Soft Pretzel Bite Recipe
Made with just a few basic ingredients, these pillowy soft pretzel bites are made from a simple dough that comes together by hand in one bowl. It's an easy recipe with a super short rise time (just 30 to 40 minutes!), and there's no complicated shaping or twisting required.
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
Video
Notes
Storage Instructions: These pretzel bites are best served the same day you make them, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To make cinnamon sugar pretzel bites: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter (57 grams; ½ stick) in a small bowl. Whisk together ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams) and 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon in a separate bowl. Dip each pretzel bite into the melted butter, letting any excess butter drip off, then coat generously in cinnamon sugar.