Soft Pretzel Bites

By Venzie

Ingredients

• For the pretzels:
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups (562.5 to 625 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1 whole egg
• Coarse sea salt
• Cinnamon Sugar:
• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melte
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• For the cheese sauce:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 7
Adapted from garnishwithlemon.com

Preparation

Step 1

about 7 dozen bites Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 1 hour 55 min

For the pretzels:
Combine the water, honey, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the dough hook and add the salt then gradually add the flour on low speed. Knead on medium speed for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough appears very wet and sticky, add up to a 1/2 cup additional flour, a little at a time. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Make ahead: the pretzel dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen in an airtight container for three months. Thaw frozen dough in the fridge overnight. Refrigerated dough can be shaped into pretzels while still cold, but allow some extra time for the pretzels to puff up before dipping and baking.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope 22 inches long. Cut the rope into 1 to 2-inch pieces to make bites. Cover the dough while bringing 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large shallow pot. Gradually add the baking soda.

Boil the pretzel bites in the baking soda water in batches of 15, for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon to the prepared baking sheet. Make sure the bites aren’t touching.

In a small bowl beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of the bites with the egg wash. If making savory bites, sprinkle generously with the sea salt. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Make ahead: allow bites to cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 250°F oven until warmed.

If making sweet bites with cinnamon sugar, brush all over with the melted butter before sprinkling with cinnamon sugar. Toss to coat. If making savory bites, let cool for 5 minutes before serving with the cheese sauce.

For the cheese sauce:
While making the pretzels, begin the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened. Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.