If you’re planning to serve warm pretzels with a family meal, freshly baked soft pretzels or large frozen pretzels to bake at home are both options. Crunchy salted pretzels are better suited to sharing as a snack. What matters is when you want to serve them, how much oven space you have, and the quantity, ingredients, allergens and salt listed for the specific product – not the phrase “thick cut” on its own.
If you’d like to serve several warm pretzels at a set mealtime, you can prepare frozen pretzels according to the instructions on the pack. The number of portions will depend on the size and quantity of the product you choose.
If there’s no time left in your schedule for thawing and baking, a freshly baked pretzel from the bakery counter is ready to serve. Check the size, recipe and availability at the relevant shop.
Salted pretzels are a good choice for a bowl of something to nibble on. They’re crunchy snacks, serving a different purpose from large, soft pretzels served as part of a meal.
First, decide whether you want to serve warm pretzels with a meal or put out a crunchy snack. If you’re going for warm pretzels, check whether you have the time and space to bake them.
| What you need | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Serve warm pretzels on time | Check the quantity and pack weight against the oven space available, and read the thawing and baking instructions. | If you want to serve several warm pretzels at once, the preparation time needs to fit your mealtime plans. For around 45% of consumers, being able to plan a warm portion is the priority. |
| Buy pretzels without baking them yourself | Check the size of each pretzel, how many you need and the information for the specific product at the bakery counter. | If the meal is a last-minute plan, I want to be able to serve a pretzel straight away. Around 33% of consumers prioritise avoiding thawing and baking. |
| Choose something crunchy to share | Distinguish crunchy snacks from soft pretzels, and compare the net weight, ingredients and salt per 100 g. | If there’s a bowl of snacks alongside the meal, I’m looking for something crunchy rather than a warm pretzel. This is the top priority for around 22% of consumers. |
On its own, the phrase doesn’t tell you how large an individual pretzel is or whether it’s a soft pretzel or a crunchy salted one.
Instead, check the product type, net weight, quantity and preparation method. “XXL” doesn’t tell you how many pretzels are in the pack either.
Depending on the product, frozen pretzels need time to thaw and bake. If there isn’t enough room in your oven for the quantity you want, you may need to bake them in batches.
Before buying, compare the instructions on the pack and the quantity you need with your schedule and the space available.
Wheat is listed for the products mentioned here, and some may contain other allergens or carry a ‘may contain’ warning. The shape of a pretzel doesn’t tell you exactly what’s in the recipe.
For packaged products, read the allergen information for the specific item. For loose bakery-counter products, ask for the allergen information.
The pretzel bakery describes its classic soft pretzel as freshly baked.
Products on record include frozen soft pretzels in a 618 g pack, an XXL soft pretzel weighing 295 g, and crunchy salted pretzels.
ALDI SÜD sells a soft pretzel from its bakery range and says its baked goods are freshly baked several times a day.
On its own, “thick cut” doesn’t tell you the size of the pretzels discussed here. Check whether the product is a soft pretzel or a crunchy snack, and look at the net weight and quantity. The “XXL” label on an EDEKA soft pretzel doesn’t specify its thickness in millimetres.
The time needed depends on the specific product. EDEKA recommends thawing its Heimatliebe Laugenbrezen for around 10 minutes and baking them for 16–18 minutes. For its Herzstücke Laugenbrezel XXL, it recommends thawing for around 30 minutes and baking for 12–15 minutes at 180 °C. Follow the instructions on your pack when preparing them.
Check the allergen information for the exact pretzel you’re buying. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity explains that certain ingredients that can cause allergies must be labelled on food packaging. For loose products, ask for allergen information at the point of sale; don’t assume that another pretzel from the same brand has the same recipe.
Product pages are useful for narrowing down your options, but check the actual pack before making your final plans. EDEKA notes that the information on its packaging may differ from that shown for the products mentioned. In particular, compare the quantity and net weight with how many you need, and check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the product you buy.