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Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe

I started making these soft pretzel bites the first time I hosted a game day at my place, and I haven't stopped since. I remember being intimidated by yeast dough before this, convinced it would take all day and probably fail anyway. It didn't, and now I whip up a batch whenever I want that warm, chewy, salty bite without leaving my kitchen.
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Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 5
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups warm water — around 100°F keeps the yeast active without killing it
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast — this is what gives the dough its rise and chew
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar — feeds the yeast and adds a faint hint of sweetness
  • 1 teaspoon salt — balances the dough so it doesn't taste flat
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled — adds richness to the finished bite
  • 3 ¾ to 4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled — bread flour works too, just skip whole wheat
  • ½ cup baking soda — this is what gives the classic pretzel crust and color not the dough itself
  • 9 cups water for the baking soda bath — creates the alkaline dip that makes pretzels taste like pretzels
  • coarse salt for topping — the traditional finish, sprinkle on while bites are still wet

Method
 

  1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and brown sugar together in your mixing bowl. Cover it and let it rest for about 5 minutes until the surface looks foamy. This step confirms your yeast is alive and ready to work.
  2. Add the salt, melted butter, and most of the flour, then mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes, adding flour a little at a time if the dough feels too sticky to handle.
  3. Cover the dough loosely with a towel and let it rest for 10 to 30 minutes. While it rests, I start getting my baking soda bath going so both steps finish around the same time.
  4. Divide the dough into six pieces and roll each into a 20-inch rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut each rope into 1.5 to 2-inch pieces, and don't worry if they're not perfectly uniform, they'll still taste great.
  5. Bring the baking soda and water to a boil in your large pot. Drop 8 to 10 bites in at a time for just 10 to 15 seconds, then lift them out with a slotted spoon. This quick dip is what creates that iconic chewy pretzel crust.
  6. Arrange the bites on your prepared baking sheets and sprinkle generously with coarse salt while they're still wet. Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes, until they're deeply golden brown and smell like a soft pretzel stand.

Notes

  • I always let my dough rest the full 30 minutes when I have time, since it makes the ropes much easier to roll without snapping back.
  • I keep my flour dusting light on the work surface, because too much makes the dough slide instead of roll properly.
  • I never leave the bites in the baking soda bath longer than 15 seconds, or they start picking up a slightly metallic taste.
  • I like using a silicone baking mat instead of parchment, since I find it browns the bottoms more evenly.
  • I always make a double batch and freeze half unsalted, so I have a stash ready whenever cravings hit.