Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce
We are obsessed with these Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce! These buttery bites are made with bread flour for extra chewiness - perfect for dipping in a simple cheddar dipping sauce. Make this delicious recipe for your next game day, gathering with friends, or a fun night in!
Servings 10 servings
Calories 343kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon yeast
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cup warm water (413 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons butter - melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 - 4¼ cups bread flour (520-552 grams) - more or less, to desired consistency
Other:
- 8 cups water
- 8 Tablespoons baking soda
- egg wash
- coarse salt - either sea salt or kosher salt
- butter - for brushing on after baking
For cheese sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese - freshly shredded
- 1-2 Tablespoons Frank's hot sauce
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast, brown sugar, and warm water (warmed to 105-110 degrees F). Take a spatula and stir it around a couple of times. Then let it sit for about 15 minutes so that the yeast activates. The mixture get bubbly when it’s ready.1 Tablespoon yeast, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 3/4 cup warm water (413 grams)
- Add butter. Add melted butter to the mixing bowl and stir again with a spatula.2 Tablespoons butter
- Add salt and flour to desired consistency. Add 3.5 cups of bread flour and kosher salt to the mixer. Attach dough hook and let the mixer run, occasionally scraping 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.1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 4 - 4¼ cups bread flour (520-552 grams)
- Let dough rise. Grease a large bowl with oil. Remove dough from mixer and form it into a ball. Then place the dough ball in the bowl and cover it with a clean dish towel. Place bowl in a warm place in your kitchen and let rise until approximately doubled in size, about 30-35 minutes.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Prep water bath. Combine the water and the baking soda together in a large pot. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.8 cups water, 8 Tablespoons baking soda
- Shape pretzel bites. Spread a little bit of oil on a clean working surface or baking mat. Divide dough into eight sections, and roll out each section into a long rope. (See pictures.) Slice into approximate one-inch equal pieces.
- Boil bites. Gently drop about 12-15 pretzel pieces into the boiling water at a time. Cook for 15-20 seconds, and then immediately start removing them with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water as you go. Place on the prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash and a sprinkle of coarse salt, and continue with remaining dough.For this size recipe, I was able to place half of the dough bites on each baking sheet. While one batch was baking, I prepped the other half of the dough.egg wash, coarse salt
- PRO-TIP: Make sure you shake off the excess water after the baking soda bath. You can also strain them in a colander and quickly add to baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake bites in a preheated 450 degree oven for approximately 15-17 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Immediately brush with softened butter.butter
- Make pretzel cheese sauce. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until full incorporated. Then add the milk, salt, and pepper and stir until slightly thickened.Add cheese and hot sauce to the mixture and stir until cheese is completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the cheese sauce into a serving bowl.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 cup milk, 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, 1-2 Tablespoons Frank's hot sauce, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Serve. Enjoy the pretzel bites warm out of the oven with some Pretzel Cheese Dip, Light Honey Mustard Dressing, or whatever you choose. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Be careful when doing the baking soda bath. If you let the dough bite in the pot for too long, they will taste acidic. Trust me, I've done it and it's so frustrating!
- Leftover pretzel bites can be stored in an airtight container for several days. Reheat in the microwave and dip in some homemade cheese sauce!
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 3208mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 1mg