Pretzel Bites
Have you guys been noticing the theme around here recently? That’s right – it’s time to start thinking about Superbowl party food. To me, football means finger foods and appetizers. And bacon. We’ll get the bacon soon enough. First, let’s talk about pretzels. I love making homemade soft pretzels, but I think I love these little pretzel bites even more.
First of all, you don’t have to shape them into pretzels, just roll the dough into a long snake and snip off little pieces. Easy peasy. And for whatever reason, as bites, the pretzels are even more additictive. What is it about small foods that makes them so addictive?
Look – I added a Football Food category to my blog! Be sure to check it out.
One Year Ago: Mini Whole Wheat Bagels
Three Years Ago: Chicken Wings
Pretzel Bites
Yield: serves 12-16
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1pkg active dry yeast
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 – 5 cups flour
2 quarts water
1/4 cup baking soda
1 egg, beaten plus 1 tbsp water
course sea salt for topping
Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (personal preference, you can use the dough hook if you prefer), combine brown sugar, yeast, melted butter and water. Give a quick mix, then let sit for 5 minutes or until slightly puffy.
Add salt and flour to wet mixture. Mix on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to medium. Continue mixing until all flour is encorporated and the dough is pulling away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add additional flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is no longer super sticky. Transfer dough to a clean work area, knead by hand for 3-5 minutes, shaping into a ball.
Grease a medium bowl with oil. Toss dough into bowl, then flip to coat all sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm location for an hour or until dough is doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Carefully and quickly, add baking soda – this may splatter.
Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long snake. Using kitchen sheers, cut 1″ pieces. Transfer pieces to a clean plate. Repeat process with all pieces of dough. Slightly more than a quarter of the full recipe should fit on one standard size baking tray. If making the full batch, work a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap until ready to roll and cut.
Prepare a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Whisk one egg together with 1 tbsp water, set aside. Boil 10-15 pieces of cut dough at a time for 30-45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, transfering to your prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough pieces.Brush egg wash over dough pieces. Immediately sprinkle with course sea salt.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Continue process with any remaining dough.
Serve warm with dipping sauces, such as mustard or cheese. Store any remaining pretzel bites in an airtight container.
Recipe from Baked by Rachel, adapted from Bobby Flay
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
This looks great! After apple picking last year, I was desperately searching for ways to use the apples in savory ways. Now one of my favorite recipes is a calzone filled with apples, proscuitto, brie and sage. SO good!
My husband used to laugh at me when I told him that as kids we would do apple pie filling and cheese in the hobo pie maker. It was fabulous…I’m going to show him this post to prove that I’m not crazy. We’re apple picking this weekend, so I’ll be sure to try this out!
I definitely need to think of some savory ways to use up all of the apples we pick every fall, and stop making sweets! This looks like a great recipe!
http://www.madeinmelskitchen.com
What a great apple treat. I’ve got loads of apples this years from my trees and am looking for yummy recipes to use them up. After all, a girl can only eat so much apple sauce LOL.
*kisses* HH
I didn’t realize this was going to be a sweet sandwich. It looks so yummy! I once had a grilled cheese sandwich with thinly sliced apples in the middle and it was delicious!
I love what you did with your leftover apples! This looks incredible…love the apple and cheese combinations!
This recipe looks really tasty! I tried a similar flavor combo, but it was apple, cheddar omelete. I needed as apple with more flavor- the one I used wasn’t tart enough!
What a great way to use up apples…yum!
This made my mouth water. I have to make this soon.
Looks delicious Jen! I love the combination of apples and gouda! After my apple picking adventures I am definitely seeking lots of good apple ideas as well!
This looks like a great comfort food sandwich! I spent yesterday baking apple pies and snacking on cheese and crackers. I snuck in a few apple slices on my cheddar & crackers – yum!
Um YES please! ps. everyone in the office loved your brownie recipe- it has totally become my go-to 🙂
I love making grilled cheese with a really great goat’s milk gouda–it’s our new favorite grilled cheese–but I think I’d die and go to heaven if I made it this way! thanks for sharing.
This looks delicous! I love the combination of apples and cheese. It is great to see a savory apple recipe…I have lots too!
HUSH! oh my…looks amazing!!
I HAVE to try this!!!