Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites Recipe: Soft, Chewy Snacks

Soft, chewy, and beautifully browned, these sourdough discard pretzel bites are irresistible and surprisingly simple to make. They’re a great reason to keep a sourdough starter on hand. Whether you top them with coarse pretzel salt or toss them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar, you’ll be impressed with the results.

sourdough discard soft pretzel bites in a bowl with mustard and queso

Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

Sourdough discard pretzel bites are an excellent first project if you want to use discard without committing to long fermentation schedules. You’ll get that subtle tang of sourdough combined with the familiar soft pretzel texture.

These bite-sized pretzels are perfect with mustard, queso, honey mustard, or any dip you enjoy. They’re ideal for game day, snacks, or a cozy appetizer.

A hand dipping a sourdough discard pretzel bite into mustard.

You’ve likely heard that pretzels must be boiled before baking. That’s partially true: the boil changes the dough’s surface pH and helps form the characteristic chewy crust. A simple simmer in water with baking soda gives a golden crust, but there are ways to deepen the color and intensify the traditional pretzel look.

To achieve a richer, darker brown without using lye, try “baking” your baking soda. Spread 1 cup of baking soda on a foil-lined sheet pan and bake at 250°F for one hour. Let it cool completely, then funnel it into an airtight jar for storage. This baked baking soda will darken your pretzels more than a standard baking soda boil and gets you close to the classic German pretzel color, while staying safer than lye.

If you want authentic Bavarian mahogany color with a blistered, chewy exterior, food-grade lye is the traditional route. Lye can be intimidating, but many home bakers use it safely by following precautions. Instead of simmering, you dunk the dough briefly in cold lye water. If you choose this method, follow safety procedures closely:

Wear gloves and safety goggles
Always add lye to cold water (never add water to lye)
Use a glass or plastic bowl to mix the lye solution
Avoid leaning over the bowl while adding lye
Carefully dispose of lye water down the drain and wipe surfaces with vinegar afterward to neutralize residues

About Your Sourdough Discard

Sourdough discard varies in hydration depending on how long it’s been stored. Older discard tends to be more liquid, while recent discard is firmer. If your discard is fresh and stiff, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water to reach the right dough consistency. Add water slowly and work it in fully before deciding whether more is necessary.

For salt toppings, use a coarse salt that resists melting in the oven. Pretzel salt is ideal if you have it; if not, extra-coarse sea salt works but may taste slightly different and can melt more during baking. Alternatively, skip the savory topping and toss warm bites in melted butter and cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat—kids tend to love that option.

A plate of cinnamon sugar pretzel bites on a table with a napkin.

Recommended equipment for making pretzel bites:

Half sheet pans
Silpats or premium parchment
Slotted spoon
Dutch oven or large non-reactive pan (if boiling)
Glass mixing bowl (if using lye)

Below is a concise overview of the recipe, ingredients, and method to create about 32 pretzel bites. The dough yields soft, slightly tacky bread dough that’s sturdier than most sandwich doughs. Adjust water carefully to achieve the right feel.

Pretzel bites prepared three ways on a white plate.

From left to right in the photo: a standard baking soda boil, a baked baking soda boil, and a lye dunk. The baked baking soda gives excellent color close to lye, but lye still creates the most blistered, chewy exterior.

Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

Rebecca Lindamood

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

These chewy, mahogany-brown sourdough discard pretzel bites are fantastic warm. Serve with nacho cheese, mustard, or melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

Yields approximately 32 pretzel bites.

Equipment

bench knife and/or dough scraper
silpat or premium parchment paper
half baking sheet pan
slotted spoon

Ingredients

Ingredients for dough:

4 cups bread flour 1 pound 1 ounce by weight
1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 ounce or 14 grams by weight
2 teaspoons SAF or instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unfed sourdough starter 4 ounces or 113 grams by weight

Ingredients for pretzel boil:

2 quarts water
1/2 cup baking soda See notes (or 40 grams of food-grade lye)

Optional toppings:

2 tablespoons pretzel salt
melted butter
cinnamon sugar

Instructions

To Make the Dough:

In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or in a bowl by hand), combine the flour, kosher salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix briefly to combine. With the mixer on low, add the milk and sourdough starter and mix until a smooth, slightly tacky dough forms. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until nearly doubled and puffy, about 1 hour.

To Form the Pretzel Bites:

Line two half-sheet pans with silpats or premium parchment and set aside.
Turn the dough onto a clean surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about twice the circumference of your thumb. Cut the ropes into 2-inch segments and roll each into a ball.
Place the pretzel bites on the prepared sheets with room to expand. Cover with tea towels and let rise until puffy, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Option 1: Baking Soda Boil

Bring 2 quarts of water to a simmer in a non-reactive pan. Add the baking soda. Working in small batches, gently lower pretzel bites into the simmering water and let them cook for about 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to drain and return them to the baking sheet.

Option 2: Lye Dip

In a glass or plastic bowl, add 2 quarts of very cold water and carefully stir in 40 grams of food-grade lye. Wearing gloves, lower several pretzel bites into the solution for 15 seconds, flip, then leave another 15 seconds. Drain and return them to the sheet pan. Follow safety precautions when handling lye.

To Bake:

Sprinkle pretzel salt on each bite to taste. Bake at 400°F until golden brown, at least 10 minutes; for deeper color, bake 12–15 minutes depending on your oven.
Let the bites rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Store at room temperature in a non-airtight container (a bowl covered with a towel or a paper bag) for a couple of days and reheat briefly before serving if desired.

Notes

You may need to add additional water. Starter hydration, ingredient measurement method, room humidity, and elevation all affect dough hydration. If the dough feels too stiff, wet your hands slightly and work small amounts of water into the dough until it feels right.

The dough should be sturdier than typical sandwich dough but not crumbly. Use the texture descriptions above as a guide and adjust as needed.

You can use either standard baking soda or baked baking soda for the boil. Baking and cooling baking soda darkens the resulting crust and approximates the appearance of a lye pretzel without using lye.