Beer Pretzel Bites

5 from 20 votes

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?

Prep Time30

Cook Time14

Total Time44

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: appetizers, baking, beer pretzel bites, bread, pretzels

Servings: pretzel bites

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

Video

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.

Nutrition