Pillowy soft pretzels in bite-size form. It's maybe the most fun way to eat soft pretzels. These have a little extra tang from the sourdough, and are quick to whip up thanks to the addition of dry yeast. These are perfect for dipping, so serve them with your favorite!

You may recognize this recipe from my soft pretzels post, and that's because it's exactly the same (but halved!). I love a full size soft pretzel when I want it to feel more like a meal, but if I want an appetizer, a game-day snack, or am just not feeling like shaping pretzels, these little bites are my go-to.

In my experience, these disappear almost as quickly as I can make them!

The dough

This dough is so nice to work with. It's not overly sticky, and it comes together really easily.

The rise only takes 1 to 1 ½ hours (thanks, commercial yeast!). Here it is before / after rising:

Shaping pretzel bites

This couldn't be easier! After the dough has risen, you'll divide it into 8 pieces, roll them out into roughly 6-inch ropes, then cut each one into 1-inch pieces.

Some people go an extra step of shaping each piece into a nice ball, but I skip that step. Just cut and carry on!

See? Told you it couldn't be easier.

The baking soda bath

Commercial pretzels are made by boiling in a lye solution, but since lye is not a chemical most people want in their home kitchens, baking soda is the popular substitute and still delivers that classic pretzel flavor and thin, chewy crust.

I actually started making soft pretzels after buying a huge bag of baking soda at Costco. All of my cookies were turning out flat with it and I just didn't feel like returning it so I decided it would be repurposed for pretzel making. And now I'm locked in on finishing it and in a cycle of churning out soft pretzels on the regular (poor me!).

After the baking soda bath, you'll brush them with an egg wash (to help with browning), and sprinkle them with salt.

The salt

Any chunky salt will work here. You can buy pretzel salt if you want. I use kosher salt because it's what I keep on hand, but a sea salt or even Maldon would work.

The one salt you'd want to avoid is regular table salt - it won't give you the right texture, it will dissolve into the egg wash, and it'll make your pretzels too salty.

The dips

I can't not talk about dips for these because they're so fun to dip! Here are some ideas:

Mustard - the easiest, and always so satisfying. Yellow mustard, grainy mustard, spicy brown, honey mustard... Pretty much any mustard you have would be good!
Beer cheese - a beer cheese dip is so classic with soft pretzels. You will feel like you're at a fun brewery.
Chocolate or caramel sauce - for a sweet + salty vibe.
Horseradish dip - I feel like I always have horseradish I'm trying to use up (how?), so this is the result. Sour cream + mayo + however much horseradish to get it to your ideal spice level. Add whatever spices you feel like (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chopped green onion..)

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5 from 1 vote

Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

Serves 6 as an appetizer.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2 20

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Mandy

Ingredients

For the Dough

115 grams warm water
100 grams sourdough discard
8 grams sugar
2 grams (heaping ½ teaspoon) active dry yeast
285 grams all purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (see note)
5 grams kosher salt

For Boiling

10 cups water
⅔ cup baking soda

For Topping

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Flaky sea salt

Directions

Combine the water, discard, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the flour, butter, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Continue kneading on low speed (not past 2) for 4-5 minutes, until the dough begins to look smooth. Shape into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size - about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the water and baking soda to a large pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, shape the dough. Turn it out onto an unfloured worksurface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a roughly 6-inch rope, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil the dough pieces in the boiling water+baking soda for 30 seconds, then remove to the prepared baking sheet using a slotted spoon. Spread them out so they aren't touching, then brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 13-15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm.

Notes

The butter - You can substitute your preferred oil if you'd like here. I love the flavor of butter in pretzels, but other fats will work just as well.