Soft Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• •1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 °F)
• •2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
• •1 tbsp granulated sugar
• •1 tsp salt
• •4 cups all-purpose flour
• •3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• •1/3 cup baking soda (for boiling bath)
• •8 cups water (for boiling bath)
• •1 egg, beaten
• •2 tbsp coarse kosher or pretzel salt
• •2 tbsp unsalted butter (for sauce)
• •2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for sauce)
• •1 cup whole milk
• •1/2 cup lager beer (such as Canadian, Molson, or Budweiser)
• •2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• •1 tsp Dijon mustard
• •1/2 tsp garlic powder
• •1/2 tsp hot sauce (such as Frank's)

Directions

1. 1Whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar in a stand mixer bowl; let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
2. 2Add melted butter, salt, and flour; knead with dough hook on medium speed for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.
3. 3Cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm spot for 45–50 minutes until doubled.
4. 4Preheat oven to 450 °F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper; lightly oil the parchment.
5. 5Divide dough into 8 equal pieces; roll each into a 20-inch rope and cut into 1.5-inch bites.
6. 6Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add baking soda carefully (it will foam), then boil bites in batches for 30 seconds, flipping once; transfer to prepared pans.
7. 7Brush each bite with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
8. 8Bake 12–14 minutes until deep mahogany brown, rotating pans halfway through.
9. 9While bites bake, melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute; gradually whisk in milk and beer until smooth and bubbling.
10. 10Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheddar, Dijon, garlic powder, and hot sauce until completely melted and silky.
11. 11Season sauce with salt to taste and transfer to a warm serving bowl.
12. 12Pile pretzel bites on a board and serve immediately alongside the beer cheese sauce.

💡 Freshly shredded cheddar melts far smoother than pre-shredded (which contains anti-caking starch that makes sauce grainy). For an alcohol-free version, replace beer with an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth plus 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. Pretzel salt is available at Bulk Barn; coarse kosher salt is a perfect substitute.

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