These pretzels bites are so incredibly amazing. They are soft and chewy, and SO comforting!

They are great for football parties, holiday parties, or an easy snack (they can be warmed up from frozen!). They taste so good, that no one will believe that you made them yourself!

You may notice that my bites do not have salt on them. I have to be honest, I am not a big fan of salt on my pretzels. I usually brush it off.

The pretzel dough consists of just a few ingredients.

Let’s talk Yeast. I have to admit, I just started baking with yeast this year. It seemed intimidating at first. However, once I got used to it, I realized some of the very tasty things I could make with it (ex: cinnamon rolls and pizza crust…recipes coming later).

I actually have to credit Sally’s Baking Addiction for helping me feel more comfortable using yeast. That is where I found this recipe.

Another note: I let the dough hook on my stand mixer do the kneading for me. If you do not have a dough hook, or would prefer to do it by hand, that is perfectly okay!

Once the dough is ready, you will need to start rolling it out. I have tried a few different methods, and I have decided the best way for me is to do it is to grab small sections and roll them between my hands into ropes.

(I realized how much all of that time playing with Play-doh came in handy)

You can use a sharp knife or a dough cutter to cut the dough into one inch sections. They do not have to be perfect, the dough is very forgiving!

This next step is very important! You must drop the bites into boiling water with baking soda for 20 seconds. This will help them “poof out”, and will make them even more soft!

I recommend cooking them on a silicone baking mat. This will ensure they don’t stick, and are cooked evenly.

They turn out so magically golden brown, it will hard to resist them right out of the oven!

My favorite way to eat them is with warmed up pizza sauce. However, they also go great with nacho cheese and spicy mustard (I like to serve them with all three!).

Pretzel Bites

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 packet of instant yeast
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T butter, previously melted- room temperature
• 3 – 5 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, beaten (optional)
• coarse sea salt (optional)

Optional Dips

• Pizza Sauce
• Nacho Cheese Sauce
• Spicy Mustard

1. In a glass measuring cup, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir for about a minute, until most of the yeast is dissolved. There may still be some small clusters.
2. Pour yeast mixture into a mixing bowl for a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Add brown sugar and melted butter. Mix until combined.
3. Slowly begin adding 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Keep the mixer at low. If the dough is sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour. Turn the mixer onto a medium-low setting, and allow it to knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until the dough bounces back at you.
4. Place the dough in a large mixing bowl that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats, or something else to ensure they won’t stick.
6. Begin taking sections of the dough and rolling it into ropes. Cut those ropes into 1 inch sections using a sharp knife or dough cutter.
7. Boil 9 cups of water along with baking soda. Drop small batches of bites into the dough at a time (6-8) and remove after 20 seconds using a slotted spatula. Place on prepared baking sheet. Try to make sure the bites are not touching each other.
8. If you would like, brush egg of each bite and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Freezing Tips

Although it is possible to freeze the dough, my preference for freezing the bites is to cook them as directed above, allow them to cool throughly, and place them in a freezer safe ziploc bag. They will remain good in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, place in the oven (from frozen) at 300 degrees for a few minutes, or until warm. 

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction