Pretzel Dogs
Homemade Pretzel Dogs combine homemade pretzel dough with smoked sausages or hotdogs. Make these for your next gathering and be prepared for rave reviews from both adults and kids alike!
For more delicious party foods, try my Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, the best Baked Artichoke Dip, and Southern Pimento Cheese!
Homemade Pretzel Dogs
Raise your hand if you’ve made the crescent roll sausages that involve two ingredients. Crescent rolls and mini sausages. Have you tried them? I think I made those weekly when my boys were little.
Now that I’m doing this food blogger thing, I thought it was time to try the homemade version, and you know what? They are 100 times better! So basically, worth the extra effort, right?
If you haven’t tried my Homemade Pretzel Bites, those are what I used to create this recipe. It’s a simple dough that rises fast. Just wrap up the sausages, boil them in a baking soda and water mixture, and then bake in the oven.
Ingredient Notes
- Yeast – This recipe calls for active dry yeast. I buy this in bulk and keep a stash in my freezer for all of my baking needs.
- Flour – I used an equal combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour. I like using some bread flour in these pretzel dogs for a chewy texture.
- Butter – Since I normally only buy unsalted butter, that’s what I use. If you want to use salted butter, you may need to cut back on the salt in the recipe.
- Sausages – I want with some smoked cheddar sausages for these, but any cooked hotdogs/sausages will work fine.
Pro-Tip: If using instant yeast, you’ll need to use 25% less yeast.
NOTE: You could make this recipe by hand instead of using a mixer. Use a large mixing bowl and a baking mat in this case.
How to make Pretzel Dogs
Step 1
Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water (100-110 degrees F) – and stir with a spatula. Let this sit for 15 minutes until the yeast is activated, or until the mixture is bubbly.
Step 2
Add remaining ingredients. To the mixer, add the melted butter and kosher salt, and stir again. Then add the dough hook and add 3 1/2 cups of flour. Start mixer and let it run, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add more flour as needed, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer.
The dough, when ready, will be slightly sticky, but you should be able to work with it. Rub some oil on your hands, and then remove the dough to a greased bowl. Use your hands to work the dough into a ball, and place it smooth side up. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel until the dough is doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes or so. (This will vary depending on the climate and the temperature inside your home.)
Step 3
Divide dough into sections. Turn the dough out onto a greased baking mat. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into about 14 equal pieces.
Step 4
Wrap the sausages/hotdogs in dough.Take one piece of dough at a time, and roll it out into a long rope (approximately three times the length of the sausage). Wrap it around the sausage, tucking both ends in slightly.
Step 5
Boil pretzel dogs. In a large stock pot, boil the water and baking soda together. While the water is boiling, carefully place two wrapped dogs into the stock pot. (They should float to the top.) Let them boil for about 30 seconds and then gently remove them using a strainer. Place boiled dogs on prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Add a little sea salt on top of the boiled dogs and then bake.
Step 6
Bake. Bake the homemade pretzel dogs for about 15 minutes (in a 425-degree preheated oven) or until they turn golden brown on the tops and cooked though.
Step 7
Brush with butter. Use a pastry brush to add a little butter to the top of the dogs after they come out of the oven.
Step 8
Cool. Remove the pretzel dogs to a cooling rack.
Recipe FAQs
Any kind of cooked or smoked sausages will work for these pretzel dogs. I went with a smoked beef sausage with cheddar cheese (because I love that little bit of cheddar inside)!
The difference between them is that the pretzel dogs get boiled in a mixture of baking soda and water before finishing in the oven.
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.
You can bake these, cool off completely, and then freeze for later. Make sure you use freezer bags for best results.
Recipe Tips for the best Pretzel Dogs
- When making the dough, use enough flour so that the dough has a slightly sticky consistency but is easy to work with.
- Use your favorite sausages for this recipe. You could even use a mixture of different versions for this recipe to suit varying preferences.
- When boiling, I simply count to 30 (rather slowly) and then start removing them. It’s best to boil just two at a time so they don’t stick together.
- Watch your oven to avoid burning. These get dark pretty quickly so just keep a close eye out. All ovens are different.
What to pair with these pretzel dogs
- DIPS – Try a simple yellow mustard (as pictured), special sauce (mixture of ketchup and mayo), a light honey mustard dressing, spicy beer cheese dip or some creamy jalapeño queso!
- DRINKS – Y’all know I love my craft beer, so that is always a great choice. For cocktails, try some frozen pina coladas, grapefruit mojitos, classic skinny margaritas, or some frozen vodka slush.
Enjoy!
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Pretzel Dogs
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water – warmed to 100-110 degrees F
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- butter for brushing
For the dogs:
- 14 cheddar sausages
- extra salt for topping
For boiling:
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water (100-110 degrees F) – and stir with a spatula. Let this sit for 15 minutes until the yeast is activated, or until the mixture if bubbly.
- Add remaining ingredients. To the mixer, add the melted butter and kosher salt, and stir again. Then add the dough hook and add 3 1/2 cups of the flour. Start mixer and let it run, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add more flour as needed, or until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer.
- Remove the dough to a greased bowl. Use your hands to work the dough into a ball, and place smooth side up. Cover dough with a clean dish towel until the dough is doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes or so.
- Divide dough into sections. Turn the dough out onto a greased baking mat. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into about 14 equal pieces.
- Wrap the sausages/hotdogs in dough.Take one piece of dough at a time, and roll it out into a long rope (approximately three times the length of the sausage). Wrap it around the sausage, tucking both ends in slightly.
- Boil pretzel dogs. In a large stock pot, boil the water and baking soda together. While water is boiling, carefully place two wrapped dogs into the stock pot. Let them boil for about 30 seconds and then remove them using a strainer. Place boiled dogs on to prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Add a little sea salt on top of the boiled dogs and then bake.
- Bake. Bake the homemade pretzel dogs in a 425 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown on the tops and are cooked though.
- Brush with butter. Remove to a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to add a little butter to the top of the dogs.
Notes
- Use your favorite sausages for this recipe. You could even use a mixture of different versions for this recipe for all the different preferences.
- 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.
- You can bake these, cool off completely, and then freeze for later. Make sure you use freezer bags for best results.
Anyone try these using half whole wheat flour?
So good and so easy! Kincaid and I were a little intimidated before we started. But the recipe was easy to follow and we had so much fun making (and eating!) them.
Hi Kelly! I’m so glad ya’ll enjoying making AND eating these pretzel dogs! 🙂