Description
Homemade soft pretzel bites served with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, perfect as a savory snack or appetizer. These golden-brown pretzels have a chewy texture and are coated with coarse salt, paired with a rich, velvety cheese dip made from mild cheddar, making them irresistible for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Bites
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 2 ¼ tsp instant rise yeast (¼ oz packet)
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup baking soda
- 1 egg (beaten)
- ½ tbsp water
- Coarse salt (for sprinkling)
Cheddar Cheese Sauce
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese (grated)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp ground mustard powder
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add lukewarm water and instant yeast, then whisk together until combined.
- Mix dough ingredients: Add melted butter, brown sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture; whisk until thoroughly blended.
- Add flour to form dough: Attach the dough hook to the mixer, turn on low speed, and slowly incorporate 3 cups of flour in increments until the dough begins pulling away from the bowl sides; if sticky, add additional flour by ¼ cup until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Knead and rest the dough: Place dough on a floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Prepare baking soda water: Bring a large pot of water and baking soda to a rolling boil in preparation for boiling the pretzel bites.
- Shape pretzel bites: Divide the rested dough into six equal parts, roll each into 1-inch-wide ropes, and cut each rope into 1 ½-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Boil pretzel bites: Boil each dough piece for 20 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon, placing them about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Apply egg wash and salt: Beat egg with water in a small bowl. Brush this egg wash on each pretzel bite and sprinkle with coarse salt to enhance flavor and color.
- Bake pretzels: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the pretzel bites are a deep golden brown.
- Make cheese sauce base: Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and whisk continuously until smooth and lump-free to form a roux.
- Add milk and thicken: Increase heat to medium, slowly whisk in milk, and cook for about 5 minutes while whisking frequently until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Incorporate cheese and seasonings: Stir in grated cheddar, salt, pepper, and ground mustard powder until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth. Adjust seasoning as desired.
Notes
- Ensure water is lukewarm (about 110°F) to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- Boiling pretzels in baking soda water before baking gives them their characteristic chewy crust and distinctive flavor.
- Use mild cheddar for a creamy, smooth cheese sauce, but feel free to experiment with sharper varieties for more flavor.
- Keep an eye on the pretzels in the oven to prevent over-browning; golden brown is the ideal color.
- This recipe can be doubled, but bake the pretzel bites in batches to avoid overcrowding the baking sheets.
