Soft Pretzels are such a comforting homemade appetizer, snack, or side that everyone will look forward to taking a bite of! Pair it with a homemade beer cheese dip for the ultimate game day food!
For more tasty homemade pretzels try my Ballpark Pretzel Bites which are made with frozen dinner rolls or these Pretzel Pigs In A Blanket that also bakes up in just 15 minutes!
These Soft Pretzels have a golden-brown exterior and fluffy tender inside, making for an incredibly chewy pretzel! Dip the salty snack in this creamy, thick homemade Beer Cheese Dip for the ultimate pretzel experience that’s absolutely delicious!
You’ll instantly bring appetizers to a whole new level when you serve these Pretzels and dip at Game Day parties, Oktoberfest celebrations, or board game night with friends! Though this recipe makes about 10 pretzels you’ll be shocked at how quickly they disappear!
Feel free to skip the Beer Cheese Dip and instead make a sweet version of these Soft Pretzels! To do so all you have to do is brush them with melted butter and then sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar!
Salty or sweet, they’ll still be a HUGE crowd-pleaser!
Ingredient Notes
To make this easy Homemade Soft Pretzels Recipe you’ll need warm milk, dry-active yeast, salt, light brown sugar, salted butter, all-purpose flour, baking soda, water, and coarse sea salt. Don’t let the yeast scare you away though! Between the kneading and rise time, it only adds 15 minutes to the prep time!
The Beer Cheese Dip recipe calls for salted butter, all-purpose flour, whole milk, beer, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, paprika, and shredded cheddar cheese. When it comes to choosing beer I prefer using an IPA or Belgian Wheat Ale. If you’d like, add some cayenne pepper to the Beer Cheese Dip for a kick of spice!
If you’re not up for making a homemade cheese dip (although it’s really easy – I promise!), I highly recommend serving this with your favorite mustard or Whipped Honey Butter!
How To Make Soft Pretzels and Beer Cheese Dip
- Mix warm milk and yeast together in a large mixing bowl. Then transfer to a large mixing bowl and whisk in the salt, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Gradually Add 1 cup of flour at a time to the mixture using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on medium speed. Continue adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Knead the dough on a floured work surface. Then place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper, preheat the oven, and prepare the baking soda water.
- Boil the water and baking soda in a large pot.
- Shape the pretzel dough into pretzels by cutting it into equal pieces and rolling them out into long ropes. Shape the ropes into pretzels, pressing the ends together to make sure they’re stuck down.
- Dip each pretzel in the baking soda water and allow the water to drip off. Then place them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with sea salt.
- Bake until the pretzels are golden brown.
- Melt the butter and flour together then gradually whisk in the milk until it’s smooth. Then whisk in the beer, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and paprika, and allow to bubble.
- Whisk in the cheese and serve the dip hot with the baked pretzels!
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Store Soft Pretzels
Wrap leftover pretzels individually in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also place them in the freezer for up to a month.
Reheat the pretzels by placing them in the oven at 350 degrees F. Take the pretzels out to enjoy once they’re as warm as you’d like them to be.
Substitutions
- Brown Sugar – Swap out for the same amount of white sugar if needed.
- Dijon Mustard – You can also use yellow mustard or mustard powder.
- Shredded Cheese – You can replace it with pre-shredded cheese. Though the flavor and texture are better when you shred a block of cheese yourself.
How Much Yeast Is In A Packet?
If you don’t have a yeast packet you can replace it with 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
Can I Skip Giving The Pretzels A Baking Soda Bath?
I wouldn’t recommend it! The bath makes them a lot chewier with better texture as well as enhancing their overall flavor. It’s definitely worth the extra time!
Feel free to make jumbo soft pretzels or mini soft pretzels with this recipe, you’ll just need to adjust the bake time accordingly.
These Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese Dip are a great recipe that’s always an instant hit no matter the occasion they’re being enjoyed at! Serve up another delicious appetizer that everyone will be eager to get a taste of as well!
- Pepperoni Pizza Dip – Take your favorite tortilla chips, crackers, bread, or vegetables and dip them in this deliciously cheesy appetizer!
- Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs – Only 5 minutes of prep time is needed to prepare these sweet, tangy, meatballs that everyone loves!
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – Honey, molasses, sriracha sauce, and a flavorful rub combine to coat these chicken wings and drumettes in a lip-smacking tasty sauce!
- Spicy Blood Orange Lit’l Smokies – An easy appetizer that has an Asian flair with a hint of heat that’s made right in the crockpot!
- Smoked Queso Dip (Viral TikTok Recipe) – Made with ground beef, cheese, peppers, onion, taco seasoning, cream, and cilantro!
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Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
Pretzels:
- 1½ cups warm milk
- 2¼ teaspoons dry-active yeast 1 packet
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour spoon in and then level
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 cups water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Heat the milk to 105-110°F in a large measuring cup or bowl.1½ cups warm milk
- Add the yeast to the milk and stir and allow this to sit for a few minutes so the yeast can bloom.2¼ teaspoons dry-active yeast
- Add the milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the brown sugar, melted butter, and salt.1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon salted butter, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add the flour to the milk mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing with a dough hook between each addition until the dough is no longer sticky (you may not need to use all 4 cups). Then turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it for 5 minutes by hand.4 cups all-purpose flour
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a large lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400°F, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray the sheets with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.8 cups water, ⅓ cup baking soda
- Cut dough into 10 equal pieces (use a kitchen scale for accuracy) and shape each piece into 18-inch-long ropes. Shape the ropes into pretzels. Press the ends in to make sure they are stuck down. Here's a video showing how to twist pretzels.
- Use a slotted spoon to dip each pretzel in the baking soda water for about 30 seconds. Then allow the water to drip off of the pretzel and place it on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with each pretzel then sprinkle them with sea salt.¼ cup coarse sea salt
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until golden. While these are baking you could make our cheese dip recipe.
Notes
- Storage Instructions: To store leftovers, it is best to wrap them individually with plastic wrap. Store them for up to 2 days at room temperature or freeze for up to a month. They are best reheated in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
- I don’t have yeast in a packet – how much yeast is in a packet? There are 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast in one packet.
- Is it really necessary to give the pretzels a baking soda bath? This makes a huge difference in the texture (chewier) and taste (more pretzelly) of the pretzels. It is worth the extra time.
- Could I use white sugar instead of brown sugar? Yes, just substitute the same amount.
- I don’t have Dijon mustard – what could I substitute? You could substitute yellow mustard or mustard powder.
- Can I use pre-shredded cheese? The flavor and texture will be better if you shred the cheese yourself. Pre shredded cheese has fillers added to keep it from clumping and it does not melt as nicely.
- I prefer sweet pretzels – are they made the same way? Yes, when the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar if you like.
Nutrition
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