This easy soft pretzel bites recipe couldn't be quicker to make. The dough only requires 4 basic ingredients, no yeast, and very minimal kneading. Each serving contains nearly a full serving of protein, making it a hearty snack. It's also great introductory recipe for kids learning how to bake!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 32pretzel bites
Author: Lisa Ngo, Safely Delish
Ingredients
Soft Pretzel Bites
1cupall purpose flour
1 1/2tspbaking powder
1/4tspsalt
1cupplain whole milk greek yogurt (unflavored)
1/2cupwater
1Tbspbaking soda
Topping
2Tbspbutter
coarse sea salt or pretzel salt
Cheese Sauce
1/2cupmilk
1Tbspbutter, melted
1tspcornstarch
1/2cupshredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Soft Pretzel Bites
Preheat oven to 425F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium to large bowl, stir together all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add whole milk Greek yogurt, and stir until combined. The dough may seem a bit dry – this is okay.
Once your ingredients have mostly come together, dust a clean work surface with flour, and flour your hands. Remove dough from bowl with hands and work it into a ball. If your dough is too sticky, use your work surface to add more flour, little by little. When dough is ready, it should be smooth and not sticky.
Cut your dough ball in half, then cut the halves in half again. You'll have 4 equal parts of dough. Roll each of these into a ball, then roll each ball into a "rope" or "snake" shape, about 8-10 inches long.
Cut each rope into 8 pieces, to get 32 total.
Heat 1/2 cup water to boiling in a small saucepan on the stove, or in a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup. As soon as it's boiling, remove water from heat, and stir in baking soda to dissolve.
With a slotted spoon, carefully give each piece of dough a 1-3 second dip in the hot baking soda/water solution. Place onto your prepared pan (don't worry about any water drips on the paper).
Bake pretzel bites for about 10-13 minutes, or until golden brown. Before serving, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt or pretzel salt.
Cheese Sauce
Stir cornstarch into cold milk until dissolved.
For Stovetop Option: In a small saucepan, heat cornstarch/milk and butter over medium heat. Heat, stirring frequently, until sauce has begun to thicken. For Microwave Option: In a microwave safe bowl, heat cornstarch/milk blend and butter in the microwave until it just begins to boil (30-60 seconds). Remove and stir, and microwave an additional 15-30 seconds until sauce is beginning to thicken.
Remove from heat and immediately stir in cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.