Easy Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce (Egg Free, Nut Free, Yeast Free)
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!
Servings: 32 pretzel bites
Ingredients
Soft Pretzel Bites
- 1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup plain whole milk greek yogurt (unflavored and unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp baking soda
Topping
- 1-2 Tbsp butter
- coarse sea salt or pretzel salt
Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup shredded 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. *If using low fat or nonfat Greek yogurt, you'll likely need more flour.*
- Once the 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, 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon at a time. When dough is ready, it should be smooth, 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 an even "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 the water is boiling, remove from heat, and stir in baking soda to dissolve.
- With a slotted spoon, carefully give each piece of dough a 2-3 second dip in the hot baking soda/water solution. Place onto your prepared pan (don't worry about any water drops on the paper–they'll bake off).
- 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.