Pretzel Bites are a universally loved snack, cherished for their perfectly chewy texture and versatile flavor. Whether you crave the classic savory crunch of coarse salt or the sweet warmth of cinnamon sugar, these bite-sized delights offer endless enjoyment. Pair the salted version with a rich, creamy cheese sauce, or indulge your sweet tooth by dipping cinnamon sugar pretzels into a decadent cream cheese glaze. Get ready to create bakery-quality treats right in your own kitchen!

The Ultimate Homemade Pretzel Bites: Better Than the Bakery!

There’s something incredibly satisfying about a warm, soft pretzel, and when they come in irresistible bite-sized pieces, it’s pure magic. My family’s newfound obsession with the iconic pretzel bites from Auntie Anne’s® sparked a mission this past summer: to replicate that soft, buttery perfection at home. After countless mall trips and ever-increasing requests from my kids, I knew it was time to master my own recipe.

And I’m thrilled to say, I’ve finally perfected the ultimate Homemade Pretzel Bites recipe. These aren’t just any pretzel bites; they are exceptionally soft, infused with rich butter, perfectly salted with that signature crisp exterior, and they practically melt in your mouth. The best part? They’re incredibly easy to make, saving both time and money compared to frequent trips to the mall. Plus, the sheer joy and aroma of freshly baked pretzels filling your home is an experience no store-bought version can ever match. Prepare yourself for an irresistible snack that will become a family favorite!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Pretzel Bites

Crafting delicious Pretzel Bites requires only a handful of common pantry staples, making this recipe accessible for most home bakers. If you’re familiar with baking yeasted breads like French bread, White bread, or Honey Whole Wheat Bread, you likely have most of these on hand. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving that signature pretzel texture and flavor.

• Milk: For a richer flavor and a more tender crumb, whole milk is highly recommended. However, 1% or 2% milk will also work, yielding slightly less rich results. The milk adds moisture and helps activate the yeast effectively.
• Water: Warm water is essential for activating the yeast. It should be warm to the touch (like bathwater, around 105-115°F / 40-46°C) but not hot, as excessively hot water will kill the yeast. Test it on your wrist; it should feel comfortable, not scalding.
• Honey: This ingredient provides a subtle sweetness that beautifully complements the savory notes of the pretzels. Beyond flavor, honey also acts as food for the yeast, encouraging it to bloom and create a light, airy dough.
• Yeast: You can use either instant or active dry yeast. Instant yeast is generally faster as it doesn’t require proofing beforehand, while active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm liquid first to activate. Be mindful that active dry may slightly extend the rise time.
• Flour: While all-purpose flour can be used, bread flour is superior for pretzel bites. Its higher protein content leads to stronger gluten development, resulting in a chewier texture that is characteristic of authentic pretzels. Using bread flour will give you the best, most authentic pretzel-like chew.
• Salt: Salt is integral to both the flavor of the dough and the classic topping. A pinch within the dough enhances its taste, and coarse salt sprinkled on top provides that iconic savory crunch.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is used twice in this recipe: a portion is incorporated into the dough for richness and tenderness, and the remaining melted butter is brushed generously over the baked bites for a glossy finish and luscious flavor.
• Baking Soda: This is the secret to achieving that deep golden-brown crust and distinct pretzel flavor. A quick dip in a boiling water and baking soda bath before baking creates the ideal alkaline environment for the Maillard reaction, giving pretzels their unique characteristics.

How To Make Soft and Chewy Pretzel Bites

Making homemade pretzel bites is a rewarding process that’s simpler than you might think. Follow these key steps to achieve perfect, golden-brown delights every time:

