Coarse Pretzel Salt

The white crystals that stay put on a soft pretzel, bright and crunchy instead of dissolving into the crust: that is this salt's whole job. Coarse pretzel salt is a large-grain topping salt built to sit on the surface of baked goods. Scatter it over soft pretzels, bagels, dinner rolls, and pretzel buns before baking, or press it onto breadsticks and focaccia, and it holds its shape and crunch through the oven.

The trick is the grain. These are big, dense, opaque-white crystals that resist moisture, so they do not melt into the dough or turn to a wet smear the way fine salt does on a glazed surface. That is the German and Central European pretzel-baking tradition in a jar, where the coarse crystal is what gives a pretzel its signature salty crunch and clean white flecks.

Packed fresh in small batches in Portland.

Ingredients: salt. No additives, no preservatives. Naturally gluten-free and vegan.

What is the difference between pretzel salt and table or kosher salt?
Grain size and behavior. Pretzel salt is a large, dense crystal made to stay whole and white on a baked surface rather than dissolve. Table salt is too fine and disappears into the dough, and kosher salt, while coarser, still melts more readily and looks different on the crust.

My salt keeps sliding off before baking. How do I make it stick?
Give the surface something to grab. Brush the dough with a little water, an egg wash, or the traditional baking-soda bath before you scatter the salt, then press gently so the crystals seat into the surface. Apply it right before the pan goes in, while the dough is still tacky.

What else works besides pretzels?
Yes. It tops bagels, dinner rolls, pretzel buns, breadsticks, and focaccia, and it adds a crunchy finish to roasted nuts and thick-cut potato wedges. Anywhere you want a visible, crunchy salt that holds its shape, it works.

Should I use it to season soups or sauces?
Skip it for liquids. The coarse crystals dissolve slowly and unevenly, so a stew or sauce ends up with pockets of salt rather than even seasoning. Use a fine salt in the pot and save the coarse pretzel salt for topping.

Does it add any flavor beyond salt?
It is straight salt, so the flavor is clean and simply salty. The value is textural: big crunchy crystals and bright white flecks on the crust, the look and bite people expect from a proper pretzel.