homemade soft pretzels bites with beer cheese dipping sauce

Love Bites (Easy Pretzel Bites from Pizza dough)


Easy Pretzel Bites from Pizza Dough

These Love Bites may not be as much fun as the ones that leave hickeys on your neck, but they are made with love and leave no requirement for turtle necks.

Love Bites are Easy Pretzel Bites from Pizza dough, and make a great appetizer.  No need for active dry yeast.  You don’t have to knead the dough, AND you don’t have to give it time to rise.   All you need is the dough, baking soda and boiling water- egg and salt- Warm and flavorful, buttery soft – Yum!  Make this recipe.

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How do you make Homemade soft pretzel bites?

Start with pizza dough, and form small equal pieces of dough.  Put the pretzel bites into the boiling water/ baking soda bath for a few minutes.  Then remove the bites from the boiling water and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. 

Brush with an egg wash.  Sprinkle the pretzel bites with flaky salt and bake the bites until golden brown.  Wait until they come out of the oven- OMG

Make this great pretzel bite recipe

Our Pizza Dough Pretzels are perfect for events or sports parties.  Amazingly easy. Make an awesome Pretzel Charcuterie platter including our Teenie WeeniesLove Bites, Cheesy Bastard and our Creamy Mustard Dip

Ingredients for Soft Bite Pretzels & Dip

  • Pillsbury Pizza Crust
  • Baking Soda
  • 1 Egg
  • Kosher Salt

 

  • Dijon Mustard
  • Sour Cream
  • Honey

 

What are the origins of Pretzels?

Did you know that many historians believe pretzels were invented by a monk in the 6th or 7th century?  Cleverly, the monk used the twisted shape of the pretzel to teach children the concept of arms crossed in prayer.

The modern pretzel originated in Germany in the early 19th century.  It was traditionally made with a simple pretzel dough of flour, water, and salt. Not surprisingly, Pretzels quickly gained popularity in Germany and throughout Europe. 

They eventually made their way to the United States.  Quickly, they became a popular snack and street food in every shape and variety.

The monk may not approve of our naming conventions- but I bet he would love how fast and easy soft pretzel bites have become.  They are delicious- especially, hot out of the oven!

sliced pizza dough with a few rolled into roundsboiling dough roundsboiled dough ready for the oven

Make Soft Pretzel Bites

homemade soft pretzels bites with beer cheese dipping sauce
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5 from 53 votes

Love Bites

Easy Pretzel Bites made from Pizza dough
Prep Time15 minutes
Active Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, German
Keyword: Homemade Pretzel bites, Pretzel bites, Pretzels
Yield: 24
Author: Stella Vergin

Materials

Pretzel Bites

  • 1 13.8 oz tube Pillsbury Pizza Crust
  • 12 cups Water (3 Quarts)
  • ¼ cup Baking Soda
  • 1 Egg
  • Kosher Salt

Creamy Mustard Dip

  • ½ cup Dijon Mustard
  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • Dash Salt

Instructions

Get ready for Baking

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  • Line baking pans with parchment paper

Shape the dough

  • Open the pizza dough tube, and lay out on a cutting board
  • Roll the dough lengthwise into a long tube
  • Cut the dough roll into approximately 24 slices
    pizza dough rolled up in a tube and sliced in smaller rounds
  • Roll each slice in your hands to make small balls. It is ok if the balls are not perfect. The imperfection gives them character
    sliced pizza dough with a few rolled into rounds

Prepare your Boiling Pot for Baking Soda Pretzels

  • Bring water to a boil in a large pot
  • Add baking powder (There will be a large bubbling reaction when you do this)
  • Add 12 dough balls to the boiling water, they should float to the top after 1 minute.
    boiling dough rounds
  • Use tongs to remove dough balls, allowing the dough balls to shed excess water over the pot
  • Place each boiled dough ball on your baking tray
    boiled dough ready for the oven
  • Repeat the process to boil remaining dough balls

Finish topping your dough balls

  • Mix 1 egg in a small bowl
  • Brush egg on each dough ball
  • Put Kosher salt in the palm of your hand to gently sprinkle salt on each dough ball

Bake

  • Bake at 425 for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Serve warm with Creamy Mustard Dip, and 'Cheesy Bastard 'Beer-Cheese Dip

Creamy Mustard Dip

  • Mix Dijon Mustard, Sour Cream, Honey, and Salt
  • Serve in small dip dish
 

Perfect Pairing with Soft Pretzel Bite Recipes

Cheesy Bastard
homemade soft pretzels bites with beer cheese dipping sauce

Easy Beer Cheese Dip

Pretzel Bite FAQs

 

Is there a difference between homemade pretzels and store bought pretzels?

Homemade Soft pretzel bites with salt typically have the soft, warm, out of the oven taste and texture.  These little pretzel bites taste fresh.  Store purchased pretzels are typically hard and crunchy all the way through.

 

How do you achieve the hard crunchy exterior and soft pretzel middle?

The secret of the homemade pretzel with the crunchy exterior, and soft and chewy center – is the dough pieces getting a quick dip in boiling water and baking soda (alkaline bath). This happens before the baking step, and leads to the iconic soft pretzel texture.  The boiling process also sets the shape- so they don’t rise again in the oven.

 

Are there other kinds of pretzel toppings besides salt?

Homemade pretzel bites are delicious plain, with Kosher salt, or even Everything Bagel Spice.  For a sweeter version you can brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

 

What makes the salt stick to the pretzel?

Some soft pretzel bite recipes instruct you to salt the pretzel right after the baking soda solution bath (boil the  pretzels bites in water and baking soda).  This recipe uses brushed egg on the top of just boiled pretzel bites and of course, pretzel salt.

 

Should I store leftover pretzel bites in the refrigerator?

Do not store in the refrigerator.  On the rare occasion that there are remaining little  pretzel bites- You can put them in a plastic bag an eat them the next day.  After that, the flavor and texture diminish- Make a fresh batch.

 

Can I bake and freeze Pretzel Bites?

Yes- You can bake and then freeze.  They are good for up to 2-3 months in your freezer.  You can reheat your pretzel bites for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

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Aphrodesi’hacks’ for

Easy Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites from Pizza Dough

 

  • These are simple DIY pretzels that don’t need additional yeast or rising time. We use Pillsbury Pizza Dough, but your favorite Pizza Dough can be substituted in this easy soft pretzel recipe. Double the recipe. These soft and chewy pretzel knots disappear quickly at a party! We especially love them with a homemade cheese sauce.
  • You can prepare these easy homemade soft pretzel bites ahead of time, cover and refrigerate. Pop them in the oven just before serving for fresh out-of-the-oven goodness. Especially good with a Beer Cheese dip.
  • Left-over pretzels can be stored in plastic bags or an airtight container and warmed the next day on a prepared baking sheet.
  • This quick soft pretzel recipe is the start of a beautiful Pretzel Charcuterie Board. Feature Love Bites, Creamy Mustard Dip, Teenie Weenies, and the Cheesy Bastard Dip. Next, add crackers, Apples, and Pears, and a few of your favorite vegetables
  • Save time on clean-up by using baking sheets with parchment paper
  • Fun for parties- Especially football parties and Oktoberfest!

9 Responses

  1. Really like this pretzel recipe. Nice hard exterior with a nice soft interior- so good with your beer cheese

  2. Love the soft middles in these hard exterior pretzels. I liked them with the mustard sauce, but I really loved the spicy cheese dip

  3. These pretzels are fast and so fun to make. Decadent right out of the oven. I ran out and bought a mini crock pot so I could serve your beer cheese with them

  4. I subbed out the egg to veganize these and they were perfect! Actually served them with my own cheesy sauce. Thank you.

  5. These pretzels are so good- and love the cheese too. Addictive! I serve them with Beer on football Sundays. Highly recommend

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