These chocolate-filled pretzels are super soft and fluffy and make the perfect sweet and savory combination. They also have no dairy or eggs and are made with more fiber than traditional pretzels.
As much as I love the classic sea salt pretzels, it could definitely use a level-up. And filling them with chocolate does just that, in my opinion!
These chocolate-filled soft pretzels are the perfect balance between sweet and salty, making it suitable for a snack or dessert. It's also healthy and vegan, with more fiber and nutrients than traditional pretzels.
These pretzels are super soft, fluffy, and moist, and are pretty simple to make! They're also super fun to roll and twist. 😝
If you don't have time to read or make this now, be sure to click here to save the recipe on Pinterest!📌that way, you can always come back to it🥰
ingredients in healthy soft pretzels
- warm nondairy milk: most pretzel recipes use water, but I've found that milk gives a richer taste, which is important since there is no butter. It is essential that the milk is warm for the yeast to activate, and for the pretzels to rise! You can use any kind of nondairy milk--I used oat.
- maple syrup: you can also use honey, cane sugar, etc. The important thing is that it sweetens the dough and helps the yeast to activate!
- yeast: this is what allows the pretzels to rise and have it's bread-like texture. I used active dry yeast but instant is great as well.
- all purpose flour: makes these pretzels light and fluffy, as opposed to whole wheat flour.
- white whole wheat flour: this is still a great ingredient to use because of it's fiber content compared to white flour. In combination with all purpose flour, it still stays super fluffy and light!
- flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to use in baking because it adds fiber, protein, and healthy fats without sacrificing flavor!
- oil: to make these pretzels moist.
how to make chocolate-filled soft pretzels
- Heat the nondairy milk so it's slightly warmer than room temperature--too hot or cold will kill the yeast! Mix with maple syrup and yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom (foam). Once foamy, add the flour, flaxseed meal, salt, and oil. Cover and rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Knead the dough with 2 tbsp flour and divide into 8 equal sections. Roll each into a long strip and line the center with chocolate (see picture below). Attach the ends to each other to form a tube or rope shape. Seal all the ends and fold into a pretzel shape.
- In a separate pot or bowl, mix boiling water with baking soda. Let the pretzels soak for 30 seconds in this mixture (I recommend doing 1 at a time). Drain the liquid and place on the prepared tray. Bake for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil with 1 tbsp milk. After the pretzels come out of the oven, brush with this mixture (as a vegan "egg wash") and top with granulated sugar if desired. Bake for an additional 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Enjoy!
frequently asked questions
can I swap the all purpose and whole wheat flour?
All purpose flour can replace whole wheat flour, but not vise versa. Using only whole wheat flour will make these drier and denser, which is not what we want in a pretzel.
is the flaxseed meal optional?
I highly recommend using flaxseed meal for it's health benefits. It's also not a one-time use kind of ingredient; I have so many recipes that use it! It's also great for egg replacements in other recipes. I haven't tried this recipe without, but I imagine it will still work.
are these pretzels sweet or savory?
They are both! Sweeter than my traditional pretzel recipe, but still more salt than a typical dessert. It classifies both as a snack and a dessert, and makes the perfect sweet and savory combo.
what is the purpose of boiling water + baking soda?
Briefly boiling the pretzels with baking soda puffs up the dough, gives them their signature pretzel flavor, and prevents it from rising the way bread does.
>>> click here to save the recipe on Pinterest so you can always come back to it!
I really hope you like this recipe! If you decide to make it, be sure to post a picture/story and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram–I’d love to see!💕
Also, don’t forget to leave a comment if you make this so everyone knows how it goes 🙂 You can also feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about the recipe!🥰
More recipes you might love:
Healthy Vegan Fluffy Glazed Donuts [Baked]
Healthy Vegan Chocolate-Filled Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm nondairy milk + 1 tbsp for brushing
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry or instant yeast or 1 packet
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp for kneading
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour can sub for more ap flour
- ½ cup flaxseed meal finely ground
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup oil + 1 tbsp for brushing
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chunks/chips
- boiling water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- Heat the nondairy milk so it's slightly warmer than room temperature--too hot or cold will kill the yeast! Mix with maple syrup and yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom (foam). Once foamy, add the flour, flaxseed meal, salt, and oil. Cover and rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Knead the dough with 2 tbsp flour and divide into 8 equal sections. Roll each into a long strip and line the center with chocolate (see picture). Attach the ends to each other to form a tube or rope shape. Seal all the ends and fold into a pretzel shape.
- In a separate pot or bowl, mix boiling water with baking soda. Let the pretzels soak for 30 seconds in this mixture (I recommend doing 1 at a time). Drain the liquid and place on the prepared tray. Bake for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil with 1 tbsp milk. After the pretzels come out of the oven, brush with this mixture (as a vegan "egg wash") and top with granulated sugar if desired. Bake for an additional 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Enjoy!
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