Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (2024)

By Jill Baird · Published June 23, 2023 · Updated February 15, 2024 · 2 Comments

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This Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe makes chewy and perfectly soft pretzel bites. To get the best homemade pretzel bites, just follow these easy step by step instructions. You can get your favorite soft pretzel bites without ever leaving your kitchen!

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (1)

If you're wondering what to serve with soft pretzels, try our homemade Cheese Fondue, Alfredo Sauce, or Homemade Marinara Sauce.

Jump to:
  • Homemade Pretzel Bites
  • Recipe Variations for Homemade Pretzel Bites
  • How To Make Soft Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites:
  • Dips To Serve With Soft Pretzel Bites
  • How To Proof Yeast
  • How To Shape Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
  • Ingredients In Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
  • Pretzel Bites
  • Other Bread Recipes we love!

Homemade Pretzel Bites

The secret to getting that firm skin and definitive “pretzel flavor” is all thanks to the poaching step, which has unfortunately scared off many a potential pretzel-maker. If you still want that true pretzel flavor but don’t want to mess with a caustic lye solution and rubber gloves, then this recipe is for you!

We've got your back. All you need is baking soda, water, and a little extra time. They make the best weekend treat or game-day snack.

This recipe is perfect for making soft pretzel or pretzel bites. You can make them the classic salted pretzel flavor or switch it up a bit and make them cinnamon sugar, garlic parmesan, or another favorite pretzel flavor.

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (2)

Recipe Variations for Homemade Pretzel Bites

  • Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites: For a sweet twist, brush the pretzel bites with melted butter, then sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar over the top before baking.
  • Parmesan Garlic Pretzel Bites: Add some savory flavor by brushing the pretzel bites with melted butter and minced garlic, then sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese over the top before baking.
  • Everything Bagel Pretzel Bites: Give your pretzel bites an everything bagel flavor by brushing them with melted butter and sprinkling a mixture of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic powder, and onion powder over the top before baking.
  • Jalapeno Cheddar Pretzel Bites: For a cheesy and spicy twist, mix finely chopped jalapenos and shredded cheddar cheese into the pretzel dough before rolling into bites. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt before baking.
  • Pesto Pretzel Bites: Add some Italian flavor by brushing the pretzel bites with melted butter and spreading a mixture of pesto and grated Parmesan cheese over the top before baking.

How To Make Soft Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites:

Cinnamon sugar pretzels are one of those nostalgic treats that you can never say no to. They’re buttery, sweet and so delicious straight from the oven.

To make cinnamon sugar pretzels, mix and shape the dough as directed above. The only differences are:

  1. Before baking, brush with egg wash but do not sprinkle with sea salt.
  2. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool just enough so that you can handle them. Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and brush it onto your pretzels, then toss them one at a time in a mixture of 1 cup of sugar to 4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Enjoy!

Dips To Serve With Soft Pretzel Bites

These homemade soft pretzels are so yummy just straight from the oven (or maybe also smothered in melted butter…let's get real). But who doesn’t also love a soft pretzel dipped in cheesy, buttery goodness? Here are a few of our recommendations:

  • Honey Butter
  • Garlic Butter
  • Cheddar Queso Dip
  • Pepper Jack Queso Dip
  • Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (3)

How To Proof Yeast

First things first. There are two main types of dry yeast that you will find at the grocery store - instant yeast (or quick rise) and active dry yeast.

Without getting into too much of the science, instant yeast is specially manufactured so that it can just be dumped into your dries and mixed.

Active dry yeast, on the other hand, needs to be woken up, or “proofed.

Don’t be scared! Proofing yeast really couldn’t be more simple. All you need to do is combine your active dry yeast with warm water or milk and a touch of sugar, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature until it starts to get nice and bubbly.

That’s it - now your yeast is awake and happy and you can use as directed in your soft pretzel recipe. If the yeast never bubbles and foams, it’s likely “dead” and you will want to start over with new yeast. Much better to know sooner rather than later!

