Cheddar-Stuffed Pretzel Bites

 Soft and chewy homemade pretzel bites filled with gooey cheddar cheese and sprinkled with lots of kosher salt. Super-easy recipe and NO mixer required! Perfect appetizer for game night!

I tend to kind of ignore that trend that goes around in January that states that any carb-loaded food is evil. And salads and smoothies are the only thing to be consumed the entire month. You get what I mean right? There is no possible way that I could follow this “rule.” No possible way I could even go a WEEK without my carb-loaded, yeasty indulgences.

*FYI–This is a lengthy post so I can give you a complete explanation of how to make these pretzel bites.

 It took me two tries to get these pretzel bites right—the first batch of these bites tasted “okay” but looked like something a two-year old made. I had a TERRIBLE time shaping the dough into pretzel bites shapes….so frustrating. 

My family apparently did not care how ugly they looked because they were gone in a couple of hours. Weirdness, I tell ‘ya.

The fact that my family approved of the “flop batch” is probably what convinced me to give it another try. I am sooo glad I did..

  Pay dirt. The second batch tasted sinfully-good. The pretzel dough was soft and chewy and the inside was oozing with gooey, melt-y cheddar cheese. ♥

Amazingly, shaping the dough into pretzel bite shapes was wayy easier the second time around…Even boiling these pretzel bites in baking soda water the second time was a breeze! Practice really does make perfect….Even though I despise taking in-process photos, I prepared a step-by-step photo tutorial that will make shaping these pretzels a breeze for you guys. 😀 The dough takes 5 minutes to make and doesn’t even require a mixer! 6 ingredients in the dough alone….

• Active dry yeast.
• Warm water. (110F) Does water even count as an ingredient??
• Warm milk (110F)
• Coconut sugar, (only 1 tablespoon!) 
• Salt.
• Flour. (I used white whole wheat)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in warm milk, sugar, and salt until combined. Stir in flour until a ball of dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Once your dough has doubled, divide it into 4 portions. Take one portion and turn it onto a floured surface. Roll out into a 12×4 rectangle.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on 1/3 of the length side. (make sure the length side is facing you)

Roll dough up on the length side as tightly as possible, forming a rope of dough. Seal ends.

Cut dough rope into 1-in pieces and place seam-side down on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. 

Don’t they remind you of little pillows??

Repeat this process with remaining 3 portions of dough.

Now it’s time for these pretty little things to get a baking soda bath! In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Working in batches, place pretzel bites in boiling water, seam-side down.

Please ignore my ugly chapped hands. Winter in Wisconsin is not nice to my hands.

Boil pretzels on one side 10 seconds then flip to other side for an additional 10 seconds. Remove pretzels with a slotted spoon to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (place them seam-side down)

Bake pretzel bites at 400F 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. (mine took scarcely 10 minutes to turn a lovely golden brown, but depending on your oven it could take up to 15 minutes of bake time)

Once pretzels are done, feel free to sprinkle with coarse salt. I would highly recommend eating these pretzel bites warm from the oven— it is TO DIE FOR. Cheesy, yeast-y heaven. If you’re a condiment kinda person, slather these little guys up with mustard. ♥

Hand me a few condiments along with a few of these pretzel bites and I could make a meal out of it.

  I’m not really a football-fan, but I have a feeling that these pretzel bites would be extremely appropriate for football night. Serve them with a few condiments and you’ll be the most popular person at the party! Just don’t expect there to be any leftovers. 😉

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Cheddar-Stuffed Pretzel Bites

Soft and chewy homemade pretzel bites filled with gooey cheddar cheese and sprinkled with lots of kosher salt. Super-easy recipe and NO mixer required! Perfect appetizer for game night!

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water 110F
• 1 cup warm milk 110F
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 6 cups water
• 4 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in warm milk, sugar, and salt until combined. Stir in flour until a ball of dough forms.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
• Punch risen dough down and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out on a floured surface into a 12x4 rectangle. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over 1/3 of long side. Starting with the cheese-filled side, roll dough up as tightly as possible, pinching edges to seal. Cut filled dough rope into 1 in pieces and place on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Repeat step 3 with remaining 3 portions of dough. Allow the pretzel-dough bites to rest 30 minutes.
• In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Working in batches, place pretzel bites in boiling water, seam-side down. Boil pretzels on one side 10 seconds then flip to other side for an additional 10 seconds. Remove pretzels with a slotted spoon to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (place them seam-side down)
• Bake pretzel bites at 400F 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Notes

Store pretzels bites in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below. Feel free to share a picture on Instagram and tag @wholeandheavenlyoven or hashtag it #wholeandheavenlyoven

Love mini-food? Try these other recipes next! ♥

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