Fresh Milled Pretzel Bites
Fresh milled pretzel bites are an easy, bite-sized version of classic soft pretzels! They make a fun snack served with warm cheese sauce, and are a perfect addition to parties or game day.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 397kcal
Equipment
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 110–115°F (12 oz)
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 packet
- 4 1/2 cups hard white wheat flour 590g (plus more for working)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
For Boiling
- 2 1/2 quarts water 10 cups
- 1/3 cup baking soda
Egg Wash & Topping
- 1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the warm water, brown sugar and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy.
- Add the flour, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the salt. Mix until the dough comes together, then knead for about 4–5 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough feels too sticky, add a small amount of flour until it becomes soft and workable.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 450°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large pot, combine the water and baking soda and bring it to a boil.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. Cut each rope into small pieces, about 1 inch long, to form the pretzel bites.
- Working in batches, carefully lower the bites into the boiling baking soda water for about 1 minute total, flipping about halfway through. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each piece.
- Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the pretzel bites are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Don't skip the baking soda bath or the egg wash! These steps are what set pretzels apart from other bread products, giving them a crust that is chewy, flavorful, and has a lovely bronze color.
- Be careful not to leave your pretzel bites in the baking soda bath for too long, or they can take on a metallic taste.
- Besides coarse sea salt, you can use flaky salt or pretzel salt. Regular fine sea salt will even work in a pinch (though it won't be quite as tasty).
- As always, I recommend measuring your flour by weight, not volume, for the most accurate measurement. Be sure to weigh the flour after it is milled; don't weigh the whole wheat berries.
- If you are making your pretzels ahead of time, leave the salt off at first. In storage, the salt dissolves and forms droplets of water on the pretzel bites. Right before serving them, you can brush the pretzels lightly with water, sprinkle the salt on, and bake for just a couple of minutes to reheat.