How To Shape Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

  1. Cut the dough ball into 4 pieces.
  2. Take each piece of dough and begin rolling them into long logs on the counter. (Hint: if you “bang” the dough on the counter as you roll, they will naturally get longer and longer.)
  3. Keep going until you reach about 18 inches.
  4. Use a sharp knife some kind of sharp edge to cut the pretzels into 1" pieces. (You can make these bigger or smaller depending on the size you want your pretzel bites to be)
Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (5)

Ingredients In Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

  • Water- your water to proof yeast should be warm (95-105 degrees F) in order to wake up the yeast.
  • Sugar- yeast loves sugar, and helps it get nice and bubbly.
  • Yeast- we use active dry yeast for this recipe.
  • Flour- you can use either all-purpose or bread flour, or even a combination of both.
  • Salt- salt is extremely important for both the flavor and structure of any breads so be sure not to skimp!
  • Baking Soda and Water- this poaching bath gives your pretzels that authentic pretzel flavor, without having to use a caustic lye solution.
  • Eggs- use whole eggs whisked with a little water to make your egg wash.
  • Pretzel Salt - this is much coarser than normal salt and is rectangular shaped, which helps it stick to the pretzels. If you can’t find true pretzel salt, coarse sea salt with work just fine.

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (6)

Print

Pretzel Bites

Ths Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe makes chewy and perfectly soft pretzel bites. To get the best homemade pretzel bites, just follow these easy step by step instructions. You can get your favorite soft pretzel bites without ever leaving your kitchen!

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

rising time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 people

Calories 161kcal

Ingredients

Pretzel Dough

  • 1 ½ cups Warm Water slightly warm to the wrist (95-110 degrees F)
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Yeast active dry yeast or instant is fine
  • 3-3 ½ cups Flour bread flour or all-purose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Salt

Pretzel Poaching Liquid

  • 6 cups Water
  • 6 teaspoon Baking Soda

For Egg Wash

  • 1 large Egg
  • 2 Tablespoons Water

For Salted Pretzels

  • 2 Tablespoons Pretzel Salt or Course Salt

For Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

  • ¼ cup Sugar
  • 2 teaspoon Cinnamon can reduce to 1 ½ if it seems too strong

Instructions

How To Make Pretzel Bites Dough

  • Proof your yeast by adding the warm water, sugar, and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well, and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy.

  • When the mixture looks nice and bubbly, add 2 cups of the flour and your salt, and mix on low speed using the dough hook. Add in the rest of your flour, ½ cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (you may not need to use the full amount).

  • Once all of your flour has been added, mix on low to knead the dough for another few minutes, then turn off the mixer and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, or about 1 hour.

  • After your dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide into 9 equal balls. Cover the dough balls loosely with a kitchen towel and let them relax for about 2 minutes.

How to Shape Pretzel Bites

  • Cut the dough ball into 4 pieces.

  • Take each piece of dough and begin rolling them into long logs on the counter. (Hint: if you “bang” the dough on the counter as you roll, they will naturally get longer and longer.)

  • Keep going until you reach about 18 inches.

  • Use a sharp knife some kind of sharp edge to cut the pretzels into 1" pieces. (You can make these bigger or smaller depending on the size you want your pretzel bites to be)

Cooking Pretzel Bites

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. At the same time, make your baking soda bath by combining the water and baking soda in a large pot and set it on high heat to bring it to a boil.

  • While the water starts to heat, you can shape your pretzels as directed above.

  • When your poaching water is boiling, add 6-7 pretzel bites at a time and poach for 20 seconds. Flip them over and poach for another 20 seconds. Do not over boil them! Remove them from the water using tongs or a slotted spatula and place on a baking tray.

  • As soon as all of your pretzel bites are poached, whisk together the egg and water in a small bowl. (I found it easiest to just dip the pretzel bites into the egg mixture and take out with a slotted spoon) Place on a baking sheet and then sprinkle the pretzel salt, or coarse sea salt, over the tops.

  • Bake for 15 minutes, or until the pretzel bites are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

How To Make Buttery Soft Pretzels

  • If your thing is buttery, Auntie Anne style soft pretzels, we hear ya! The secret is to brush the top of each pretzel with melted butter once they are fresh out of the oven. Let them cool for just a minute or two so that more of the butter has a chance to stick.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 2097mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg

Other Bread Recipes we love!

  • Classic French Bread
  • Homemade White Bread
  • Homemade Crescent Rolls
  • Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
  • Rustic Cheddar Cheese Bread
  • Pull Apart Garlic Bread
  • Homemade Soft Pretzels
  • Stuffed Crust Pizza
  • More Bread Recipes

Ths Soft Homemade Pretzel Bites Recipe makes chewy and perfectly soft pretzel bites. To get the best homemade pretzel bites, just follow these easy step by step instructions. You can get your favorite soft pretzel bites without ever leaving your kitchen!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lea

    Delicious! Easy to make!

    Reply

  2. Sam

    Yum, these pretzels were delicious and easy to make!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

But it's the distinctive "pretzel" flavor that makes this bread extraordinary. That comes from dipping the shaped dough in an alkaline solution — traditionally a small amount of food-grade lye dissolved in water — before baking.

