Cheesy Pretzel Bites

            I cannot even remember the first time that I had pretzels with cheese. I remember that I was one of those people who turned up my nose at the thought of cheese and pretzels. Now, I admittedly am hooked on these tasty little niblets. These are a great addition for parties or even as appetizers on game days!

            This is one of our most popular recipes for appetizers and snacking. The thrill of seeing that you managed to make your own pretzels is just unbelievable. Don’t worry, this is actually a two part recipe, but it is so easy to follow and create this heaven sent treat, you may want to make it all the time. There is no need to make the dough and let it sit while it is rising. You can have the pretzels ready to cook in 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I just use the store bought pretzels?

No, the store bought pretzels are hard and crunchy. That defeats the idea of soft pretzels with cheese.

Can I buy the can of cheese sauce from my local grocer?

You could, however, homemade cheese sauce is what takes this recipe over the edge. Buying the ingredients from the store gives you hard pretzels in a processed cheese sauce.

Can I store the Pretzel bites?

I feel that they are best eaten the same day. If you need to though, store them at room temperature. Storing in the refrigerator could make them soggy.

What ingredients do you need for Cheesy Pretzel Bites

1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp brown sugar

¼ cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

2 ½ to 3 cups flour

4 tsp baking soda

4 tbsp unsalted, melted butter

1 to 2 tbsp coarse salt

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

6 cups water

How to make Cheesy Pretzel Bites

FIRST STEP:

In a bowl combine yeast, 1 tsp brown sugar and the warm water.

Let that sit for 5 to 8 minutes, until it becomes foamy

SECOND STEP:

In a second bowl, combine the warm milk and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved

Add the 2 ½ cups flour and the milk mixture to the yeast mix.

THIRD STEP:

Knead the dough until a soft elastic ball is formed.

If the dough is too sticky, you can add up to ½ cup additional flour

FOURTH STEP:

Put the dough into a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size. This should take 2 hours.

Flip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal portions.

FIFTH STEP:

Roll out one section until it is a 12 inch by 4 inch rectangle

With the long side facing you, place ¼ cup of the cheese into the bottom third of the dough

SIXTH STEP:

Roll this up as tightly as you can

Cut into 12 1 inch pieces and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper

SEVENTH STEP:

Repeat with the remaining three sections

Let sit, uncovered for 30 minutes.

EIGHTH STEP:

Preheat the oven to 400*

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add in the baking soda and lower the heat down to a simmer

With the seam side down, carefully boil the pretzel dough, carefully flip the dough after 10 seconds.

Poach for another 10 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon.

NINETH  STEP:

Place back on the baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with all dough bites

Bake at 400* for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

TENTH STEP:

When done baking, brush each pretzel bite with melted butter and sprinkle with the coarse salt.

Serve warm with a honey mustard dipping sauce.

Enjoy!