I’m sorry friends, but your self control is going to officially fly out the window. How is anyone supposed to see homemade Soft Pretzel Bites just sitting there all golden brown and not eat the entire platter?! It’s not even fair.
I’m kind of surrounded by some serious pretzel lovers around here. Not only do I love any shape, size or texture of pretzels, my husband and my dad are avid pretzel eaters. As a kid I would notice bags of pretzels tucked away in all types of places for my dad to enjoy. The car, the kitchen cabinet, his office, they’re everywhere for him to indulge in. Then I got married and low and behold, my husband needed his salty pretzel fix too!
I can't lie to you though...being a Philly girl has basically ensured my absolute love for not just regular pretzels, but one of the iconic Philly-known foods; Soft pretzels. Yeah that's right, you can find soft pretzels all over the Philly area, and the chewy soft pretzel treat is an absolute weakness of mine. When I moved away I found myself unable to enjoy a soft pretzel unless it was from home, which made it all the more exciting to visit to head back!
I made these pretzel bites to bring to a hangout with some awesome ladies from my area. I paired the salty treat with some honey mustard dipping sauce which is usually my preferred way of eating a soft pretzel. I have to give credit to my girl Sally Mckenney from Sallys Baking Addiction for this recipe. She is always choosing recipes that seem challenging and making them doable by her viewers. This is completely how I love to share food and recipes with you all too, so I completely understand her baking style! I know making your own soft pretzels can seem intimidating, but this recipe is totally doable at home by any baker. There’s no pretzel braiding or anything complicated about this recipe. They are undoubtedly delicious with a homemade vibe, and I hope you enjoy!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yields: 4-5 dozen
Ingredients
1 ½ cups warm water
1 packet of instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter melted and cooled
3 ¾ - 4 cups flour
½ cup baking soda
1 egg, beaten
Sea salt for sprinkling
Directions
1.Mix your yeast into warm water. Allow the mixture to sit and bubble for about a minute. In a large bowl, combine your salt, brown sugar, yeast mixture and butter. Mix before slowly adding 3 cups of flour. Using a wooden spoon mix the mixture until the dough is thick. If the mixture is too sticky add up to 1 cup more flour.
2.Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead for about 3 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a greased mixing bowl for about 10 minutes.
3.While your dough is resting, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Once your dough has rested, cut a chunk of dough off and begin to roll it into a long rope. With a sharp knife cut off pieces at about ½ inches.
4.Once you have finished cutting your ropes of dough, combine 9 cups of water and ½ cup of baking soda on the stove and bring to a rapid boil. Drop about 10 pieces of your cut pretzel dough into the boiling mixture for about 20 seconds at a time. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pretzels from the mixture and place on your baking sheet, making sure they are not touching.
5. Finish the rest of your pretzel pieces before brushing with a beaten egg and sprinkling with sea salt. Bake in your preheated oven for about 14-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before enjoying with your favorite dipping sauce!
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