With a crisp, salty outside and dense, chewy inside, these Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce elevate snack time. From-scratch pretzels and melty cheese make a snack the whole family will love!
A Snack You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into
You know that feeling when you first bite into a homemade pretzel? So soft and chewy inside and just the right amount of salty crust on the outside. Oh my gosh, y’all. It reminds me of being at a ballgame! Definitely one of my favorites! And these Soft Pretzel Bites are from-scratch pretzels done right. Served with a melty cheese sauce, they’re the perfect soft pretzel recipe. These are great for serving during game time or any time you have a hungry crowd. I use these pretzel bites in the Game Day Board from my Beautiful Boards cookbook and The Big Game Spread from my Spectacular Spreads cookbook. They’re so versatile! Although the recipe is easy, the dough takes about an hour to rise, so make sure you factor that into your planning. Let’s get started!
How to Make Soft Pretzel Bites
In a large bowl, add the yeast and sugar. Gently pour the warm water over it and let proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the melted butter and then stir in the flour and salt until well combined. Using well-floured hands, form dough into a moist ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bring 7 cups water and 1/3 cup baking soda to a slight boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium low.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set a wire rack over another baking sheet.
Once dough has doubled in size, divide into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 cup each. Place portions of dough back into the greased bowl and cover with the damp cloth while you work with one portion at a time.
Roll and stretch a portion of dough into a 20-inch rope with your hands. Cut the dough into about one-inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Repeat with two more portions of dough. You will want to make the pretzel bites in two batches (3 portions of dough and then the remaining 3 portions of dough)
Gently place about 15 of the pretzel bites at a time into the hot baking soda solution, for about 15 seconds, and then transfer to the wire rack. Repeat process with 15 more bites of dough until you’ve boiled all of the bites from the first three portions of dough.
Transfer boiled pretzel bites to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together one egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the egg wash all over the tops and sides of each pretzel bite and immediately sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt.
Place baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake pretzel bites until golden, 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. While first batch of pretzel bites are baking, prepare the other three portions of dough into boiled bites so they’re ready to go in the oven when the first batch comes out.
How to Make the Cheese Sauce
First, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour and then slowly whisk in the milk. Continue whisking until it comes to a slight simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Add in the cheese and stir frequently until melted.
Serve immediately or keep warm over low heat so it stays melty until you’re ready to serve it. Whisk in additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the cheese sauce starts to thicken.
If you make these Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Soft Pretzel Bites
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 120 pretzel bites
Description
With a crisp, salty outside and dense, chewy inside, these Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce elevate snack time. From-scratch pretzels and melty cheese make a snack the whole family will love!
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast (2–1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water (110°F)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
- 2–1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Other Ingredients:
- 7 cups water
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons water
- coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the yeast and sugar. Gently pour the warm water over it and let proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the melted butter and then stir in the flour and salt until well combined. Using well-floured hands, form dough into a moist ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Bring 7 cups water and 1/3 cup baking soda to a slight boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium low.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set a wire rack over another baking sheet.
- Once dough has doubled in size, divide into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 cup each. Place portions of dough back into the greased bowl and cover with the damp cloth while you work with one portion at a time.
- Roll and stretch a portion of dough into a 20-inch rope with your hands. Cut the dough into about one-inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Repeat with two more portions of dough. You will want to make the pretzel bites in two batches (3 portions of dough and then the remaining 3 portions of dough)
- Gently place about 15 of the pretzel bites at a time into the hot baking soda solution, for about 15 seconds, and then transfer to the wire rack. Repeat process with 15 more bites of dough until you’ve boiled all of the bites from the first three portions of dough.
- Transfer boiled pretzel bites to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together one egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the egg wash all over the tops and sides of each pretzel bite and immediately sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt.
- Place baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake pretzel bites until golden, 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time.
- While first batch of pretzel bites are baking, prepare the other three portions of dough into boiled bites so they’re ready to go in the oven when the first batch comes out.
- Serve with cheese sauce (see recipe).
Cheese Sauce
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
Description
With a crisp, salty outside and dense, chewy inside, these Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce elevate snack time. From-scratch pretzels and melty cheese make a snack the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk, plus more if needed
- 8 ounces deluxe American cheese slices, cut into smaller pieces
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and then slowly whisk in the milk. Continue whisking until it comes to a slight simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Add in the cheese and stir frequently until melted.
- Serve immediately or keep warm over low heat so it stays melty until you’re ready to serve it. Whisk in additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the cheese sauce starts to thicken.
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