Small Group Workshop: Homemade German Pretzels with Jürgen Krauss

NOTE: iphone and ipad users,to register for class.

Pretzels—a.k.a Brezeln or Brezn in German—are, according to guest teacher Jürgen Krauss of Great British Baking Show fame, the most iconic German food. They are so beloved that they can be found in stained glass church windows in Jürgen’s hometown of Freiburg. Join Jürgen at this livestream Small Group Workshop, capped at just 25 attendees, to learn to make a pretzel just like the tender, piping-hot ones you might enjoy on Freiburg’s streets. You’ll learn every step of this labor of love starting with the creation of a quick starter, or pre-ferment, that gives the pretzels complexity of flavor without the fuss of full-on sourdough. As we mix the dough, you’ll learn about regional variations that change the fat content and liquid—water vs. milk vs. cream—that’s used. After showing you how to assess a perfectly proved dough, Jürgen will spend plenty of time demonstrating the shaping of a genuine Brezeln. Then, we move to the most nerve-wracking part of the pretzel process: the dip in an alkaline bath, which gives pretzels their unique burnished exterior. You’ll learn how to do this with baking soda and, for the more daring bakers out there, with the lye that would be traditionally used. After a quick bake, your homemade pretzels are ready to enjoy and share.
About Jürgen: Jürgen Krauss is a former Database Administrator turned professional baker, and a former contestant of The Great British Baking Show. His love for baking began during his childhood in the Black Forest. His travels across Europe widened his culinary influences and instilled in him the desire to master German bread-making, the perfect showcase for his technical precision and creative flavors. He is the author of “The German Baking Book: Cakes, Tarts, Breads, and More from the Black Forest and Beyond.”
Thank you to the 2025 Annual Sponsors of the Cooking School, who make our livestream events possible:

Coccinella. Their Oleavia Extra-Virgin Olive Oils are made with olives that are harvested early, hand-picked and cold-pressed to ensure impeccable flavor. Use code MILK STREET (don't overlook the space!) to get 20% off your first order: https://www.coccinellastore.com/oleavia-evoo

Work Sharp, which makes sharpening products that are fast, easy to use and work every time. Find their products on the Milk Street Store and use code SHARPSMART for 10% off: t.ly/gZgyU

Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET for 20% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).

Our small-group Workshops are capped at just 25 attendees and are distinct from our livestream Classes. As such, they are NOT included with Insider membership.

Want to give this class as a gift? You can purchase gift cards here.

Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along with us.

After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as well as a packet with recipes and resources that we discuss during the event. If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via [email protected].

This event has limited spots, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. One sign-up covers one device. Closed Captioning is available for this event.

Payments for Milk Street livestream workshops are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.

Proceeds from live stream cooking classes and workshops support Milk Street's non-profit work with The Big Sisters Association of Great Boston, The Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, and other partners.

Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the after class.

Host or Publisher Milk Street's Small Group Workshops