1. Activate Yeast: In a medium bowl, combine warm water, warm milk, yeast, and honey. Allow this mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes. It should become creamy and foamy, indicating the yeast is active and ready. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be inactive, or the water/milk temperature was incorrect, and you’ll need to start again.
2. Form Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine the bread flour and salt. Create a well in the center and pour in 1 tablespoon of melted, cooled butter, followed by the activated yeast mixture. Using a paddle or dough hook, mix on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Gradually add up to ¾ cup more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough gathers around the dough hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Knead & Rise: Once the dough comes together, knead it on low speed in the stand mixer for 5 minutes. Alternatively, knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, spray a large bowl with cooking spray, and turn the dough to coat it. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place (around 70°F) for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
4. Shape Bites: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large sheet pan (15×21-inch) or two smaller pans with silicone baking mats or lightly greased parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece, keeping the others covered, and roll it into a long, even rope about 20-22 inches in length. Cut the rope into 1.5-inch bite-sized pieces and place them on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Baking Soda Bath: While shaping the last few ropes, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add ¼ cup of baking soda and whisk until fully dissolved. Carefully place about 8 pretzel bites at a time into the boiling water for exactly 10 seconds. Use a large slotted spoon to remove them, tapping gently against the pot edge to drain excess water, then return them to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat this process until all pretzel bites have been bathed. Ensure they are spaced out, not overlapping, but can be relatively close.
6. Bake to Golden: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and use a pastry brush to generously coat all the pretzel bites. If making savory pretzels, sprinkle them with coarse salt. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top, lightly browned on the bottom, and thoroughly baked through. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and whether you’re baking multiple batches.
7. Serve & Enjoy: For extra buttery bites, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush them over the pretzels immediately after they come out of the oven, adding a touch more salt if desired. Serve these delicious Pretzel Bites warm, plain, or with your favorite dipping sauce!

Recommended Kitchen Tools To Help

Having the right tools can make the process of making Pretzel Bites even smoother and more enjoyable. Here are some kitchen essentials that will aid you:

• Dough Scraper or Spatula: These are invaluable for easily scraping dough from surfaces and bowls, and for dividing it into portions without making a mess.
• Baking Liners or Parchment Paper: Essential for preventing your pretzel bites from sticking to the pan. Silicone baking mats (like Silpat) are highly recommended as they provide excellent non-stick properties and promote even browning on the bottom. Parchment paper is a good alternative; remember to lightly grease it. Avoid using aluminum foil or wax paper, as wax paper can melt in the oven.
• Stand Mixer: While not strictly necessary, a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment significantly simplifies and speeds up the kneading process, ensuring consistently well-developed dough with minimal effort. You can also use a hand mixer with dough hooks, though it requires a bit more active participation.
• Kitchen Towels: Perfect for covering your dough while it rises, creating a warm and draft-free environment that is crucial for proper yeast activation and dough expansion.
• Ruler or Tape Measure: Useful for ensuring that your dough ropes are rolled to a consistent length and that your pretzel bites are cut into uniform sizes. This helps ensure even baking and a professional appearance.
• Large Pot: A sturdy large pot is needed for the crucial baking soda bath, ensuring there’s enough space for the water to boil and for the pretzel bites to be submerged without overcrowding.
• Slotted Spoon or Spider Strainer: For safely transferring the pretzel bites from the hot baking soda bath to the baking sheet, allowing excess liquid to drain.
• Pastry Brush: Ideal for evenly brushing melted butter over the baked pretzels, ensuring they get that beautiful sheen and rich flavor.

Pretzel Bites Toppings and Variations

One of the best things about homemade Pretzel Bites is their versatility. You can easily customize them to suit your mood, whether you’re craving something salty and savory or wonderfully sweet.

• Classic Salted Pretzel Bites: For the iconic pretzel experience, brush the baked bites generously with melted unsalted butter immediately after they come out of the oven. Then, liberally sprinkle them with coarse salt. Excellent choices include pretzel salt, bagel salt, or kosher salt, as their larger crystals provide that satisfying crunch and visual appeal.
• Sweet Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites: If you’re leaning towards a dessert-like treat, skip the butter and salt before baking. Once the pretzels are baked and still warm, brush them with melted butter. Immediately after, roll or toss them in a mixture of cinnamon sugar until fully coated. These are incredibly reminiscent of cinnamon rolls and are best enjoyed fresh.

