Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites with Gooey Cheddar Queso

There’s something remarkably satisfying about making soft pretzels from scratch.

In its purest form, pretzels are simply bread. They just happen to be loaded with butter and get plunked into a baking soda bath before taking a ride in the oven.

But if you’re like me and tend to lean towards cooking over baking, the idea of making “bread” may seem daunting. Don’t be scared. We’re in this together. And if I can do it—you can too.

Also, seeing ingredients go from water, yeast, sugar, and salt to a plate of puffy, golden-brown, salt-speckled snacks is somewhat of a miracle which makes breaking out the stand mixer and dough hook totally worth it.

The beauty of this bread-like recipe (other than the fact that it doesn’t take a scientist or expert baker to put it together) is that there’s no fancy twisting involved. I mean, unless you’re having a dance party in your kitchen.

And I’ll be honest, soft pretzels and cheese definitely make me want to party.

It just takes a few quick rolls of the hand to transform this dough into long, fluffy ropes. From there, a couple of swift cuts and you’ve got yourself a pile of pretzel nuggets.

Word to the wise: if you’re using a sharp dough scraper to make your slices (which I highly recommend), don’t let its ease fool you into thinking you should speed up the process.

Letting your excitement take over will affect proper measurement and form, and you’ll end up with some pieces of dough that are perfectly bite-sized and others that are in the shape of North Carolina.

If this is your first time preparing pretzels by hand, you might be wondering why they get a two-step cooking process. Here’s the low-down.

As each piece of dough floats around in its bubbly water bath, its interior begins to “puff” and the exterior crust starts to form. You know that distinctive chew that all soft pretzels have? It’s there because someone took the time to give them a quick bath.

And the baking soda? That’s where they get their glossy crust and characteristic flavor. The baking soda turns the water from neutral to alkaline and thus, a browning reaction can now happen more rapidly.
I’m not a fan of chemistry, but when carbs and cheese are involved—I’m all in.

And speaking of cheese, nothing bad ever came from doubling a queso recipe (or even adding chilies to it). I reach for a cheddar-American combo, but tossing pepper Jack into the mix for a hint of spice is always smiled upon.

Gooey cheese sauce aside—the big question still remains.

Can you still make these yeasty treats by skipping the baking soda boil? Sure. But they’ll end up sad and pale—kind of how Midwesterners look from January to March.

Moral of the story? Always bathe yourself, and your pretzels.


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Chef’s Tips

1. 1. If you don’t have a thermometer to determine the temperature of the warm water for the dough, use this method: Turn your kitchen faucet hot enough so that when you put your hand in the water, you get a hot sting, but can still leave your hand under the stream. Allow that water to sit for about 30 seconds and it should be right around 110° to 115° F.
   2. For a sweet version of these bites, sub in cinnamon-sugar for the flaky salt and cream cheese icing for the queso.
   3. For homemade pretzel rolls, cut and shape the dough into squares and follow the rest of the recipe as-is.
   4. Sharp cheddar tends to create a grainy sauce, so stick to a milder variety in order to achieve the right consistency. You can also sub in other good melting cheeses like pepper Jack or provolone for a variation on the flavors.

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Cooking By the Numbers – BEGINNER FRIENDLY STEPS WITH PHOTOS…

Step 1 – Make the Dough

Warm 1 ½ cups of water to 110° to 115° F. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast, so it’s best to use a thermometer here.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the water, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to sit until the mixture begins to foam, about 5 minutes.

Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat and then bring it to room temperature. Add the melted butter to the bowl with the yeast and begin to mix on low speed.

Slowly add in the flour, about ½ cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky and comes together. Turn the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 more minutes.

Step 2 – Rise the Dough, Roll, and Cut it

Remove the dough and wipe out the bowl. Rub the bowl with the vegetable oil and then place the dough back inside. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and place it somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes. The warmer the area is (like on top of a preheated oven), the faster the dough will rise.

Preheat the oven to 425° F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Cut the dough into 6 sections.

Roll each section into a long rope (about 20-inches long).

Then evenly cut into bite-size pieces about 1 ½-inches each. You can use a knife, but a sharp dough scraper works great here because you can also scoop up multiple bites with it and transfer them right into the water.

Step 3 – Boil the Pretzel Bites

In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts of water (about 12 cups) to a boil with the baking soda.

Working in batches of about 8-10 at a time, carefully drop the pretzel bites into the water, and cook until they puff up about 20 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

Step 4 – Brush the Pretzel Bites with Egg Wash, Sprinkle with Salt, and Bake

Brush each pretzel bite with egg wash.

Sprinkle generously with the flaky salt.

Bake until the pretzels are golden-brown, about 15 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 5 – Make the Queso and Serve

Meanwhile, prepare the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepot over medium-low heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. When it begins to foam, whisk in 2 tablespoons of the flour and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. This is a roux. Adding the milk turns the sauce into a basic béchamel and adding the cheese makes it a mornay.

Slowly add in the milk, whisking vigorously as you pour.

Bring the sauce to simmer and whisk occasionally until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the cheeses, Worcestershire, and cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the pretzel bites warm with the hot cheese sauce.

These Puffy Pockets are True Party Pleasers.

Nothing revs up a party like a snack that doesn’t need utensils. Break out the napkins and dive hand-first into these other righteous recipes where forks and knives aren’t required:

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Greek Spinach and Cheese Parcels (Spanakopita)
Zucchini Bites
Authentic Cheese Antojitos

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