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These Soft Pretzel Bites have the best pretzel flavor with that golden brown outside and chewy soft texture. Homemade soft pretzels are really easy to make from scratch and they’re almost too easy to eat!
I am obsessed with soft pretzels, especially soft pretzel bites. I’ve been getting mall pretzels as long as I can remember and I savor every single bite. I often can’t decide if learning how to make them at home was good or not because now I can make them any time I want! This is my go-to soft pretzel recipe, but turned into bites.
I used to think making these at home was a chore, but after years of testing yeasted doughs and pretzels in my kitchen, I’ve streamlined the process. This pretzel bites recipe gives you that iconic, chewy, mall-style texture and deep golden color without any complicated steps. Now matter how you’re finishing them or why you’re making them, I’ll show you exactly how to make pretzel bites perfectly on your very first try.
Soft Pretzel Bites Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. You’ll need it in the pretzels, and to aid with kneading the dough.
- Baking Soda: Do not skip this! Boiling the dough in water mixed with baking soda is what gelatinizes the starch on the outside of the dough, giving you a chewy exterior rather than a standard bread roll texture. You do not need to use lye; baking soda works just fine.
- Boiling Water: Used to boil the pretzel bite dough into the delicious bites.
- Fast-Acting Rise Time: Instead of making you wait hours for dough to proof, this recipe uses an Instant Yeast that requires minimal rest time so you can eat sooner.
- Sugar helps to activate the yeast. It doesn’t make your pretzel bites sweet; rather the yeast eats the sugar and releases the gases that make the dough rise faster than without it.
- Coarse Salt: Pretzel salt, Kosher salt, or coarse sea salt works best because it won’t dissolve into the dough during the baking process.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
The Secret to Soft Pretzels
The secret to making perfect homemade pretzels is the baking soda bath. Just like bagels, soft pretzels are boiled before baking, but it’s not just in water. The Foolproof Baking Soda Bath swaps traditional lye for a simple, boiling baking soda water bath. It’s safe, easy, and gives the pretzels their signature chewy crust, classic flavor, and golden outside. Without this step you’ll just have bread bites.
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Dorothy’s Testing Notes and Tips
- Read the entire recipe before starting for success.
- This recipe is written for Instant Yeast – so make sure to use the correct kind.
- The Water Temperature Test: I tested the yeast with water at various temperatures. If your water is under 105°F, the yeast won’t activate. If it’s over 130°F, it kills the yeast completely. Invest in a cheap digital thermometer: it’s the ultimate insurance policy for yeast baking!
- The Bath Timing Test: I tested leaving the bites in the boiling baking soda bath for different lengths of time. 15-20 seconds is the sweet spot. Anything longer than 20 seconds leaves the pretzels with a distinct, metallic, unpleasant baking soda aftertaste.
- Salt Timing: Do not wait until after baking to salt! Drop your coarse salt onto the wet, just-boiled dough pieces right before they go into the oven so the salt crystals actually stick.
- If your dough resembles a dense brick after resting, your water was likely too hot and deactivated the yeast, or your yeast was expired. Always check the expiration date on your packet before starting!
- Standard table salt will dissolve immediately into the wet dough. To get those beautiful, distinct white salt crystals, you must use a coarse salt, such as kosher salt, coarse sea salt, or specialized pretzel salt.
Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups (492g) all-purpose flour(you'll start with 2 cups and add more when mixing)
- 1 envelope Instant Yeast, (2¼ teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cups (316ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
- 10 cups water
- ¾ cup baking soda
- Sea Salt or Coarse Salt, for topping
Instructions
- Place 2 cups (248g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk to combine.
- Place water and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat in 30 second increments on high power until it reaches 120-130°F (the butter may not totally melt).
- Add warm water to the yeast mixture and run the mixer on low to combine. Add additional 2 cups (248g) flour and run the mixer until dough starts to come together, then switch to the dough hook and run the mixer on medium-low speed until the dough comes together in a ball in the center of the mixer, about 2-4 minutes. It will be slightly sticky and may leave traces on the sides of the bowl.
- Lightly flour a work surface and add the dough from the bowl. Sprinkle the top with a bit of flour and knead the dough a few times, up to 2 minutes, adding more flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to the board, until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball. You know your dough is done kneading when it bounces back with 2 fingers when pressed.
- Cover and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Meanwhile, bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Cover and keep it on a high simmer/low boil until you’re ready to boil the pretzels.
- After the dough has rested for 10 minutes, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (approximately 70g each, but this will vary).
- Roll each piece of dough into a long rope that is approximately 14-inches long.
- To create the pretzel bites, cut the rope in half, then cut each piece in half, etc. until you have 1-inch bites (you can also make them larger, if you wish). Place bites on prepared cookie sheets.
- Make sure the water is boiling and place 6-8 pretzel bites in the water at a time (depending on size of your pot; you don’t want to crowd them). Boil no longer than 20 seconds each and remove with a slotted spoon, draining excess water, and place back on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat until all pretzels have been boiled.
- Bake pretzels for 8-15 minutes, or until dark golden brown on top. Be sure to check them halfway through baking to see if you need to rotate your pans.
- Cool slightly before eating. Serve warm or room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
- If you want, you can skip salting before baking. Enjoy unsalted, or brush with melted butter and top with coarse salt after baking (like they do at the pretzel shop).
- You can also make the dough through the resting step or the twisted step ahead of time, up to 24 hours for refrigeration or one month in the freezer. I don’t recommend boiling then freezing.
- Thaw frozen dough or baked pretzels at room temperature.
- To reheat thawed baked pretzels, heat in the air fryer or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Soft Pretzel Bites
1. With instant yeast you want to whisk all the dry ingredients together BEFORE adding liquid.
2. The liquid needs to be between 120-130°F to activate the yeast (the butter may not totally melt).
3. Once you’ve added the liquid and more flour, the dough should come together in a ball in the center of the mixer, after about 2-4 minutes. It will be slightly sticky and may leave traces on the sides of the bowl.
4. You’ll know you’re done kneading the dough when it comes together in a cohesive ball and bounces back when touched with two fingers.
5. To create the pretzel bites, cut the rope in half, then cut each piece in half, etc. until you have 1-inch bites (you can also make them larger, if you wish).
6. You’ll have a lot of bites when done cutting.
7. Do not overcrowd the pan. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to remove the bites after no more than 20 seconds. They’ll puff a bit and be sort of slimy once they’ve boiled.
Soft Pretzel Variations
| If You Want | Do This |
| Cinnamon Sugar Bites | Omit the coarse salt before baking. Immediately after baking, toss the hot bites in melted butter, then roll them in a bowl of cinnamon sugar. |
| Garlic Parmesan Bites | Brush baked bites with garlic butter and generously dust with freshly grated parmesan cheese while hot. |
| Semi-Homemade Pretzel Bites | Use pizza or breadstick dough instead of making it yourself, but don’t skip the boiling. |
| Make Air Fryer Pretzel Bites | Instead of the oven, cook for 5-7 minutes at 350°F, shaking once halfway through. |
These sound so good! Just wondering if maybe they could be made a little larger and stuffed with cheese before the baking soda bath and baking?
Yes that would be delicious!
What is the equivalent of one serving? Yield is 84 pretzels.
Honestly, nutrition info is not guaranteed to be accurate; I’m not a nutritionist so if you want something specific you should input it yourself.
Made this for Thanksgiving this week! (Nothing says thanks like pretzels.) Very good.
Love this Ty so much
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