The Best Dips for Pretzel Bites

No Pretzel Bites experience is complete without the perfect dipping sauce! Here are some fantastic options to elevate your snack, catering to both savory and sweet preferences:

• Creamy Cheese Sauce: An absolute must-have for classic salty pretzels. This rich, savory dip beautifully complements the salty notes. For those who like a little kick, feel free to add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste. You can find a detailed recipe for a simple yet delicious cheese sauce in the recipe notes below.
• Sweet Cream Cheese Glaze: This dip is a dream pairing for cinnamon-sugar pretzels, transforming them into a delightful treat similar to a warm cinnamon roll. It’s easy to whip up with softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a hint of heavy cream. It’s also a great way to use up leftover cream cheese and butter!
• Tangy Honey Mustard: A popular choice for salted pretzels, offering a wonderful balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Its creamy texture provides a lovely contrast to the chewy pretzel.
• Rich Nutella or Melted Chocolate: For the ultimate sweet indulgence, pair cinnamon-sugar pretzels with a dollop of Nutella or a warm, gooey chocolate dip. The creamy chocolate notes are a fantastic complement.
• Savory Ranch Dressing: An unexpected but surprisingly delicious partner for salty pretzel bites. The cool, herbaceous, and savory flavors of ranch provide a refreshing dip.
• Sweet Caramel Sauce: A decadent, rich dip that pairs exceptionally well with cinnamon-sugar pretzel bites. The buttery, sweet caramel offers a luxurious touch.

Storage and Reheating for Pretzel Bites

While Pretzel Bites are undeniably at their absolute best when enjoyed warm and fresh from the oven, you can certainly store them for later enjoyment. Here’s how to keep them delicious:

• How Long Do Pretzel Bites Last?

  Pretzel bites are truly best eaten warm on the same day they are baked. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Be aware that they will gradually lose some of their signature chewy-crisp texture with each passing day.

• Reheating Pretzel Bites:

  To bring your leftover pretzel bites back to life, several methods work well:

  • Oven: For best results, reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly crisp again.
  • Microwave: If you’re in a hurry, microwave briefly (10-20 seconds for a few bites). This will make them soft but won’t restore the crisp exterior.
  • Air Fryer: An air fryer is excellent for bringing back a crispy texture. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 2-3 minutes, shaking the basket halfway.
• Freezing Pretzel Bites:

  For longer storage, cooled pretzel bites can be frozen. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours), then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. They will keep for 2-3 months. To reheat from frozen, bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 10 minutes, or until heated through and golden.

Other Delicious Recipes Using Leftover Yeast

Don’t let any leftover yeast go to waste! Yeast is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide array of delicious baked goods. If you enjoyed making these Pretzel Bites, here are some other fantastic recipes to try:

• Fry Bread: A perfect base for making indulgent Utah Scones or savory Navajo Tacos.
• No-Knead Bread: Achieve artisan-quality bread with minimal effort and just minutes of active prep time!
• Life-Changing, No-Knead Dinner Rolls: Fluffy, tender rolls that are surprisingly easy to make.
• Focaccia: A rustic Italian bread that requires no kneading, perfect for a beginner baker.
• Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls: Delightful, soft sweet rolls topped with a bright lemon glaze.

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5 from 1 vote

Pretzel Bites

By
Chelsea Lords

These Pretzel Bites are amazing! Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt or cinnamon sugar, then dip in cheese sauce or cream cheese glaze—so good!

Prep Time:

45 minutes
minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes
minutes

Resting Time:

1 hour
hour
30 minutes
minutes

Total Time:

2 hours
hours
30 minutes
minutes

Servings:

45
pretzel bites

Video

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Large sheet pan (15″ x 21″) 15 x 21-inch
• Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
• Large pot

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk whole milk recommended
• 2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry—see note 1
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 up to 4 cups bread flour plus more for dusting surface, see note 2
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 to 7 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• Cooking spray

Baking Soda Bath

• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt or make cinnamon-sugar pretzels with cream cheese sauce—see notes 3 and 4
• Cheese sauce optional, for serving, see note 5

Instructions

1. Quick Tip: It may be helpful to watch the tutorial video in this recipe post before starting!

   In a medium bowl, whisk the warm water, warm milk (see note 6), yeast, and honey; let sit 5–10 minutes. It should look creamy/foamy after 5 minutes (see photo). If not, your yeast didn’t work, and you’ll need to begin again. (Either the yeast is dead or the water/milk was too hot.)

