Description
A delightful recipe for soft pretzel bites served with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F / 43°C)
- 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Sesame seeds (or coarse salt)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for cheese sauce)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for cheese sauce)
- 1 cup whole milk (warm)
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- Pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika (optional, for heat)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
- Stir in melted butter and salt. Gradually add flour until a soft dough forms.
- Knead on a floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour (until doubled).
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Punch down dough and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each into a rope about ½-inch thick.
- Cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pot, bring 10 cups water + baking soda to a boil.
- Drop pretzel pieces in batches (about 30 seconds each), then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush pretzel bites with egg wash.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds (or coarse salt).
- Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour to make a roux, cook 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in warm milk until smooth and thickened.
- Stir in shredded cheddar until melted and creamy.
- Season with mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Arrange pretzel bites on a platter with cheese sauce in the middle.
- Serve warm and enjoy the gooey, cheesy dip!
Notes
- For a spicier cheese sauce, add more cayenne or smoked paprika.
- These pretzel bites are best served fresh but can be reheated in the oven.
- Experiment with different types of cheese for the sauce.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 pretzel bites with sauce
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 60mg