Description
Indulge in the warm, chewy goodness of soft pretzel bites paired with a creamy, gooey cheese dip. Perfect for game nights or cozy movie marathons, these bites are sure to impress!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup of warm water (around 110°F)
- 1 packet of active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 10 cups of water (for boiling)
- 2/3 cup of baking soda
- coarse sea salt (for sprinkling)
- 2 tablespoons of butter (for cheese dip)
- 2 tablespoons of flour (for roux)
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of warm water (around 110°F) and 1 packet of active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it’s foamy.
- Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Gradually add in 3 cups of all-purpose flour, mixing until a dough forms. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rope about 1 inch thick, then cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
- In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil and add 2/3 cup of baking soda. Carefully drop the pretzel bites into the boiling water in batches for about 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the pretzel bites with coarse sea salt before baking them for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to make a roux, cooking for about 1 minute.
- Slowly add 1 cup of milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. You can add more cheese if you like it extra cheesy!
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel bite with cheese dip
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: Make sure your yeast is fresh! If it doesn't foam after 5 minutes, your yeast may be expired. For a fun twist, try adding spices to the cheese dip, like garlic powder or smoked paprika. Experiment with different types of cheese for the dip, like pepper jack for a spicy kick or Gouda for a smoky flavor.