Homemade Pretzel Bites
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My Homemade Pretzel Bites are soft on the inside and chewy on the outside, just like they should be. Make some homemade cheese dip, pop open a couple of beers, and enjoy these salty, buttery bites!
Try some soft and buttery homemade pretzel dogs next!
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:
- 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.
- Continue adding ingredients. Add the melted butter, honey, and kosher salt. Stir again with a spatula.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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
xoxo ~Sue
Homemade Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 3/4 cup warm water
- 4 Tablespoon butter – melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups bread flour – more or less, to desired consistency
- sea salt – for topping
- butter – for brushing on after baking
To boil:
- 6 cups water
- 6 Tablespoons baking soda
Instructions
- In a large standing mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Be careful to use warm water, not hot. Mix and let sit for about 15 minutes to get the yeast working.
- Add the melted butter, honey, and kosher salt. Mix with a spatula.
- Attach a dough hook, and then add the all-purpose flour, and about a cup of the bread flour. Start the mixer and let it run for awhile to get everything well combined. Then gradually add more bread flour until you get just the right consistency. You want the dough to be soft but not too sticky. (See blog post for more tips.)
- Grease a large bowl with oil and add the dough. Punch the down into a nice smooth ball. Cover with a clean dishtowel and set it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Let the dough rise for about 35-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prep so that you are ready to go after the dough has rested. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine six cups of water with 6 tablespoons of baking soda in a stock pot. Bring to a rolling boil (when dough is ready).
- Prep pretzel bites. Spread a little bit of oil on a clean surface, or baking mat. Take bout 1/4 of the dough and roll into a long tube-like shape. See pictures. Slice it into one-inch slices (or whatever size you prefer).
- Place about 10 "bites" of dough into the boiling water. Make sure they aren't touching. After 20 seconds, start removing them, one at a time, using a slotted spoon. Shake off excess water (or you can place in a strainer for a minute or so), and lay them on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all the bites are prepped for baking.
- Sprinkle the dough bites with sea salt, and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Remove from oven, brush with softened butter, and a little more sea salt (if desired).
- This recipe should fill two baking sheets. I usually bake one after the other (not at the same time).
These pretzel bites make a great appetizer along with the beer cheese dip. I found that a key part of the process is to properly drain the soda water after boiling – I didn’t on my first attempt. Get them to a nice golden brown. On my second attempt they were a big hit! We’ll be making these often.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Dave! 🙂
I’ve been making homemade pretzels for years and decided to try a new recipe. This recipe was so good and so easy! This is the first time I’ve tried using boiling water with baking powder vs hot water. It definitely makes it easier to dissolve the powder. This is my new go to! Thanks, Sue!
Oh, I’m so happy you tried these pretzels, Terry! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Kids enjoyed making these! The whole family enjoyed this. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome! 🙂
What a fabulous pretzel recipe. It is easy to follow and the pretzels are a great snack. The honey adds a great flavor to the dough.
So glad you enjoyed them, Eileen! Thanks for your feedback!
Need to get my hands on more yeast for these. Bread baking is my happy place too.
I hope you find it, Ariella! 🙂
I will definitely make this recipe. I always order something similar at the movie theater and I love the salty bite with the cheesy sauce.
Let me know how it turns out, Carlos!
Pretzel bites with a cheese dip is such a great snack idea, especially making it with stuff you have on hand – YUM!
Exactly! Enjoy these, Terri!
I’ve been baking more than usual lately, and pretzels was on my list~ I pinned to make next week.
So glad! Let me know how these turn out, Anne!
Taste amazing and so much fun to eat! Love the bite size so I can eat more!
Bite sized is good, isn’t it? 🙂
You make these look so easy that I’m definitely going to make these.
Better than Auntie Anne’s, Sue! A real treat and fun to make!
Oh great! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pretzels, Danalea!