Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites (Printable)
Soft, chewy golden pretzel bites with classic baking soda bath and coarse salt topping.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
02 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Baking Soda Bath
07 - 2/3 cup baking soda
08 - 10 cups water
→ Topping
09 - 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
10 - Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir gently and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough comes together.
03 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed with a fingertip.
04 - Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
05 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil over high heat. Keep at a steady boil while shaping the pretzel bites.
07 - Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope approximately 18 inches long. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form individual bites.
08 - Working in batches of 8 to 10, carefully drop the dough bites into the boiling baking soda bath for 20 to 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess liquid to drain, and arrange on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Brush each pretzel bite generously with the egg wash. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the tops while still wet.
10 - Bake at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the pretzel bites are deep golden brown.
11 - Allow the pretzel bites to cool slightly on the baking sheets. Serve warm with mustard, beer cheese, or your preferred dipping sauce.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The baking soda bath sounds fussy but it is the one step that gives you that authentic pretzel skin and you will feel like a wizard doing it.
- They go from dough to table in just over an hour, which means you can decide to make them on a whim for a movie night.
- Freezing them after baking works beautifully, so you can stash a batch for surprise guests who always show up hungry.
02 -
- The baking soda bath will foam aggressively when you first add the soda, so use your biggest pot and add it slowly to avoid a volcanic overflow on your stovetop.
- Do not skip or shorten the boiling step. Those thirty seconds are what build the chewy exterior crust, and bites that skip the bath bake up looking and tasting like plain dinner rolls.
03 -
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling with a knife rather than scooping directly, which packs in too much flour and makes the bites dry and heavy.
- A stand mixer with a dough hook saves your arms during kneading, but doing it by hand lets you feel exactly when the dough transforms from rough to silky and elastic.