese sandwich?

We've seen some stuffed versions, too. Cheese, bits of meat, and herbs are kneaded right into the dough and then baked. We think this would make a great meal-on-the-go.

Need more convincing? Check out these articles:

• A New Twist on Pretzels from the New York Times Magazine - a round-up of haute pretzel cuisine around New York, with some great ideas for home cooks
• Pretzel Rolls from Smitten Kitchen - a good basic recipe
• Pretzel Dogs and Stuffed Pretzels on Food Mayhem - a few ways to put that recipe to use!

Do you love pretzel rolls, too?

(Image: Flickr member scaredy kat licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (27)

Pretzel rolls are amazing - dense, doughy (?) bread, beautiful crust, and chunks of salt. What could be more perfect?

That picture made me drool buckets. Plus my stomach is now growling like crazy. I grew up in Germany, and my favorite memory is still going to the Bakery in the mornings for fresh, hot out of the oven, crusty, salty Bretzels. I still haven't gotten the courage to make them myself though, for the fear of utter failure.

Growing up in Austria, my favorite sandwich was from a local butcher - they put fresh, raw ham, sliced, boiled egg, mayo and bell pepper in a pretzel roll/stick. We call it "Laugenstangerl".

I am so happy that pretzel rolls are becoming so easily available around here.

Kuma's Corner in Chicago puts all of their hamburgers on pretzel rolls. It's my favorite bread for a hamburger.

Yeah, they're so common over here in Germany. Every bakery has Bretzels (what we would call soft pretzels) and most have other forms of Laugen--- braids, rolls, etc. My favorite is a braid (imagine a Challa, but roll-size) with sesame seeds and salt. SO good with butter. Mmmm.

BTW, in Germany, "bretzel" really refers to the shape and "laugen" is the type of dough/lye wash that we Americans think of as making something pretzely. You'd never see a Germany call those things in the picture Bretzels. They're Laugen Brötchen! (laugen little breads!!)

pretzel rolls are delicious (i love the one from rockenwagner in los angeles) but when i was in reading, ma i had the most amazing pretzel croissant from swiss bakers:

http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/lynn-welcome-home-2/

These look delicious! I think that I just love cards though, lol.
-
chasingjamesbeard.com

I love pretzel rolls. The whole foods here in Philly has taken it one step further and brought out pretzel baguettes.

I LOVE THEM!! Swiss Bakers (out of Reading, MA) makes them and you can sometimes find them at Whole Foods or farmers markets within the metro Boston area. I hunt them down whenever I can! http://www.swissbakers.com/

bretzels are pure genius. the first time i tried them, i wolfed down a few. then drank tons of beer. that was a mistake, like any bread, these puppies swell up! haha. now i know, saaaaaaavor the bretzel!

I love them! Then again, I was born and raised in Philly, so I think I am required by law to like anything soft pretzel related.

They look delicious. I can't wait to try the recipe when I have a free weekend.

Pretzel Rolls are great! However, the "real thing" has to be made with lye!
And in Germany, you wouldn't eat them with a meal, burger or to mop up sauce. They are eaten with butter or cheese or cold cuts, sandwich style, and that's it. (At least traditionally) But come to think of it, a Laugen-Burger sounds kind of intrigueing...

My hungover self has just died and gone to food porn heaven! Thank you for that picture, now how bout a recipe? pretty please?

oh, sorry. Just found the Smitten Kitchen recipe- thank you!

I just discovered these at the commissary at the army base by my house. They are so incredibly delicious and they are always fresh from the oven. They are so good on their own, we just eat them plain. Going to check out the recipe now.

Mmmm, I wish someone sold those around here. But I just got me my pretzel salt (screw everyone telling me just to use kosher salt, we all know it ain't the same!) so I know what I'll be making as soon as it cools down.

Thanks for the detail M! and TuesdayNext. I am visiting Berlin this summer and now you know what I'll be looking for while I am there. Mmmmmm!

If I am looking for a bakery, should I be asking for "Laugen" and not "Bretzel"? I am addicted to the soft, pretzel tasting rolls.

Sillybee, ask for 'Laugen-Brötchen'. As m! stated, 'Bretzel' refers to the shape only and there are sweet 'Bretzel' (completely different recipes) available too.

In Berlin you may not find 'Laugen-Brötchen' in every bakery. Traditionally they come from the south of Germany.

A good alternative may be 'ALDI', a large supermarket chain everywhere in Germany. They have vending machines for freshly baked bread. Sorry, no pretzel rolls but very good 'Laugen-Bretzel'. Fresh, warm and soft inside.

I had never had pretzel rolls until earlier this year (that's my photo above) but the funny thing was that I tried them at a German restaurant in Bangkok. Not Thai food, but pretty good, nonetheless.

Wegmans, Wegmans, Wegmans, for pretzel rolls like you see in the photo. They also sell some without salt, but really, that's just crazy, and why bother, then. Only problem is that you can really only buy what you can eat within 2 days, because they get hard after that time (and the salt can make them "sweat" or get a bit gummy on the top).

I love them. I'm just glad that Wegmans is not around the corner.

(I've also tasted a burger on a pretzel bun at a local sports bar/restaurant--it had hardly any salt on the bun, which made it taste "off"; won't bother with that anymore. Wegmans also sells a package of pretzel buns, but I didn't see any salt on those.)

Yes, lots of burger places in Chicago are now offering pretzel rolls -- Kuma's, The Counter, Claim Company (suburban Northbrook)... hold up quite well to big, juicy burgers.

Thanks HollyHeyer!

I've only had pretzel rolls once, and they were much better than a regular soft pretzel.

Forgot to add, that I had them when I was a kid.

wow. these look freaking fantastic.

I was born and raised in York County PA and lived on Smitties soft pretzels and pretzel bread rolls.
I live near Philly and have to laugh when everyone says how great the philly pretzel is. RUBBISH!
Every time I return to York, even if for just a day, I make the trek up to the bakery to get a dozen pretzels (before heading to Rutter's for chocolate milk :) ) The first time I drove there with my hubby (he's a 'foreigner" from Berks county) he looked at me like I had two heads. Now we tussle over the last pretzel, also now I don't have to drive there to order all I have to do is go to their website.