Jalapeño Popper Cheesy Pretzel Bombs

By 1For_Him

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 12 ounces warm beer (110°-120°), (Or milk or water)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting counter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more for pretzel tops
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar cheese)
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeños
• 12 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces

Details

Adapted from theslowroasteditalian.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°. Pour beer into the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle yeast over top, add sugar and stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl combine cheeses, bacon and jalapeños. Mix together well. In a small bowl beat egg, set aside. Sprinkle clean counter top with ¼ cup flour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Add flour and salt to mixer. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough comes together in one ball. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time, if bread is too sticky. Place dough on floured counter top and knead in flour until it is no longer tacky. Form dough into a ball. Divide into 36 pieces.

Fill a medium (4 cup) bowl with 2 cups of hot water and add baking soda. Place baking sheet, baking soda water and cheese mixture on the counter that you are working on.

Roll each dough piece into a ball and then flatten it into a circle. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture in the center. Pull each side over the cheese, pinching the edges closed. Roll the dough into a ball. Be careful to make sure you can not see the cheese through the dough. Set aside and repeat until you have 3 stuffed dough balls. Transfer 3 stuffed dough balls to hot water mixture and allow to set while you prepare the next 3. Prepare the next 3 dough balls. Remove dough balls from water with a slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheet. Place 3 newly prepared balls into the water and prepare 3 more. Repeat until all dough balls are on the cookie sheet.

Arrange all pretzel balls on parchment so they are not touching. Brush egg wash onto each one and sprinkle with course salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the tops are browned. The cheese may escape some of your pretzel bombs. Scoop all that cheesy goodness up onto the plate and serve.