Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites (Printable)
Soft, chewy golden bites perfect for sharing with cheese or mustard dips.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1½ cups warm water (110°F/45°C)
02 - 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Baking Soda Bath
07 - ⅔ cup baking soda
08 - 10 cups water
→ Topping
09 - 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
10 - Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
# Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy, rough dough comes together.
03 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead firmly for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed with a fingertip.
04 - Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, turning it once to coat the surface. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 30 minutes, or until doubled in volume.
05 - Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
06 - In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat slightly to maintain a steady boil.
07 - Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope approximately 18 inches long. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form individual bites.
08 - Working in batches of 10 to 12, carefully drop the dough bites into the boiling baking soda bath for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess liquid to drain, and arrange on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Brush the top of each pretzel bite generously with the egg wash. Sprinkle coarse sea salt evenly over the tops.
10 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the pretzel bites are deep golden brown and glossy.
11 - Remove from the oven and allow the pretzel bites to cool slightly on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Serve warm alongside mustard, beer cheese, or your preferred dipping sauce.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These taste shockingly close to the ones from that chain at the mall, but you made them in your own kitchen.
- The baking soda bath sounds fussy but it is the single thing that transforms ordinary dough into something unmistakably pretzel.
02 -
- If your yeast does not foam after five minutes, toss it and start over because dead yeast means flat, dense pretzels every time.
- The baking soda bath will vigorously bubble when you drop dough in, so lower bites gently and do not crowd the pot.
03 -
- Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into six even pieces so all your bites finish baking at the same rate.
- Do not skip the egg wash because it is the difference between pretzels that gleam and pretzels that look pale and tired.