Gluten Free Pretzel Crisps

If you miss snacking on pretzel crisps, this recipe is for you. These homemade gluten free pretzel crisps are crunchy, salty, and have that classic pretzel flavor you know and love.

They get their signature dark golden color and tangy taste from a quick dip in boiling baking soda water, just like real pretzels. It makes all the difference.

The recipe uses a simple dough made with gluten free flour and tapioca starch. No complicated ingredients or techniques needed here.

Once baked, these crisps come out shatteringly crispy and perfect for dipping into mustard or a cheese dip.

Whether you eat gluten free by choice or necessity, these are a snack worth making. Let me show you how.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

That Real Pretzel Flavor – The baking soda boil gives these crisps that authentic deep pretzel taste you just can’t get any other way.

Shatteringly Crispy Texture – These bake up so thin and crunchy that they snap perfectly with every single bite.

Gluten Free Without Compromise – You would never guess these are gluten free because they taste just like the real thing from a bakery.

Only Simple Ingredients – Everything you need is basic pantry stuff like flour and butter with no weird hard-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup Cold Water
• 3 cups Water (for boiling)
• 2 tbsp Baking Soda
• 1 Large Egg, beaten
• Coarse Pretzel Salt, for topping

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free all-purpose flour, tapioca starch, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the cold butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Add the cold water and stir until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 375F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 3

Roll the chilled dough out between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/16 inch thickness. Score into small rectangles or squares. Place the scored dough sheet (still on the parchment) in the freezer for 10 minutes so the pieces firm up and are easier to handle.

Step 4

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a wide saucepan and stir in the baking soda. Working in batches, carefully lower the scored cracker pieces into the boiling water for about 20 seconds per batch using a slotted spoon or spatula.

Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart.

Step 5

Brush the tops of each cracker with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.

Step 6

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crisps are deep golden brown and firm to the touch.

Step 7

Let them cool completely on the pans. They will become shatteringly crispy with that unmistakable pretzel flavor and gorgeous dark golden color. Serve with mustard or cheese dip.

My Tips

Roll the Dough Thin Enough

The 1/16 inch thickness called for in this recipe is really thin – about the thickness of a credit card. If you roll it any thicker, your crisps will puff up and turn out chewy instead of crispy.

Gluten free dough can be tricky to roll that thin because it cracks easily. Rolling it between two sheets of parchment paper helps a lot because the dough won’t stick and you can peel the top sheet off without tearing anything.

If the dough starts cracking at the edges while you roll, just press the cracks together with your fingers and keep going. It’s very forgiving.

Don’t Skip the Freezer Step

After you score the dough into pieces, that 10 minutes in the freezer is what makes or breaks this recipe. The pieces need to be firm so they don’t fall apart when you drop them into the boiling water.

If they’re still soft and floppy, they’ll stick together in the water and you’ll end up with a mushy mess. You want them stiff enough to pick up and handle easily.

If your kitchen is warm, give them a couple extra minutes in the freezer. They should feel solid but not frozen through.

Keep the Baking Soda Bath Quick

The 20-second boil in baking soda water is what gives these crisps that classic dark pretzel color and flavor. But if you leave the pieces in too long, gluten free dough will start to break down and get gummy.

Count to 20 and get them out. It’s better to go slightly under than over. You’ll still get that pretzel taste and color even at 15 seconds.

Use a wide slotted spoon or a fish spatula to lift them out gently so they don’t break apart.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Soft Pretzels
• Gluten Free Honey Mustard Pretzels
• Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers
• Gluten Free Everything Bagel Crackers
• Gluten Free Garlic Parmesan Pita Chips

FAQ

Why do I need to boil the dough pieces before baking?

The quick boil in baking soda water is what gives these crisps their authentic pretzel flavor and that gorgeous dark golden color. Without this step, they would just taste like regular crackers.

The alkaline baking soda solution triggers a reaction on the surface of the dough that creates that signature pretzel taste and deep brown finish you are looking for. It only takes about 20 seconds per batch, so it goes fast.