Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
On Fridays, I teach cooking classes to two kids in our neighborhood. They are pretty knowledgeable-so my job is easy:) I think it is fantastic that they want to learn how to cook at such a young age-they are in the 3rd and 4th grade. Since we don’t have any kiddos yet, I am glad I get to work with these kids. We have a great time in the kitchen.
On Friday we made homemade soft pretzels,the traditional salty ones and cinnamon and sugar pretzels. We made a cheddar cheese sauce to go with the savory pretzels and a vanilla cream cheese frosting for the cinnamon sugar pretzels. The kids were pros! They did a great job rolling out the dough, twisting, boiling, and baking the pretzels.
For fun, we also made pretzel bites. everyone loved these. They are perfect for dipping and snacking. I think I will make these again on Sunday for our big Super Bowl party…and you should make them too!
Is everyone ready for the big game? I will be sharing more Super Bowl friendly recipes this week, so come on back. Here are a few favorites to start out the week:
Buffalo Hot Wings-these are Josh’s all time favorite. They are always a hit and perfect for the big game.
Chicken Smothered Nachos-we made these last year and everyone loved them. They are loaded with goodness!
Pizza Stromboli with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Cheese-the great taste of pizza in one big roll!
Black Bean Soup with Spicy Corn Muffins-perfect for serving up a crowd!
My good friend Gaby, from What’s Gaby Cooking, made Pulled Pork Sliders for the big game. Go check out the recipe-it’s a good one!
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Yield: A lot! Around 5-6 dozen
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Pretzel bites are fun to make and fun to eat!
Ingredients:
Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea saltFor the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, gratedDirections:
For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*
Recipe makes a lot of bites-perfect for sharing!
Adapted from Bobby Flay
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Welcome to Two Peas and Their Pod. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. Join us in our culinary adventures-our kitchen is always open! 
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Anyway that you’re able to replace the oil with something else? I now I could use different oil, but anything else besides oil and butter.
These. Are. Incredible! We could not stop eating them! So a batch of these feeds a family of 6, including younger kids. I suggest making a double batch if you’re even close to running low, because they are that good! Thank you for this recipe!
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I’d love to join your cooking class! Any chance you’re in southern Michigan?
Thanks for the awesome recipe. Can’t wait to try it.
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Hi Im wondering if you need the dough hook to make these I lost mine
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I just finished making these and am eating them with a salted caramel sauce… 5*
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3/4 cup of baking soda? seems like a lot!
is this an error?
Any tips for those of us who don’t have mixers and are hand kneading the dough? Are any alterations required for this? Love the blog!!
Two Peas replied: — September 13th, 2012 @ 11:14 pm
You can knead the dough by hand. You will just get a workout:)
Made these for a football game and they were delicious – thanks so much! When I started to make the cheese sauce I realized my milk was sour. I could use evaporated milk, but decided to use beer and it was really good.
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Just a quick question- even though I know this is an old post. About how many pretzel bites did this make? I’m making them tonight to bring to my work tomorrow, but I want to keep some at home, too. I need to know if I should double the recipe! Thank you!!
This looks so good! I featured your recipe in my newest blog post.
Here it is: http://thelittleowlshop.blogspot.com/2012/10/five-recipe-fridays.html
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Made these today as the inaugural use of my new stand mixer. I used less than 1/2 c baking soda (because that’s what was left in the cupboard), and after reading the comments I’m glad I did. They came out wonderful. Warm are definitely better than cooled, and I didn’t make the cheese sauce but may in the future when it’s more than the two of us gobbling them up. I’m so happy I found your Pinterest boards!
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I don’t have a stand mixer/dough hook. Can I use a hand mixer for combining butter, yeast, water and sugar…or does that get kneaded together too? Going to make these for Christmas and don’t want to mess it up. Help!
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I just found this website and was in love with the best of 2012 recipes. Last night for our New Years party we made these pretzel bites… Awesome- just like the ones you buy at your favorite sporting event… And we made the guacamole grilled cheese sandwich- again so good.
Thanks!
Two Peas replied: — January 1st, 2013 @ 5:46 pm
You are very welcome! So glad you found us!
I know this is one of your older recipes, but I made them when my friend called me the day before his NYE party and begged me to bring some snacks because all he had were frozen pigs in blankets. They were fun to make and a huge hit at the party! Great recipe, love the blog!!
Hi!
I plan on making these this weekend, but had a question about the cheese sauce.
I know it’s been a while since you made them. It looks like the sauce stayed liquid-y outside of any heated container in your photo, but I’m not sure how long that lasted. These will be made at home, brought to a party, then sit out at the party. Do you think that will be a problem (i.e. cheese sauce will get hard / lumpy / separate)? If so, I’ll just plan to bring a different dip with the bites.
Thanks!
Two Peas replied: — January 7th, 2013 @ 9:20 pm
The cheese sauce will harden as it cools or if it’s refrigerated. You can always heat it up in the microwave on on the stove. Stir it up and it should be just fine.
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Wow, I am impressed but sadly I can’t find any pic of the sweet pretzels with cream frosting. Would love to see this one!
So I made these from a slightly different recipe — almost exactly the same and they turned out very wrong… they were done on the outside and doughy on the inside… when i let them go longer, the outside just got burnt and the inside stayed not completely done… any idea what i’m doing wrong? i would really love to make these and have them work!
also, where do you find coarse sea salt? i have been looking everywhere and the closest thing i can find is the kind of salt that you put in salt grinders…
Two Peas replied: — February 2nd, 2013 @ 4:24 pm
You should try our recipe:) You can use Kosher salt if you can’t find sea salt.
just finished making these; absolutely AMAZING!! i’ve always been intimidated by baking anything with yeast. you took the guesswork and scariness completely out of the equation. the flavor, the look, and the expectation was all there. THANK YOU SO MUCH PEAS!! i’m looking at your cinnamon rolls now
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I know this is an old post, but I have a question!! I want to make these for my daughter’s NYC themed birthday party. Gotta have soft pretzels in NYC! But, with 25 girls coming, I need a bunch plus I’m doing all the food myself, so I need some things I don’t have to do day of. Anyway, is there any point where I could freeze them, so they can be do ahead? I’m kind of a clueless baker, but what I lack in ability I make up for in research and finding others to help me.
Thanks!!
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