Description
Soft Pretzel Bites are chewy, golden brown, and perfectly salted bite-sized pieces of classic pretzel dough. This recipe uses a baking soda bath to achieve that signature pretzel crust and is ideal for snacking or serving with mustard or cheese sauce.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) warm water (around 100°F / 38°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool
- 3 and 3/4 – 4 cups (469-500g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled, plus more for hands and work surface
Topping & Bath
- Coarse salt or coarse sea salt for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup (120g) baking soda
- 9 cups (2,160ml) water
Serving
- Spicy cheese sauce or your favorite mustard
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or dough hook attachment. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add salt, melted butter, and 3 cups (375g) flour. Beat on low for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl, then add 3/4 cup (95g) flour. Beat on low until dough pulls away from sides, about 2 minutes. If sticky, add remaining 1/4 cup flour and beat another minute.
- Knead the dough: Switch to dough hook if using mixer, and knead for 5 minutes. Alternatively, knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Add flour sparingly if dough is too sticky—aim for a soft, slightly tacky dough. The dough should bounce back slowly when poked and pass the windowpane test to confirm enough kneading.
- Rest the dough: Cover the dough lightly with a towel and let it rest for 10-30 minutes while preparing the baking soda bath.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper lightly greased with nonstick spray or butter. Set aside.
- Shape the dough: Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Lightly flour the work surface and roll each piece into a 20-inch rope. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes if it resists stretching. Cut each rope into 1.5–2 inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
- Baking soda bath: Boil 9 cups water with 1/2 cup baking soda in a large pot. Place 8-10 pretzel bites into boiling water for 10-15 seconds—do not exceed 15 seconds to avoid metallic taste. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain excess water, and place on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle coarse salt on wet pretzels or leave plain if using cinnamon sugar topping. Repeat for all bites. Optionally, refrigerate boiled pretzel bites up to 24 hours before baking.
- Bake: Bake pretzel bites for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.
- Storage: Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat by microwaving for a few seconds or baking at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes to restore softness.
Notes
- If the dough resists rolling into ropes, resting it for 10 minutes allows the gluten to relax, making shaping easier.
- Using silicone baking mats is preferred over parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- You can customize toppings by swapping coarse salt with cinnamon sugar for a sweet variation.
- Boiled pretzel bites can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking for convenience.
- Reheating pretzel bites in the oven restores their texture better than microwaving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
