Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Pretzels

Not every pretzel is created equal. Some are soft and some crunchy. Some are sticks and others are the classic twisted knot shape. Then, you have the dough; most pretzels use ordinary flour and water as the base for their finished product. But for the ultimate crunch and a healthier-for-you pretzel, sourdough is the way to go.

OMG! Pretzels are crunchy miniature sourdough loaves of seasoned goodness. Can't wait to get your hands on some oh-so scrumptious pretzels with crave-worthy crunch?

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The History of Sourdough

Bread has long been a staple of the human diet, even before leavening was discovered, people baked flat breads that were essential to survival. Sourdough has roots in ancient Egypt where the understanding of fermentation can be found in records of beer and bread production. Sourdough being used in both cases.

How sourdough got its start

Around 800 BC, the Greeks learned how to use sourdough from the Egyptians. From there, sourdough spread across Europe as the years marched on. Sourdough appears in recipes throughout history, including 14th century Germany when monasteries began using sourdough to produce bread and beer and in 17th century France where sourdough was king before commercial yeast was introduced in the 1900s and the baguette became faster to produce and gained popularity.

Sourdough goes westward

Meanwhile, in America, the use of sourdough was crucial to westward expansion. Settlers in California and Alaska used sourdough as a primary source of food. They kept their sourdough starter in tins and slept with it to keep it warm, which prevented the natural yeast from dying. Thanks to sourdough, these Americans who shaped the history of our country, could eat even when they could not find a town to purchase supplies in.

San Francisco is home to the longest continuous sourdough bread bakeries in the U.S. One of the most famous - Boudin - was founded in 1849 and you can still enjoy a fresh sourdough loaf from there today. As in Europe, the speed associated with regular yeast commercialization of food production led to a decrease in the use of sourdough over time.

Back in the spotlight

Sourdough saw a resurgence of popularity in 2020 during the pandemic when many people began baking their own bread at home. The history of sourdough is certainly a long one and one that will, no doubt, continue to rise.

Is sourdough good for your gut?

While early bakers relied on sourdough for practicality – yeast was not commercially available to them – sourdough also has health benefits that they may not have known.

One of the primary health benefits of sourdough is probiotics. While the dough itself doesn’t include these micro-organisms, sourdough boosts the production of probiotics in your digestive system to keep you balanced. Sourdough is also good for your gut because it contains less gluten, making it easier to digest.

The increase in probiotics from eating sourdough is good for your immune system, boosting overall health.

Is sourdough good for anti-aging?

Thanks to the fermentation process, sourdough includes Vitamin B12, iron, fiber, folic acid and protein. These antioxidant vitamins and minerals make sourdough a good food for people with high blood pressure and diabetes because it improves blood flow.

Proper nutrition and healthy systems boost skin health, preventing fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Another health benefit of sourdough is that it is low on the glycemic index. That means it helps keep blood sugar level, making it a healthier carb for weight loss and diabetes.

Are sourdough pretzels healthy?

Sourdough pretzels are a healthy snack because they include all the health benefits found in sourdough bread. Plus, they are baked, not fried, but still give you the crunch you crave from a satisfying snack. Sourdough pretzels also contain fewer calories and less fat and sugar than other snacks.

Sourdough pretzels make healthy snacks because they can easily be paired with protein-rich foods like cheese, nut butters and yogurt to keep you fuller longer.

What is the difference between sourdough pretzels and regular pretzels?

Sourdough pretzels, unlike other regular pretzels, are made by fermenting flour and water (rather than adding yeast) to create a leaven. The result is a lighter texture, so sourdough pretzels have a better crunch than regular pretzels.

Sourdough pretzels also have a richer taste than regular pretzels. Plus, they include less gluten than regular pretzels. Sourdough is a healthy carb you can feel good about enjoying!

Sourdough starter pretzels

All sourdough recipes begin with a starter. This includes flour, water and a little sugar that you leave sitting at room temperature. After a few days, wild yeasts in the air and on the flour develop. After another couple of days fermentation starts. This is the process that gives sourdough starter its classic smell.

Share your starter

Once a sourdough starter is born, you can reuse it for years – decades even. You can also share sourdough starters with others, which is a classic part of sourdough history and how the dough so easily spread across continents.

Starters do have to be maintained. Every couple of weeks, add equal parts of water and flour to a portion of your existing sourdough starter and store it in the refrigerator. You can continue this process as long as you like. However, if your sourdough starter turns pink or orange or it starts to smell weird, throw it away and start over.

How sourdough gets its tang

The older a sourdough starter is, the tangier the resulting bread or pretzel will be. That’s why the starter for our sourdough pretzels is never more than a few days old. We want most of the mouthwatering taste from OMG! Pretzels to be from our carefully-crafted seasoning blends.

The best sourdough pretzel nuggets

We might be biased but we think OMG! Pretzels are the best seasoned sourdough pretzel nuggets around! Premium ingredients, culinary-inspired recipes and lots of love make our pretzel snacks one-of-a-kind. Plus, we have nine innovative flavors to choose from, including savory pretzels, sweet pretzels, and spicy pretzels.

Each variety of OMG! Pretzels boasts intense crunch and flavor with every bite. Our sourdough pretzel nuggets are fun to eat and share with friends and family to make those lasting memories that really matter.

So many sourdough snacks

Sourdough pretzels might be the best way, but they aren’t the only way to snack on sourdough. Go traditional with sourdough toast that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time in between.

Sourdough pretzels make irresistible snacks on their own. They are even better when you pair them with a dip or cheese. Sourdough pretzels are the perfect happy hour snack with a glass of wine or your favorite beer. Or, add sourdough pretzels to a DIY trail mix for the perfect blend of flavors, textures and ingredients you love.

Now you know a lot about sourdough pretzels. If you want to know even more about what you’ll find inside a bag of OMG! Pretzels before you buy, read more by clicking below.

Inside the Bag