Description
Delicious homemade soft pretzels served with a creamy cheese dip.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
- 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup baking soda (for boiling)
- 1 large egg yolk + 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
- Coarse sea salt (for topping)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the Pretzel Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it begins to foam. Stir in salt and sugar. Slowly add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer it to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. This is a great moment to preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the Pretzels: Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-22 inch rope and shape it into a pretzel by forming a U, crossing the ends, and pressing them down into the base.
- Boil the Pretzels: In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a boil. Carefully drop each pretzel into the boiling water for 30 seconds, one or two at a time. Remove with a slotted spatula and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Brush each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until beautifully golden brown.
- Make the Cheese Dip: While the pretzels bake, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Stir in the shredded cheddar, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Continue stirring until smooth and creamy.
Notes
- Serve the warm pretzels with the hot cheese dip—and watch them disappear.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel with cheese dip
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg