Homemade Pretzel Bites

There is nothing more soothing to me than baking bread. I love how the oven transforms bread into a beautiful piece of art, that smells amazing and tastes even better. My mom passed this baking gene to me, and I’m so happy that she did. I have such lovely memories of her in the kitchen doing what she loved, and now that she is gone, I feel her presence in my kitchen.

This recipe came about during our recent Spring Break, when my son and his girlfriend were “craving” homemade soft pretzels. So I created a recipe using the ingredients I had on-hand. I have to say, these pretzel bites are AMAZING!

Ingredients needed for Homemade Pretzel Bites:

This recipe uses mostly pantry ingredients. It’s a great recipe to whip up on a whim.

• Yeast – I use active dry yeast. Red Star is my preferred brand.
• Sugar – Just a bit to help activate the yeast.
• Water – You’ll need warm water, not hot and not cold.
• Butter – Some melted butter makes these pretzel bites…buttery! 😀
• Honey – I chose to use honey for the sweetener. But you could use regular sugar or even maple syrup.
• Salt – Kosher salt is what I use in most of my cooking and baking.
• Flour – Using a combo of regular all-purpose flour and bread flour makes these nice and chewy. You could, however, use just all-purpose flour.
• For boiling – I used a combo of six cups of water and 6 tablespoons of baking soda.
• For Topping – After the pretzel bites come out of the oven, you’ll want to brush with butter and add a touch of sea salt.

How to make Homemade Soft Pretzels:

1. Activate the yeast. Using a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Take a spatula, and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 15 minutes so that the yeast activates. You should see a bubbly mixture when it’s ready.
2. Continue adding ingredients. Add the melted butter, honey, and kosher salt. Stir again with a spatula.
3. Add flour to desired consistency. Start by adding the all-purpose flour and about one cup of bread flour to the mixer. Let the mixer run, and occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Gradually add more flour until you get a nice dough consistency. It should be slightly sticky, but easy to handle.
4. Let the dough rise. Grease a large bowl with canola or olive oil. Remove the dough from the mixer, and form it into a ball. Then place it in the bowl, and cover it with a clean dishtowel. Place the bowl in a quiet corner of your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size, about 35-40 minutes. (See picture above.)
5. Prep. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the water and baking soda in a large stock pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
6. Shape pretzel bites. Use a clean working surface or baking mat, and spread a bit of oil on it. Divide the dough into four sections, and roll out one section at a time into a long tube-like shape. See pictures. Slice into approximately one-inch pieces. (See picture above.)
7. Boil bites. Gently drop about ten pretzel pieces into the boiling water at a time, and try to make sure they aren’t touching. Cook for 20 seconds, and then start removing them with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water as you go. Place on the prepared baking sheets, and add sea salt. Continue with remaining dough. (See picture above.)
8. Bake. Bake bites in a preheated 400 degree oven, until done, approximately 15-20 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Immediately brush with softened butter, and add a touch more sea salt, if desired.
9. EAT. Eat the pretzel bites as they are, or dip them in some Beer Cheese Dip, honey mustard dip, or whatever you choose. Enjoy!

Why is it necessary to boil the bites in water and baking soda?

Boiling the pretzel bites in water and baking soda is what makes the magic happen for this recipe. It gives the dough the proper chewy outer texture, and makes them brown up nicely. Don’t they actually look like a pretzel should? 😀

Some other easy bread recipes for you to try:

• Homemade Brioche Buns – Another soft and buttery recipe, and a great recipe for sandwiches.
• Chewy French Bread – My most popular recipe on the blog. Just five ingredients to the best, easy bread!
• Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread – The perfect bread for your next Italian meal, soft and delicious.

Kitchen Tools Used for this recipe:

• Bosch Universal Mixer – The mixer I’ve used for years, and perfect for bread making.
• Silicone Baking Mat – I love using baking mats for any kind of bread, like this one.
• Scraper & Chopper – This is great for cutting dough and other baked goods.

Try this simple snack recipe next: Honey Roasted Nuts

Please let me know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue