Homemade Pretzels and Cheese Dip are crusty and salty on the outside and pillowy soft inside. They’re perfect for dipping in my homemade cheese recipe!

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HOMEMADE PRETZELS AND CHEESE DIP

Homemade Pretzels topped with sea salt and served with cheese dip make a fun snack. This combo may be the perfect snack.

These delicious pretzels are easily made at home. They’re mall quality but served with a scrumptious cheese beer dip. They are definitely next level and just one bite is never enough!

Be sure to bookmark and save this recipe. You’ll want to serve it again and again at holiday parties, football watching parties, Super Bowl etc.

HOMEMADE PRETZELS AND CHEESE DIP NOTES FOR SUCCESS

The more flavorful the beer, the more flavor it gives the cheese dip. Cook with varieties that you’d normally drink. You typically want the beer to have a distinctive flavor profile in the cheese and not be so overpowered by the cheese that you don’t taste it, so avoid the light varieties of beer here.
If your tap water gets warm enough, that is fine. Otherwise, you may have to warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. The temperature should not exceed about 110 degrees though – too hot and it will kill the yeast. Use a thermometer if needed but aim for just above lukewarm but not so hot it is scalding.
The cheese flavors can be substituted. We recommend any good cheddar cheese as the primary ⅔ but then the other ⅓ could be a variety of complementary flavors such as gruyere, gouda, white cheddar, etc.
We do recommend using a block of cheese and shredding yourself as opposed to pre-shredded varieties. The block of cheese melts smoother and isn’t coated in non-clumping powders that make melting more difficult.
The baking soda bath is essential though to give the pretzels that characteristic pretzel taste and golden color once baked. Any longer than 15 seconds though and it will give the pretzels a metallic taste.

CAN I MAKE PRETZEL BITES WITH THIS RECIPE?

Yes, absolutely.

To make the pretzel bites, roll the dough into a long rope and then use a sharp knife or scissors to cut it into 1-inch size pieces. Place in the baking soda bath as described above and then bake separately from the larger pretzels. Bake time for the smaller bite-size pieces will be closer to 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

HOW DO I STORE PRETZELS?

Homemade pretzels are best served warm or eaten within a few hours of making them. They’re not like store-bought pretzels with preservatives to keep them soft and fresh. However, they can be kept in an airtight container for two days.

To reheat, warm in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes or in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Most notably, microwaving bread with yeast will make it tough so I recommend reheating pretzels in the oven.

Recommended Equipment:

Slotted spoon
Stand mixer with dough attachment
6 qt. stock pot
Silicone mats or parchment paper
Kitchen scissors or a sharp knife

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HOMEMADE PRETZELS AND CHEESE DIP

Easy, delicious pretzels made at home. Mall quality but served with a scrumptious beer dip takes these pretzels to the next level! One bite is never enough!

Author: Paula

5 from 30 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

proofing: 1

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

Pretzel Recipe:

1 and ½ cup warm water no hotter than 110 degrees
1 packet instant dry yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoon
1 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
4 cups all-purpose flour

Additional ingredients:

Additional flour for your work surface
Coarse grain salt to sprinkle
½ cup baking soda
6 cups water

Beer Cheese Dip Recipe:

½ cup butter
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper more/less to taste
1 cup whole milk
1 cup beer Guinness
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup pepper jack cheese hredded

Instructions

Instructions for the Pretzels:

Whisk the yeast together with the warm water. Allow to rest while moving to the next step. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the salt, brown sugar and melted butter. Add in your yeast mixture, taking special care to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as it likes to settle. Add in the 4 cups of flour, one at a time and stir well between each addition. Test the dough by pressing a finger into the surface of the dough. It should not be overly sticky or leave a trace on your finger and it should have some elasticity where it will bounce back once your finger is removed. If needed, add more flour about ¼ c. at a time until this consistency is achieved.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead by hand to ensure it has formed a cohesive ball. Place the dough back in your bowl of the stand mixer, cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for an additional 10 minutes.
Prepare the baking soda bath by filling a 6 qt. stock pan with the 6 c. of water and the ½ c. baking soda. Heat over high heat to bring to a rolling boil and dissolve the baking soda.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Prepare your baking sheets by lining with silicone mats or the parchment paper.
Remove the dough from your bowl. Divide into equal sections, about tennis ball sized or so. The dough will try to bounce back, so it does require some force to stretch and shape into a log. But the best you can, roll and squeeze the ball into a log and then a long rope about 20 inches in length. The first one will be a practice one as you figure out the technique and amount of pressure to really get the dough to stay and stretch. But once you’ve got as long as you’d like, place the rope on the work surface perpendicular to where you’re standing. To make the traditional pretzel shape, take both ends and place them up towards the top of your work surface and farther away from you, making a “U” shape. Then take those ends and cross them over each other. Then cross them over each other again. Take the two ends that are now twisted and bring them straight back, towards you, and press into the dough at the bottom of your original “U” shape. Press gently to ensure the dough stays together during baking.
Gently place this pretzel in the slotted spoon and lower into the now boiling water. Allow to boil for 15 seconds and no longer. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
Place your pretzels on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Bake in the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Instructions for the Beer Cheese dip:

In a 6 qt stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat and then stir in the flour using a whisk. Cook for about one minute, stirring frequently. Add in the garlic powder and cayenne pepper and stir well. Stir in the milk and the beer in small increments and stir well after each addition. Add in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Continue to cook and stir often until the mixture begins to boil. The mixture will begin to thicken as it heats as well so stir frequently to avoid scorching.
Reduce the heat to low once boiling and add in your shredded cheeses. Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and serve warm with pretzels (or vegetables, chips, etc). Can be placed in a crockpot on a “warm” setting or fondue pot to keep warm during serving.

Notes

Recommended Equipment:

Slotted spoon
Stand mixer with dough attachment
6 qt. stock pot
Silicone mats or parchment paper
Kitchen scissors or a sharp knife

Nutrition

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.

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