Pretzel Bites Recipe: Butter and Salt, Garlic Parmesan, or Cinnamon (2024)

April 4, 2020 By Brandy 39 Comments

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Make your own soft pretzels with our pretzel bites recipe that are just like the ones at the mall, only better because you can create your own flavor variations that are perfect for snacking!

If you like pretzel bites you’ll love our soft baked homemade pretzels! Brushed with butter and sprinkled with kosher salt. So delicious! Our parmesan bagels are a family favorite as well. So yummy toasted with butter.

Watch our step by step video!

Soft pretzel bites are one of my kid’s favorite snacks. Mine too. It’s hard to buy pretzels at the store anymore or from the shops at the mall, because they just don’t compare to homemade ones! This recipe is one of the FIRST recipes that I ever shared on Gluesticks back in 2009. After making dozens and dozens of batches over the years, I updated the post and added a video.

You can use this same recipe to make your own pretzel rolls, too! They work great for pulled pork sandwiches and burgers.

No Boil Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe

Homemade Pretzel Bites

Make your own soft pretzels with ourpretzel bites recipethat are just like the ones at the mall, only better because you can create your own flavor variations!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 190kcal

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Bath

2 cup hot water
1/4 cup baking soda

Instructions

Mix water/yeast. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes or until it is foamy.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add water/yeast mixture and oil and mix until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Spray bowl with non stick cooking spray and return dough to bowl. Cover loosely with a towel and let raise until doubled, about an hour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Make a baking soda bath for the pretzels by combining the baking soda with hot water and stir until soda is mostly dissolved (it won't dissolve completely).
Roll out dough into a long rectangle (about 12"x24"). Using a pizza cutter, cut into small 2 inch pieces. Dip each dough square into the water/soda bath and place on a greased (or parchment paper lined) baking sheet. If you are making salted or garlic pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate pan and bake another 4 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

Store baked pretzel bites in an airtight container.

Pretzel variations:

For your basic salted pretzels, sprinkle pretzel dough with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with melted butter.

For garlic parmesan pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with a mixture of butter and garlic powder. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

For cinnamon/sugar pretzels, brush with butter AFTER baking and then roll in cinnamon/sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcal

What is your favorite flavor of pretzel bites? There are so many ways to customize them. Here are our favorites!

Original Pretzel Bites

For your basic salted pretzels, sprinkle pretzel dough with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with melted butter. Looking for some creative dipping sauces for your soft baked pretzels? We like this delicious cheese sauce. The same one we use for fondue.

Here is an easy honey mustard sauce from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.

Garlic Parmesan Pretzel Bites

For Garlic Parmesan pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with a mixture of butter and garlic powder. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites

For cinnamon/sugar pretzels, brush with butter AFTER baking. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl and then roll buttered pretzel bites in cinnamon/sugar.

Brandy

Website | + posts

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Jenny @ Simcoe Street says
October 17, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Yummy!
Reply
Danielle says
October 17, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Bookmarking this – I don’t know which variation to mke first!
Reply
Luv 2 Smile says
October 17, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Yummmmm… Thank you for reposting how to make pretzel bites. I am pregnant and I CRAVE pretzels like crazy! I think I might try all of your variations 🙂
Heather
Reply
Clemencia says
October 19, 2011 at 12:49 am
These looks sooo good, I have to give them a try, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Reply
Chrissy says
October 22, 2011 at 2:36 am
Yummy! Can’t wait to make these!
Reply
michele says
October 22, 2011 at 4:07 am
i’m making them! i’m making them! and dipping in cheeeeeeese!
found you via the weekend wrapup party and think you may like my special shabby chic giveaway:
http://hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com/2011/10/rachel-ashwell-on-creating-authentic.html
thanks so much for sharing!
warmly,
michele
Reply
Tanya says
October 22, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Those look so good. My mouth is watering. Thanks for sharing.
Reply
Jenn says
October 24, 2011 at 6:38 pm
cannot wait to try these. Thank you for sharing.
~Jenn
http://housewivesofriverton.blogspot.com
Reply
Heather says
October 24, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Excited to try these! My kids would love em and my hubby.=) bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com
Reply
Nicole [The Lovely Poppy] says
October 25, 2011 at 2:59 am
thanks for sharing, i’m stopping by from tip junkie and would love to have you stop by my blog and check out the huge ($100) giveaway going on now- http://thelovelypoppy.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-follower-giveaway.html
Reply
Jen @ Creating with the J's says
October 25, 2011 at 5:35 pm
These definitely look and sound yummy!
Reply
redfly says
October 25, 2011 at 7:58 pm
These look delicious! Just going to have to try them.
Reply
Deborah March says
October 26, 2011 at 2:28 am
Oooohhh, my grandkiddies will LOVE these…thanks for sharing your recipe!
Deborah (visiting happily from http://upcyclingmylife.blogspot.com…sure hope you stop by…)
Reply
kendascrafts says
October 26, 2011 at 5:03 pm
yummy! Those look great! thanks for the recipe
Reply
Simply AJ says
October 26, 2011 at 11:27 pm
These look awesome… I’ve been trying to find a good recipe. Your pretzels bites look really good – I’m gonna give your recipe a try. Stopped over from Made by you Monday 🙂 AJ@queenofmynest
Reply
Kris @ everywhereorange.com says
October 27, 2011 at 1:23 am
I saw this on the today;s creative blog link up. I am obsessed with pretzels, i can’t wait to try this. thank you!!
Reply
Deanna says
October 27, 2011 at 2:30 am
Oh. My. Those. Look. Delicious.
Reply
Adrianne says
October 28, 2011 at 11:08 am
I have got to try these – they look like an excellent football snack! 🙂 I would love to have you come on over and link up at Freestyle Friday anytime this weekend!
Adrianne
http://www.happyhourprojects.com
Reply
Jenny@daysofchalkandchocolate says
October 28, 2011 at 8:26 pm
These look like the perfect snack for my kids! Thanks for linking up to Latest and Greatest Friday! I’d serve these with some good mustard!
Reply
The Answer Is Chocolate says
October 29, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Just pinned and tweeted these. Can’t wait to try them! Thanks for sharing at this week’s BFF Open House!
Reply
Jen-CraftOManiac says
October 29, 2011 at 4:48 pm
WHOOP-T-WHOOP you are featured today on COM in the Saturday Spotlight Talent Show. Congrats.
winks, jen
Reply
Jami says
October 31, 2011 at 1:31 am
Yummy!!! Wish I had a plate of those to snack on right now! So happy to have you a part of the Tuesday To Do Party!
Smiles!
Jami
http://www.blackberryvine.blogspot.com
Reply
Amy @MoMomma says
October 31, 2011 at 6:03 pm
These look amazing. Thanks for linking them up to my MoMomma MOnday last week! I featured you today as one of my favs from last week. http://momommamoney.blogspot.com/2011/10/mommy-monday-8-on-momomma.html
Reply
The Answer Is Chocolate says
October 31, 2011 at 6:47 pm
Just wanted to let you know I featured these as part of my link party wrap up! If you’re so inclined, grab a featured button from my sidebar!
Reply
CouponClippingClaire says
January 14, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I am putting the ingredients in the bread machine as soon as I am done typing! What a great snack my 6 little ones will have after naptime!
Reply
CouponClippingClaire says
January 14, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Just took them out of the oven. oh, I can not wait for them to cool. They look perfect
Reply
Kim says
February 9, 2012 at 8:04 am
These pretzel bites are soo yummy and very easy to make! Thank you for sharing!
Reply
Katie D says
February 29, 2012 at 8:55 pm
These are awesome! Thanks for the recipe, I linked to you on my blog.
http://kdinalaska.blogspot.com/2012/02/pretzel-bites.html
Reply
Katie D says
February 29, 2012 at 8:55 pm
These are awesome! Thanks for the recipe, I linked to you on my blog.
http://kdinalaska.blogspot.com/2012/02/pretzel-bites.html
Reply
Becca S says
March 16, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Hubby is away, so for fun I made this for dinner for the kids. I made half of them with garlic/parmesan and half with cinnamon and sugar. Yummmmo! My kids devoured them. They preferred the salty version, so next time I’ll do all garlic and parmesan, but they were both delish. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Reply
Brandy says
March 16, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Becca S,
AWESOME! It is a favorite over here too. There are NEVER leftovers! Thanks for letting me know how yours turned out!
Brandy
Reply
Laura says
August 25, 2012 at 3:45 am
these look fantastic! the recipe is so do-able; I’m going to have to try this!
Reply
Maria says
August 30, 2012 at 1:35 am
These look SO GOOD!!!!! I love Auntie Anne’s pretzels, and I’ll have to try these out!!! I’m going to pin this so I remember the recipe!
Reply
Shannon Goody says
September 2, 2013 at 7:31 pm
My girls and I had fun making them and they are so good!!! Way better than the mall…and cheaper too!!
Reply
- Brandy says
  September 2, 2013 at 11:02 pm
  Hi Shannon! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out! These are a staple over here. When I run out of bread and don’t have time go to the store, the kids ask for these in their lunches! Glad you enjoyed them too!
  Reply
Alyssa says
January 28, 2014 at 1:47 pm
I made these as bites and they are delicious. Do you think it would work to cut them larger to use as rolls?
Reply
- Brandy says
  January 28, 2014 at 9:10 pm
  Hi Alyssa! Yes, they are fantastic! Here is how I adapted the recipe to make rolls: https://gluesticksblog.com//2012/10/pretzel-roll-recipe.html
  Reply
Mary says
February 17, 2014 at 9:01 pm
I’m a novice baker, so my questions might seem to be of the “duh” nature. Why powdered sugar rather than regular sugar? Also, why so much sugar, won’t these be very sweet? Most of the recipes I’ve looked at for pretzels don’t call for so much sugar (tablespoon or two total). Also, the others call for a roiling boil with 30-45 seconds per side wash (these were for traditional pretzel shape) rather than the warm baking soda/water bath in your recipe.
I like the idea of yours as they are bite sized and I don’t have to figure the cooking time for smaller pieces as opposed to the larger pretzel shape. Thought these might be fun to try as a side to burgers with some dipping sauces.
If I can manage to make these without messing them up, I can try other flavors (garlic parmesan sounds wonderful).
Thanks!
Reply
- Brandy says
  February 18, 2014 at 8:15 am
  You know, I’m not really sure why powdered sugar. It’s a recipe I’ve had for years and they turned out so great that I never really thought about it, ha! It is pretty light and fluffy and 1 T. of powdered sugar wouldn’t be as strong as 1 T. of regular sugar so that’s probably why you can have so much and they aren’t overpowering. These aren’t overly sweet at all. I hope you try them out and let me know what you think!
  Editing to add: About the baking soda: I’m not sure what difference boiling it would do except maybe dissolve the baking soda a bit more. I use warm water and just give it a quick stir if it starts to seperate. Warm water would be easier to work with vs. boiled as well. Hope that helps!
  Reply

