Soft Pretzel Bites
Made with just a few basic ingredients, these soft pretzel bites are made with a simple dough that comes together in one bowl. This is an easy recipe with a super short rise time (just 30 minutes!) and great for beginners!
This recipe is a bite-sized version of my favorite soft pretzels, except these pretzel bites are much easier because there’s no complicated shaping or twisting.
If you’re new to baking with yeast, this recipe is honestly the perfect place to start. The dough is mixed together in one bowl and only takes about three minutes to knead. It also doesn’t require multiple rises, just a quick 30 minutes to rest!
These pretzel bites do need a quick baking soda bath before they’re baked, but the extra step is worth it! They bake up perfectly golden brown, with a soft, chewy texture that’s almost impossible to resist.
I’ve even included instructions on how to make cinnamon sugar pretzel bites if you’re craving something sweet rather than salty!
Recipe Video
The Best Flour To Use
I prefer making these homemade pretzel bites with bread flour. It has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which results in more gluten development. That extra gluten makes the pretzel bites chewier (like a regular pretzel!) and helps them hold their shape better. You can use any brand you prefer, but my personal favorite is Gold Medal.
If you only have all-purpose flour on hand, that works too! You can replace the bread flour with an equal amount of all-purpose flour, just keep in mind that the pretzels will be softer and fluffier.
How To Proof Your Yeast
This step is important because it ensures that the yeast is alive before you add in the rest of the ingredients. If you don’t proof the yeast and it’s no longer good, your pretzel dough won’t rise and you’ll have to throw out the entire batch.
To proof the yeast, all you have to do is mix it with a little warm water and sugar. The sugar feeds the yeast and encourages it to activate. Keep in mind that if your water is too hot, it can kill the yeast. 110-115ºF is the perfect temperature!
After about five minutes, the yeast should be foamy like the picture above. If yours isn’t foamy, you’ll need to start over.
Tip: An instant read thermometer will make it MUCH easier to test the temperature of your water. I use mine all of the time, it’s great for grilling and making candy too.
Tips For Making These Soft Pretzel Bites
- Knead the dough long enough. It should take about 3 minutes to create a smooth, elastic dough that you can form into a ball. If you’re not familiar with how to do this properly, King Arthur Baking has a great tutorial on how to knead dough. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook if you prefer, but I personally like to knead it by hand.
- Use a measuring tape to ensure your pretzel bites are the right size. To create the bites, you’ll roll pieces of the dough into long strips, then cut the strips into 1 ½-inch pieces. While you could just eyeball this entire process, I prefer to use a measuring tape so they’re all the same size. This is both for presentation and to make sure everything bakes evenly.
- Don’t skip the baking soda bath! This gives them their classic flavor, chewy texture, and helps them brown. Just make sure not to let them sit in the baking soda bath for too long. If you do, your pretzels will have a strong metallic taste. A quick 10 to 15 seconds is all they need!
- Add an egg wash. This is technically optional, but it helps them brown even more in the oven.
- Keep a close eye on them. These won’t take very long to bake, so make sure to watch them. Mine usually only take about 10 to 12 minutes to fully brown and cook through.
What To Serve With Them
Whether you make these sweet or savory, there’s so many delicious sauces that are perfect for dunking these into. A few of my favorite savory options are beer cheese dip, nacho cheese sauce, queso, mustard, or some olive oil with balsamic vinegar.
If you prefer a sweeter option, some Dulce de leche, vanilla icing, Nutella, Salted caramel sauce, or hot fudge sauce would be delicious!
Don’t forget to leave a comment below letting me know what you thought of this recipe. I’d love to hear if you sprinkled yours with salt or coated them in cinnamon-sugar, or maybe you tried both?! Enjoy!
Soft Pretzel Bite Recipe
Ingredients
Pretzel Bites
- 1 cup warm water (240 ml; 110°F to 115°F)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 grams)
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons; 7 grams)
- 3 cups bread flour spooned & leveled (375 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (28 grams; ¼ stick)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Baking Soda Bath
- 9 cups water
- ½ cup baking soda (125 grams)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional Toppings
- Coarse salt or pretzel salt
- Melted butter
Instructions
- To make the pretzel bites: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the warm water and sugar together. Gently stir in the yeast and allow to stand for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy.1 cup warm water,1 tablespoon granulated sugar,1 package active dry yeast
- Add 2 cups (250 grams) of bread flour, the melted butter, and salt to the yeast mixture and stir until well combined. Mix in 1 more cup (125 grams) of bread flour until just combined. If needed, you can use your hands to work it together. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour, just be careful not to add too much.3 cups bread flour,2 tablespoons unsalted butter,1 teaspoon salt
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. You can also place the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead the dough on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough and allow it to rest in a warm area for 30 minutes.
- To make the baking soda bath: Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Pour the 9 cups of water and baking soda into a large pot over medium-high heat and stir until well combined.9 cups water,½ cup baking soda
- Using a knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a rope about 15-inches in length.
- Cut each rope into smaller pieces that are about 1 ½ inches long, you should end up with 10 pieces per rope.
- Once the water and baking soda has come to a boil, use a slotted spoon or stainless steel skimmer to carefully lower a few of the pretzel bites into the boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds (make sure not to let them sit any longer or they will develop a strong metallic taste!). Gently lift the pretzel bites out of the water and allow any excess water to drip off.
- Transfer the pretzel bites to the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one. Repeat with the remaining pieces of pretzel dough.
- To make the egg wash: Add the egg and water to a small mixing bowl and whisk or beat well with a fork. Brush the top of each pretzel bite with the egg wash, then top with coarse sea salt (if you plan to coat them in cinnamon and sugar, you can skip the salt).1 large egg,1 tablespoon water,Coarse salt or pretzel salt
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (I usually bake mine for 11 to 12) or until baked through and golden brown. If you cut your pretzel bites into smaller pieces, you will need to reduce the baking time slightly.
- Remove the pretzels from the oven and brush each one with a little melted butter, if desired. Allow to cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!Melted butter