What is the secret solution for Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

Instead, they mix hot (but not boiling) water with baking soda until the baking soda dissolves, then dunk the pretzels in that solution prior to baking. According to The Daily Meal, the baking soda solution slapped onto each pretzel is what gives them that signature Auntie Anne's crust.

How do you make pretzel bites soft again? ›

Using the oven

If you're reheating your pretzel in the oven, follow these steps: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle a small amount of water over the pretzel so that the pretzel is moist but not soggy. Wrap your pretzel in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for five minutes.

How do you keep soft pretzel bites warm for a party? ›

Simply wrap all the pretzel bites tightly in foil, sealing the edges together, then place in your oven on “keep warm,” or 170F.

What's the difference between a pretzel and a soft pretzel? ›

Soft pretzels are large and have a chewy texture. They're usually served individually and are commonly sold at concession stands, restaurants, and bakeries. Meanwhile, hard pretzels are small and crunchy and can be eaten by the handful, depending on their shape.

Does Auntie Anne's use lye or baking soda? ›

Well, the cheery ladies were very clear with me: they do NOT use lye. No sodium hydroxide/poison/caustic soda—none whatsoever—in their pretzels. (They do, however, dip their pretzels in a baking soda solution.)

Why baking soda for soft pretzels? ›

Like lye, baking soda is an alkaline substance, and when mixed with water and brushed over the pretzel dough, it changes the pH of the dough and gelates the surface starch. In the oven, the starch gel hardens and the alkaline baking soda makes browning happen fast.

Does Auntie Anne's fry or bake their pretzels? ›

Products sold at Auntie Anne's franchise locations are baked fresh in-store. In order to provide you with a great Auntie Anne's experience at home, we use the same proprietary blend of flour used in our stores.

How do you store soft pretzels so they don't get soggy? ›

Refrigerating soft pretzels can turn them soggy and affect their flavor. Freezing pretzels, however, will help retain their texture and softness. You can freeze most food that's properly stored indefinitely, and the food will still be safe to eat.

Why are my soft pretzels bitter? ›

Why Do My Pretzels Taste Bitter? If your pretzels have any sort of a metallic, bitter taste, it all comes down to the baking soda bath.

What makes soft pretzels shiny? ›

Combine the baking soda with warm water in a 2-quart baking dish and stir until dissolved. Gently dip each “rope” into the soda solution. This alkaline solution is what gives the pretzels their signature dark brown, shiny crust and distinctive flavor.

Can I keep pretzel bites warm in a crockpot? ›

Keep warm – You can stack a good amount of pretzels in the slow cooker and the foil will help distribute the heat. Check them every once in a while and if they seem to be drying out, sprinkle a little water into the bottom of the slow cooker.

What do you eat with soft pretzel bites? ›

What pairs well with soft pretzels?
  1. Creamy smoked Gouda cheese dip (recipe below)!
  2. Mustard: yellow, honey, dijon, or whole grain.
  3. Beer cheese dip.
  4. Warm marinara sauce.
  5. Garlic aioli.
  6. Ranch dressing.
  7. Hummus.
  8. Spicy sriracha mayo.

How to keep soft pretzels warm at a wedding reception? ›

Commercial pretzel warmers are the best way to keep these snacks soft and delicious. To warm pretzels at home, you can heat them in an oven or microwave, then transfer them to a ceramic bread warmer.

What gives pretzels their unique taste? ›

The answer lies in a brief dip in an alkaline water bath before baking. This bath essentially gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel, preventing it from fully “springing” during baking (as bread does) and giving pretzels their signature chewy crust. It also gives them their unique and indelible “pretzel” flavor.

What makes a pretzel roll taste like a pretzel? ›

Lye-dipped pretzels, or in this case, pretzel buns, have a distinctive flavour that is both savoury and slightly bitter. The lye, a strong alkaline solution, is used to give the pretzels their characteristic dark brown colour and chewy exterior.

Why does pretzel bread taste different? ›

They're Boiled, Not Baked.

The dough is first shaped into a long rope and then boiled in water before being baked at a higher temperature than bread. This process creates a distinctive pretzel shape and gives them their unique taste.

What is unique about pretzel dough? ›

Soft pretzels are just a yeast bread is that formed into a pretzel shape. The one big difference in pretzel making, as opposed to a regular bread, is that pretzels are boiled and then baked. It is the boiling that gives the outside of the pretzel its beautiful golden brown color and uniquely crisp and chewy texture.

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