Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

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Do you like shopping? Weird question, right? Oddly enough I do not like shopping! I have not stepped foot in a mall in over 3 years, I order everything online. Between the ridiculous battles in the parking lot, screaming toddlers, and crazy people trying to grab my hand to sell me some insanely overpriced item I have absolutely no use for it just isn’t worth it. But if you don’t go to the mall then you can’t get pretzel bites…or can you? I am here today to tell you that YES you can still have your beloved Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites without all of those other hassles…. 

These are my favorites right here, Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites dunked in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar!!! If you are looking for something salty for say a game day party, give the salted version a try…..

Yes this recipe does include yeast, but it is super easy and you will be popping Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites into your mouth in a little over an hour. That’s less time than it would take you to park at the mall!!! 😉

How to make Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites:

Place the water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer…..

Mix together for 5 minutes using a dough hook until a smooth, soft dough forms…..

It will be sticky and will not form a tight ball. Dust with flour and place in a large bowl…..

Lightly cover with a towel and allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Stir until the soda is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray {Pam}. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces that weigh 3 1/4 ounces each.

Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope…..

Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces…..

I used kitchen shears to cut the pieces.

Gently place the bites into the baking soda solution in small batches and stir them around for 30 seconds…..

Batches of 12 at a time are easier to handle!

Remove the bites from the water with a strainer and place them on the prepared baking sheets…..

Sprinkle with coarse salt for salty bites or leave them plain for sweet bites…..

Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until golden brown…..

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with additional salt if desired…or roll in melted butter and toss in cinnamon-sugar…..

I made half of the Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites with salt and used them as croutons for my Beer Brat and Cheese Chowder

and the other half was coated in cinnamon-sugar!!

Recipe Notes:

• If you do not spray the parchment paper with cooking spray your pretzel bites will stick! That would be sad and a waste of perfectly good pretzel bites so use the cooking spray.
• If your dough is super wet and sticky, knead additional flour into the dough to make it workable, but not too much or you will make the dough tough!
• With no stand mixer, mix the dough together in a large bowl and knead until smooth dough forms.
• This dough can also be made in a bread machine using the “Dough” function. Remove before the rise cycle begins.

This recipe will make 72 pretzel bites. I have not included a serving size, that is up to you to determine. 😉 The nutritional data is based on the entire recipe be cinnamon-sugar coated. If you use different toppings your totals will be different.

To egg wash or not to egg wash, that is the question. I personally do not brush the top of my pretzel bites with egg before baking, I think it makes them tougher. I like a nice, soft texture but feel free to brush yours with a beaten egg if you so desire. The bonus of using the egg is that the salt sticks better, but I don’t like salt so that may help explain it as well, lol.

Tools used to create this recipe: (contains affiliate links)

• 8 quart Stockpot
• Spider Strainer
• Parchment Paper Sheets
• KitchenAid Mixer w/glass bowl and dough hook
• Baking Sheets

Some additional snacks for your next party or late night cravings:

• Taco Popcorn
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Goldfish Crackers
• Pepperoni Pizza Muffins
• Baklava Honey-Glazed Walnuts
• Irish Nachos
• Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls

I have an idea for garlic-butter and Parmesan coated pretzel bites. What do you think, yay or nay?

Enjoy!!

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites are the perfect after school or game day snack!

4.34 from 3 votes

Print Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizer, snack, game day, after school, kid friendly

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 31 minutes minutes

Servings: 72 Pretzel Bites

Calories: 31kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

1/21x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Pretzel Dough

• 1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

Baking Soda Solution

• 6 cupds water
• ⅓ cup baking soda (NOT baking powder)

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 6 Tablespoons melted butter

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Instructions

Pretzel Dough

• Place the water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Mix together for 5 minutes using a dough hook until a smooth, soft dough forms. It will be sticky and will not form a tight ball. 
• Dust with flour and place in a large bowl. Lightly cover with a towel and allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.

To make the pretzel bites

• Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Stir until the soda is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray {Pam}. Set aside.
• Divide the dough into 6 pieces that weigh 3 1/4 ounces each. 
• Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.
• Gently place the bites into the baking soda solution in small batches and stir them around for 30 seconds.
• Remove the bites from the water with a strainer and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
• Sprinkle with coarse salt for salty bites or leave them plain for sweet bites.
• Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
• Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with additional salt if desired…or roll in melted butter and toss in cinnamon-sugar.

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

• Place butter in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 30 seconds to melt. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a separate bowl.
• Remove the pretzel bites from the baking sheet and roll in the melted butter then toss with the cinnamon-sugar. 
• Serve immediately. Store any remaining bites at room temperature in a sealed container or zipper top bag.

Notes

• If you do not spray the parchment paper with cooking spray your pretzel bites will stick! That would be sad and a waste of perfectly good pretzel bites so use the cooking spray.
• If your dough is super wet and sticky, knead additional flour into the dough to make it workable, but not too much or you will make the dough tough!
• If you do not have a stand mixer, mix the dough together in a large bowl and knead until smooth dough forms.
• This dough can also be made in a bread machine using the “Dough” function. Remove before the rise cycle begins.

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 9mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg