The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

The best buttery soft pretzel bites are crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, and so much better than takeout. After making these many times, I discovered the trick to perfect pretzel bites every time. Keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy and Ham and Cheese Croissant Recipe.

What You'll Need for The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
• Melted butter, for brushing
• Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
• Optional: Mustard, for serving
• Optional: Cheese sauce, for serving

How to Make The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

1. Step 1: Combine warm water, yeast, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add flour and mix until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add melted butter to the dough and knead for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Step 3: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch thick. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
5. Step 5: Boil pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Step 6: Sprinkle pretzel bites with coarse sea salt or pretzel salt. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Step 7: Brush pretzel bites with melted butter and serve with mustard or cheese sauce for dipping.

Storing & Reheating The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Pretzel bites can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated before boiling and baking.

Freezing The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Freeze uncooked pretzel bites for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before boiling and baking.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat pretzel bites in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 5-7 minutes. Microwave: Reheat pretzel bites in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, but be careful not to overheat and make them soggy.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a chewier pretzel bite, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Best substitution: All-purpose flour can be substituted for bread flour, but the texture may not be as chewy.
• Make-ahead: Pretzel bites can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated before boiling and baking.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to make more or fewer pretzel bites.
• Troubleshooting: If your pretzel bites are hard, you may have overcooked them or used too much flour. Try reducing the cooking time or using less flour next time.

The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

⏱

Prep

20 mins

🍳

Cook

20 mins

⏳

Total

40 mins

🍽

Serves

8 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda

Seasonings

• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
• Melted butter, for brushing
• Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Optional Toppings

• Mustard, for serving
• Cheese sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine warm water, yeast, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add flour and mix until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add melted butter to the dough and knead for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Step 3: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch thick. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces to form the pretzel bites.
4. Step 4: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
5. Step 5: Boil pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Step 6: Sprinkle pretzel bites with coarse sea salt or pretzel salt. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
7. Step 7: Brush pretzel bites with melted butter and serve with mustard or cheese sauce for dipping.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a chewier pretzel bite, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Best substitution: All-purpose flour can be substituted for bread flour, but the texture may not be as chewy.
• Make-ahead: Pretzel bites can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated before boiling and baking.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to make more or fewer pretzel bites.
• Troubleshooting: If your pretzel bites are hard, you may have overcooked them or used too much flour. Try reducing the cooking time or using less flour next time.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze uncooked pretzel bites for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before boiling and baking.
• Oven reheat: Reheat pretzel bites in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 5-7 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat pretzel bites in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, but be careful not to overheat and make them soggy.
• Make ahead: Pretzel bites can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated before boiling and baking.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 220
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 5g
• Carbs: 38g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 2300mg
• Cholesterol: 15mg
• Sat. Fat: 3g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!