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl), combine 3 cups bread flour and salt. Stir to combine, then make a well in the middle. Pour in 1 tablespoon melted and cooled butter. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of the yeast mixture on top. Attach paddle or dough hook and beat on low speed, scraping the sides as needed with a rubber spatula, until combined. Increase speed, and if needed (see note 7), add up to 3/4 cup more flour, adding 1/4 cup at a time until the dough comes together on the dough hook and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. After mixing for about 2 minutes, if the dough is still sticking to sides of the bowl instead of around hook, add the last 1/4 cup flour.
3. Once dough is gathering around the hook, knead on low speed for 5 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. Knead and shape dough into a ball. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, turn the ball to coat in the oil, then cover the bowl with a towel and let rise in a draft-free, warm (70°F) environment for 1 hour 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line an extra-large (15×21-inch) sheet pan (or 2 smaller pans) with silicone baking mats (preferred) or parchment paper (lightly grease with cooking spray). Punch down the dough and dump onto a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces (just eyeball it). Take 1 piece, covering the other 5 pieces with a towel. Use your hands to roll the piece into an even, long rope, about 20–22 inches in length. Cut the rope into 1.5-inch pieces. Place pieces on prepared sheet pan. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is cut into pieces.
5. While cutting out the last 3 ropes, bring 8 cups water in a large pot to boil. Once boiling, add baking soda and whisk until completely dissolved. Take 8 pretzel bites at a time in both hands and gently place (at the same time) in the boiling water. Count to 10, then use a large slotted spoon to lift the pretzel bites, tapping against the pot edge to allow excess water to drip off. Place the bites back on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat until all bites have gone in the boiling water (if the water gets foamy, reduce heat). Make sure bites are well spaced out, not overlapping, but they can be relatively close together (see picture above).
6. Melt 4 tablespoons butter and use a pastry brush to brush butter generously over all the pretzel bites (should use all or most of it). Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake 12–18 minutes or until golden brown on top, lightly browned on bottom, and baked through. (If you don’t bake the entire batch of pretzels at once, bake time will be quicker). Remove from oven. Optional: for extra buttery bites, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush on bites right out of the oven, adding a touch more salt if desired. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I prefer instant yeast, but active dry will work. Just note the rise time is typically longer!

Note 2: Bread flour’s higher protein gives these Pretzel Bites a better chew and texture. All-purpose flour works too, but the result is a bit less pretzel-like.

Note 3: Cinnamon sugar coating: Bake Pretzel Bites plain (no butter or salt). Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter and set aside. In another bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon. When pretzels are done and still warm, brush each with butter, then dip in cinnamon sugar, and place on a cooling rack. Best served warm, as they’ll get soggy after a few hours.

Note 4: Cream cheese sauce: In a large bowl, beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp butter until smooth. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, a dash of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp heavy cream; mix until smooth.

Note 5: Optional Cheese Sauce:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper and garlic powder
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 cups sharp (or extra sharp) freshly shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz. cheese)
• For more flavor/some heat: add hot sauce or ground cayenne pepper (add slowly to taste)

Melt butter in a small pot over low heat. Whisk in salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder, then add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in evaporated milk over medium heat until thickened. Lower to medium-low, add cheese, and stir with a wooden spoon until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning. To keep dip smooth, serve in a small Crock-Pot or warmer, as it thickens as it cools.

Note 6: To get the right milk and water temperature, mix 1/2 cup cold milk with very hot tap water in a bowl. Test by drizzling a few drops on your wrist—if it feels warm and comfortable, it’s ready for the yeast. If too hot, it will harm the yeast; if too cold, the yeast won’t activate.

Note 7: Avoid packing flour by pressing a measuring cup into the bag. Use a food scale if possible, or fill the cup fully and level with a knife. Flour amounts can vary with humidity and altitude, so add gradually, watching for these cues:

• Dough should gather around the paddle, not stick to the bowl sides.
• It will be slightly sticky, smooth, and tacky.
• Your finger should feel slight resistance without sticking.
• Add flour gradually to maintain dough softness.

Storage: Pretzels are best fresh and warm. Store cooled bites in an airtight bag for up to 5 days; they lose texture each day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving |
Calories: 46kcal |
Carbohydrates: 7g |
Protein: 1g |
Fat: 1g |
Saturated Fat: 1g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g |
Trans Fat: 0.1g |
Cholesterol: 4mg |
Sodium: 238mg |
Potassium: 15mg |
Fiber: 0.2g |
Sugar: 1g |
Vitamin A: 43IU |
Vitamin C: 0.01mg |
Calcium: 7mg |
Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.