Homemade Pretzel Bites Recipe - Step-by-Step Tutorial

Soft Homemade Pretzel Bites drizzled with a tangy raspberry honey mustard sauce are SIMPLIFIED with our step-by-step tutorial. They're easy to make and even more fun to eat!

Do you love warm, soft pretzel bites, the kind you get at the ballpark or mall and dip in a tasty sauce or cover with gooey sugar glaze?

The ones that would be perfect for parties and game day menus along with Parmesan Cauliflower Bites, Roasted Buffalo Chick Peas and a big bowl of Simple Guacamole Dip!

Well, if you make them yourself, you can use the flour of your choice and make them a little healthier!

And, they're just plain fun! My girls love to make these and I bet your kids (or the kid in you) will enjoy making them too! It's not a complicated process and much of that time is spent waiting for the dough to rise.

The wait is absolutely worth it!

Homemade Pretzel Bites - Step-by-Step Instructions

Even if you're not a baker, you'll be able to make this recipe at home. Follow these easy steps or scroll down to the video.

First, mix yeast, water and a pinch of sugar together in a glass bowl. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes or until it looks creamy when stirred. Use instant or active dry yeast.

While the yeast mixture is doing its magic, mix together flour, salt, sugar and canola oil in another bowl.

Note: Use whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour to make a healthier version of this recipe.

Add the yeast mixture to the dough mixture and knead until it is well-combined. This shouldn't be a lengthy process. Just make sure it's well-combined.

Did you do a double-take at the size? It's a very small amount of dough at this point (unless you've doubled the recipe.)

Put the dough in a bowl coated in cooking spray and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm place, such as a sunny porch. Allow the dough to just about double in size which should take about 1 hour.

The same way you make playdough into long "snakes," roll the dough into long strips that are about 1/2 inch thick. At this point, you could form the dough into a traditional pretzel. This recipe will make about 6 full-size pretzels.

Otherwise, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1/2  to 1-inch bite-sized pieces.

Next, the pretzel dough needs to be dipped into a mixture of hot water and baking soda to get its signature pretzel flavor.

Rather than boiling a pot of water, just heat the water for about 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave, until it is very hot.  Add baking soda to the hot water and carefully mix.

Use a slotted spoon to dip the pizza bites into the baking soda and water mixture and then transfer each piece of dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the soft pretzel bites, if desired. You could also brush with butter too.

Bake the pretzel bites in a 425°F oven for about 7 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

How to Make Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce

The sauce we drizzled on top of our homemade pretzels is quick and easy to make. Just combine spicy brown mustard, honey, raspberry preserves and mustard seed in a small bowl.

Not a fan of raspberry? Use the same recipe proportions with another flavor such as blackberry!

Other Dipping Sauces 

Fruity mustard sauce is just one option. Others topping for homemade pretzel bites include:

• Sugar glaze (combine about 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar with a teaspoon of water)
• Brownie Batter Dessert Hummus
• Warmed Chocolate or Nutella
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Easy Beer Cheese Dip by Cook the Story

How to Make-Ahead and Freeze 

I am very happy to report that these little gems can absolutely be made ahead of time and frozen. (As you may know, this is my sometimes successful strategy for portion control and a way to ensure some good snacks are around when I need them.)

To freeze the soft pretzel bites, you've got two options:

1. Prepare the recipe up to the point where you would cook the pretzel bites. Instead of baking, freeze them on a baking sheet and then transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Defrost and cook according to directions.
2. Make them, cook them, and freeze them, if you have any left!

Please rate this recipe and tag @DinnerMom or #DinnerMom if you make it. We love to see what you are cooking up!

Homemade Pretzel Bites and Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce Recipe

Homemade Pretzel Bites are easy to make and fun to eat! Perfect for parties, game day and snack time. 

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Rest Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Marjory Pilley

Ingredients

Pretzel Bites

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• Pinch of sugarPinch of sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water1/3 cup warm water
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup water1 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons baking soda3 Tablespoons baking soda
• Coarse or sea saltCoarse or sea salt

Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce

• 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1/4 cup honey1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon raspberry preserves1 Tablespoon raspberry preserves
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Instructions

Homemade Pretzel Bites

• Add yeast and a pinch of sugar to 1/3 cup of warm tap water. Set aside.
• Allow yeast mixture to set for about 10 minutes or until it is creamy.
• Add flour, remaining sugar, salt and oil to a large bowl and mix to combine.
• Add yeast mixture to flour mixture.
• Knead dough until thoroughly combined.
• Place dough in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cover bowl and set in a non-drafty location.
• Allow dough to rise for about 1 hour or until double in size.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pull off pieces of dough and roll into strips about 1/2 inch round.
• Using a pizza cutter, cut strips into bite-sized pieces about 1/2 to 1 inches in size.
• Microwave 1 cup of water for about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add baking soda to water and stir to combine.
• Using a slotted spoon, dip several pieces of pretzel dough at a time into the water and baking soda mixture and then place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle salt over pretzel dough, if desired.
• Bake for approximately 7 minutes or until lightly browned, but still soft.

Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce

• Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Video

Notes

You can make ahead and freeze this recipe by preparing pretzels bites, but not cooking them. Freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a plastic bag. Defrost and cook according to directions. They can also be frozen after cooking.

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Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1958mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer