Description
Soft, chewy, and golden brown, these homemade soft pretzel bites are a fun and beginner-friendly snack perfect for parties, game day, or cozy nights in.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil (for greasing)
- 3 quarts water
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
- Coarse sea salt (for topping)
- Optional cheese sauce: 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup milk, 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine warm water, brown sugar, yeast, and melted butter. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add kosher salt and flour, then knead with a dough hook or by hand until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Add flour as needed if too sticky.
- Grease a bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough inside, and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, then slowly add baking soda.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into a rope about 22 inches long and cut into 1-inch bites.
- Boil the bites in baking soda water for 30 seconds in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Brush bites with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.
- For cheese sauce (optional): Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, then add milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Season to taste.
Notes
- Boil baking soda slowly to avoid overflow—it foams up quickly.
- For sweet bites, skip the salt topping and coat in cinnamon sugar after baking.
- Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.
- Use parchment paper or cooking spray to prevent sticking on the baking sheet.
- Pretzel bites freeze well; reheat at 300°F for 8–10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 6-8 bites)
- Calories: 181
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg