Pretzels Made The Old Fashioned Way

In a world of AI and robots, Uncle Jerry's takes a more personal approach

Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels are made the old-fashioned way.

Visit Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels’ website, and you’ll see a black-and-white picture of a group of women twisting pretzels. On a recent call, I asked Misty Skolnick, co-owner of the Pennsylvania-based pretzel company, when the photo was taken. “It could be 30 years ago, it could be yesterday,” she laughs.

That’s because the family-run company still hand-makes and bakes pretzels in rural Lancaster County the same way it did back in 1988, using only a handful of ingredients: water, flour, yeast, sourdough starter, and salt.

“We haven’t changed our recipe since we began. The process hasn’t changed, either. The ingredients are put into a mixer, the dough is rolled out, and smaller pieces are put through an extruder. Those nuggets are rolled out and twisted by hand, and slow-baked in a hearth oven,” says Skolnick.

When asked why Uncle Jerry’s makes pretzels the same way as nearly four decades ago, instead of automating the process, Skolnick says it’s a matter of both quality and humanity. “What makes our pretzels good is the handmade process. It demonstrates a commitment to quality and consistency. Yes, the trend is moving toward automation, but there’s always been handmade pretzels.” Skolnick also points out that if the pretzels were made by machine, there would probably be a need to change the recipe. “If you look at machine-made pretzels, there’s probably something in the process that requires different ingredients. It might be easier, but we wouldn’t be handmade anymore. We’d just be another pretzel.”

Skolnick points out that there’s a strong consumer base that seeks out small batch products made without added sugars or chemicals. “There are people who prefer to buy handmade products, whether that’s bread, juice, cakes, or pretzels.”

There’s also another benefit to making pretzels the old-school way. “We haven’t changed our recipe, and with new FDA shifts, we’re in a great position to meet any new requirements.”

The pretzel company started in the mid-80s as a true cottage business. Jerry. Philadelphia native Jerry Skolnick drove a taxi in the City of Brotherly Love, commuting from Lancaster daily. When someone shared a delicious, hard, sourdough pretzel with him, he knew he had found his calling. His friend drew an “Uncle Jerry’s” logo (which is used to this day), and Jerry went door to door selling pretzels. The pretzel company has grown with public demand.

Pretzels are a top snack among Americans, who consume about two pounds of pretzels every year. That equates to about 362 million pounds of pretzels eaten annually. “I think one of the reasons why pretzels sell well is that consumer tastes are changing, and people are thinking of what they put in their bodies. We’re a simple product, they’re hand-made, and they’re not stored in a warehouse — we make them daily,” says Sokolnick.

The pretzels are available in different flavors and sizes, including low salt, whole wheat, and chocolate. Skolnick says the crunchy pretzels go great with a cold beer, but she has a unique, favorite way of enjoying them: “I love to break the ‘special low salt’ pretzels into pieces and stack small slices of cheddar and pickles like a s’more. You get the protein, salt, and carbs in one bite!” When I said I’d try that, but with some mustard for dipping, she replied, “Freestyle all you want.”

Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels are available nationwide in select stores, including select Whole Foods, Fairway, Butterfield Market, and independent delis. They’re also available online at unclejerryspretzels.com. Pick some up in time for National Pretzel Day, celebrated on Saturday, April 26th.