Soft pretzels, in all their forms, are my favorite snack without exception. There are plenty of tasty options to cure a snack craving, but nothing beats biting into a warm, chewy, salty pretzel. For me, it’s best with plenty of mustard.
*Mustard is optional if you must be technical about it — but I always want a good smear, whether it’s a whole-grain artisan mustard or plain yellow squeeze-bottle kind.
I’ve eaten soft pretzels from stadium heat lamps, German street carts, mall food courts and the microwave. Some were better than others, but the classic German pretzel still stands out. It’s hard to ruin a soft pretzel; even a mediocre one will do the job. Truly excellent homemade pretzels, though, are something else entirely — they belong in the “best you’ll ever have” category.
One of the great things about making pretzels at home is choosing how dark you bake them. I like mine deep brown, almost on the edge of overdone: chewy on the outside while staying soft inside. If you prefer less chew, bake until golden rather than deep brown. Either way, they’re fantastic.
For this recipe I shape the dough into ropes and cut bite-sized pieces. If you prefer traditional twisted pretzels, you can shape them that way, but rolling and cutting yields quick one- to two-bite pretzels, which I love. Bite-sized snacks are irresistible — small portions can feel like fewer calories and encourage second helpings.
Topping these little pretzels with garlic butter elevates them to a new level. The butter soaks into the crust and leaves the pretzels rich, garlicky, and finger-licking good. Serve them warm with napkins nearby; people will be compelled to lick the buttery salt from their fingers after every bite.
If you bring a platter of these to a party, a cooler of iced root beer or spritzers, and a stack of napkins, you’ll be the most popular host. My kids’ friends request these all the time — I always say yes.
Garlic Butter Soft Pretzel Bites
Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe!
Yield: A bunch
Ingredients for dough:
- 4 cups (about 1 pound 1 ounce) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon non-diastatic malt powder (preferred) or sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup hot tap water
- 2 teaspoons SAF or instant yeast
Ingredients for pretzel boil:
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
Ingredients for toppings:
- 1 egg white, whisked until frothy
- Coarse sea salt, kosher salt or pretzel salt
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted and mixed with 1/2–1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (or 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic)
To Make the Dough by Hand:
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, malt powder or sugar, and yeast. Stir in the milk and hot water until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface and knead, adding small amounts of flour as needed so it doesn’t stick. The dough should be fairly slack and slightly tacky — soft but smooth, not firm. Place in a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled and puffy, about an hour.
To Make the Dough by Stand Mixer:
In the mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, salt, malt powder or sugar, and yeast. Mix on low to combine. With the mixer running on low, pour in the milk and hot water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky. Remove the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled and puffy, about an hour.
To Make the Dough by Bread Machine:
Place the milk, water, flour, malt powder or sugar, and yeast into the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Use the “Dough” or “Dough Only” cycle and allow it to complete.
To Form Pretzel Bites:
Line two 11×13-inch baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and cut it into four pieces with a bench knife. Keep three pieces covered while you work with one. Roll each piece into a rope about the thickness of two thumbs pressed together. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between pieces and rows for expansion. When all pieces are cut, cover the pans with tea towels and let them rest in a warm place until puffy, about 20 minutes.
To Cook the Pretzels:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a stainless steel or other non-reactive pan. Add the baking soda once the water is boiling. Gently lower the pretzel pieces into the boiling water, a few at a time without crowding. Let them simmer for about 45 seconds, flip and simmer another 45 seconds to 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to lift and drain each piece, then return them to the baking sheet. Continue until all pieces are boiled.
Brush each piece with the frothy egg white and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for at least 15 minutes until golden brown; bake longer if you prefer a deeper brown and chewier crust.
Remove from the oven and brush generously with the garlic butter. If you have extra garlic butter, toss the baked pretzels in a large bowl with the remaining butter so each piece is coated.
Serve warm or at room temperature. These are wonderful with classic yellow mustard or your favorite dip.
Garlic Butter Soft Pretzel Bites
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- Ingredients for dough:
- 4 cups bread flour 1 pound 1 ounce, by weight
- 1 tablespoon non-diastatic malt powder or sugar preferably
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup hot tap water
- 2 teaspoons SAF or instant yeast
- Ingredients for pretzel boil:
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- Ingredients for toppings:
- 1 egg white whisked until frothy
- Coarse sea salt kosher salt or pretzel salt
- 6 tablespoons butter melted, mixed with 1/2–1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (or 1/4 tsp granulated garlic)
Instructions
-
To Make the Dough by Hand:
-
Whisk flour, salt, malt powder or sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in milk and hot water until a soft dough forms. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and slightly tacky. Place in a bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about an hour.
-
To Make the Dough by Stand Mixer:
-
Combine dry ingredients in the mixer bowl with the dough hook. With the mixer on low, add the milk and hot water and mix until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about an hour.
-
To Make the Dough by Bread Machine:
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Add liquids, flour, malt powder or sugar, and yeast to the bread machine pan in the order your machine recommends. Select the Dough cycle and allow it to run.
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To Form Pretzel Bites:
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Roll dough into ropes about the thickness of two thumbs pressed together. Cut into 1-inch pieces and place on lined baking sheets with room to expand. Cover and let rest until puffy, about 20 minutes.
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To Cook the Pretzels:
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Bring water to a boil in a non-reactive pan, add baking soda, and gently simmer the pretzel pieces for about 45 seconds per side (45–60 seconds after flipping). Drain with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
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Brush each piece with egg white, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake until golden brown, at least 15 minutes. Bake longer for a deeper brown and chewier exterior if desired.
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Remove from oven and brush with garlic butter. Toss with any remaining butter for even coating.
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Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy with mustard if you like.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if needed.
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