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A pile of pretzel bites.

Beer Pretzel Bites

These beer pretzel bites have beer added to the batter to ramp up the flavor and give them a hint of maltiness.
With a slightly crisp outside and a fluffy, chewy inside, they're perfect for snacking on any time of day. And what's not to love about the classic combination of beer and pretzels?
5 from 20 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 44 minutes
Servings: 60 pretzel bites
Calories: 52kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Pretzel Bites

  • ¾ cup warm beer
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2-½ cups 300 g bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Alkaline bath

  • 7 to 8 cups water
  • ½ cup baking soda

Topping

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Pretzel salt

Honey Mustard Dip

  • ½ cup spicy brown mustard
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds

Instructions

Pretzel Bites

  • Add the beer, sugar, and yeast to a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes then stir in the butter, flour, and salt. Mix until it forms a ball.
  • Either with an electric mixer or by hand, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
  • Place the dough in a bowl that has been lightly oiled. Oil the top of the dough and cover the bowl with a cloth. Place in a draft-free area for 1 to 2 hours until it has almost doubled in size.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Roll each section of dough into a log 15 inches long. Cut the logs into 1-inch sections and place them on the baking sheet. Cover the dough bites with a towel and let rest for 20-30 minutes. They should get slightly puffy.
  • Pre-heat oven to 450°. Place the water and baking soda in a large 8-quart pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Working in batches of about 15 dough bites at a time, place the dough bites in the boiling baking soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon or strainer and let them drain on a rack. Transfer then to the baking sheet.
  • Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush over the tops of the pretzel bites. Sprinkle with pretzel salt.
  • Bake for 12 to 16 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

  • Combine the honey, mustard, and mustard seeds until well blended. Serve with the pretzel bites

Notes

  • Warm the beer to about 105°F to 110°F so the yeast proofs quicker. If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, just make a good guess. It should be warm enough for a baby bottle.
  • As a general rule, instant yeast does not need to be proofed but it gives the dough a head start if you give it a brief proof time before adding the flour.
  • Bread flour has a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour and will give the pretzels a chewier texture. It is worth getting bread flour for this recipe but all-purpose flour will also work.
  • We tried adding beer to the alkaline bath but since beer is acidic, we never achieved the iconic texture that pretzels have.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2pieces | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1.6g | Sodium: 89mg