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Pretzel Bites Recipe: Butter and Salt, Garlic Parmesan, or Cinnamon (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye. That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

Learn More Now ›

How do you get salt to stick to pretzel bites? ›

A: Simple. Wet your fingers and moisten the surface of the pretzel. Sprinkle salt immediately and it will stick. I put mine in a 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Read The Full Story ›

How do you prepare pretzilla pretzel bites? ›

Like most bread products, PRETZILLA® Bites are best warm: simply toast 4-5 minutes in a medium-heat skillet or 300˚F oven.

See Details ›

What makes a pretzel good? ›

Malt Syrup (the kind used for beer) and dipping them in a hot alkaline solution (baking soda or food grade lye and hot water) after baking for about 20–30 seconds gives a pretzel its characteristic flavor and distinctive brown coloring. The alkaline solution is a big contributor to the pretzel flavor.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the secret ingredient in pretzels? ›

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

Discover More ›

What gives pretzel its flavor? ›

What Gives Pretzels Their Pretzel Flavor? You have baking soda to thank for that distinct pretzel flavor. Baking soda is highly alkaline and imparts that subtly metallic taste onto the dough before your pretzels go into the oven. Some recipes call for a lye bath, which does the same thing.

Read On ›

What salt is best for pretzels? ›

Pretzel salt—explained

Pretzel salt is a type of coarse long-grained salt. It is typically uniform in size with a flat, rectangular shape. These characteristics are what make them so good for pretzels as well as other types of baked goods.

Know More ›

What salt is good for pretzels? ›

WHITE PRETZEL COARSE SALT. An intensely white and clean salt that provides visual and textural appeal to soft pretzels, breadsticks and other topical applications as well as seasonings and rubs.

How do you keep pretzel bites warm at a party? ›

Simply wrap all the pretzel bites tightly in foil, sealing the edges together, then place in your oven on “keep warm,” or 170F.

Find Out More ›

How do you make pretzel bites soft again? ›

Drizzle a small amount of water over the pretzel so that the pretzel is moist but not soggy. Wrap your pretzel in aluminum foil and place it in the oven for five minutes.