Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (2025)

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Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites-these little pretzel bites are fun to make at home and are great for parties and game day!

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (1)

Today, I am throwing it back. I am sharing the most popular recipe on our site, Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites.We shared this recipe on our blog in 2010 and it has been a HUGE hit. HUGE! Seven years later and it is still number one. Have you tried these soft pretzel bites? They areperfect forparties, snacking, and game day. We are making them for the big game on Sunday and I can’t wait.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (2)

We love making homemade pretzels, the big ones, but there is something extra fun and special about the bites. They are the perfect party food!The pretzels are soft, chewy, salty, and so good dipped in cheese sauce!

We get a lot of questions about the baking soda in the recipe. There is a ⅓ cup, yes a ⅓ cup, but the baking soda doesn’t go IN the pretzels. It is for boiling the pretzels in water. Make sure you add the baking soda VERY slowly because it will bubble up. We don’t want anyone to get burnt.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites are fun to make and fun to eat! Make them for your next party or game day! Your guests will have so much fun dipping and snacking! Enjoy!

Looking for more game day favorites? Check out our favorite recipes:

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  • Slow Cooker Vegan Sweet Potato Chili
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  • Dad’s Spicy Chili

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (3)

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (4)

This is the original photo from 2010. New photos are by Sarah Fennel from Broma Bakery.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (6)

Vegetarian

Pretzel bites are fun to make and fun to eat!

4.65 from 509 votes

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Review

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 18 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

Soft Pretzels:

For the cheese sauce:

Instructions

  • For the Pretzels: Combine the 1 ½ cups water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

  • Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

  • Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

  • Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful!

  • Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 ¼ to 4 ½ ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

  • Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.

To make the cheese sauce:

  • Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal

Keywords homemade pretzels, pretzel bites, soft pretzels

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Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites | Pretzel Bite Recipe (2025)

FAQs

How do you get salt to stick to pretzel bites? ›

A: Simple. Wet your fingers and moisten the surface of the pretzel. Sprinkle salt immediately and it will stick. I put mine in a 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

How do you make pretzel bites soft again? ›

If they harden, you can reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them soft and warm again. Freezer Storage: Make sure the pretzel bites are fully cooled, then store in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you keep soft pretzel bites warm? ›

Simply wrap all the pretzel bites tightly in foil, sealing the edges together, then place in your oven on “keep warm,” or 170F.

What is the best salt for homemade soft pretzels? ›

Ideally, you would use pretzel salt when making pretzels. But this type of salt is not always easy to find in the store. That's why many people turn to kosher salt instead. And indeed, these two types of salt have a lot in common.

What do they put on pretzels to make the salt stick? ›

Baking soda solution adheres salt to pretzel

Repeat. recommends dipping pretzel bites (or twists) in a solution of baking soda and water prior to baking them. Kitchn likewise suggests a baking soda solution, as it replaces the traditional lye.

How do you keep homemade pretzels soft? ›

Storing pretzels properly will preserve their soft, fresh, flavorful quality. First, note that open air and direct sunlight will quickly turn soft pretzels stale. To remedy this, once cooled, sprinkle some salt over the soft pretzels, then seal them in an airtight container at room temperature.

How do you make Auntie Anne's pretzels soft again? ›

Wrap pretzel in foil and bake approximately 3 minutes. Microwave Oven: If pretzel is frozen, allow it to thaw. Microwave pretzel for approximately 10-15 seconds on medium setting.

Why baking soda for soft pretzels? ›

Furthermore, we've introduced the baking soda bath. While it sounds strange, this step is what gives pretzels that iconic flavor, chewy texture, helps deepen their golden color in the oven, and locks in the super soft interior.

Why are my soft pretzels wrinkly? ›

Pretzel products naturally have moisture in them and that moisture causes the pretzel salt to melt. While the pretzel is perfectly safe to eat and will retain the salted flavor, this melting will cause the pretzel product to appear wrinkled and may get a slightly wet feel to it.

Can you freeze homemade soft pretzels? ›

If for some crazy reason you don't eat all those soft pretzels immediately, you can store them. Just cool them completely, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. You can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 1 month.

How to keep soft pretzels warm at a wedding reception? ›

Commercial pretzel warmers are the best way to keep these snacks soft and delicious. To warm pretzels at home, you can heat them in an oven or microwave, then transfer them to a ceramic bread warmer.

Should homemade soft pretzels be refrigerated? ›

Storing Freshly Baked Soft Pretzels

Room Temperature for Short-Term: Store them in an airtight container at room temperature if enjoying within a couple of days. Refrigerate for a Little Longer: Wrapped pretzels can be refrigerated for up to a week.

How do you moisten soft pretzels? ›

Drizzle a small amount of water over the pretzel so that the pretzel is moist but not soggy. Wrap your pretzel in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for five minutes. If you want a crispier exterior, leave the aluminum foil off and just place the pretzel directly on the middle rack of your oven.

How do you get salt to stick? ›

Lime or lemon juice. Rim the cup with a wedge of lime or lemon and then roll in the salt. It should stick.

How do you make salt stick to chips? ›

Finer-grained salt will adhere more evenly to the surfaces of the chips. You can use kosher salt if you have it, but you can also put that kosher salt in a spice grinder to make it finer. Either way, add it when the chips are hot and fresh out of the oil, while they are still draining.

How do you salt Pretzilla pretzel bites? ›

Depending on the serving method, you may choose to add salt to your PRETZILLA® Bites. To apply, lightly moisten the Bites with water (using a brush, spray bottle, or your hands) and sprinkle immediately with an enclosed salt packet. If heating in the oven, we recommend adding salt before heating.

How to store soft pretzels with salt? ›

To remedy this, once cooled, sprinkle some salt over the soft pretzels, then seal them in an airtight container at room temperature. Also, use parchment paper as a pretzel wrapper or barrier to keep the pretzels from sticking to one another or the surfaces of the airtight container.

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