This pretzel bites recipe will give you that perfect mall-style snack right in your own kitchen — soft, chewy centers with a golden brown crust and just the right amount of salt. They're easier to make than you'd think and way better than anything from the freezer aisle!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
One of my favorite snacks to pick up when I'm out running errands is a giant cup of soft pretzel bites from Pretzel Maker. They are seriously delicious!
So I was excited to find this recipe — these are soft, pillowy, buttery, and so good you'll never leave your house to go run errands again without them! While making soft pretzel bites isn't hard, it does require time. This recipe has two rise steps, but the second one is short because the tiny pretzel bites don't need that long to rise.
You can omit tossing the pretzels with butter...but why would you? It gives them the perfect finish. Additionally, you can make this dough recipe into large traditionally shaped pretzels, but the cooking time will need to be adjusted longer to cook them all the way through.
Why You’ll Love This Pretzel Bites Recipe
- Quick to Master: Even if you've never worked with yeast dough before, these pretzel bites are surprisingly simple to nail on your first try.
- Versatile Snack: These pretzel bites are incredibly versatile and fit any occasion. Serve them as an appetizer at parties, a fun snack during game nights, or even as a hands-on activity to enjoy with kids. They pair well with dips like cheese sauce, mustard, or marinara, making them a crowd-pleaser for any gathering.
- Freezer Friendly: Make a double batch and freeze half — they reheat beautifully in just minutes when unexpected guests drop by.
- Endless Options: One of the best things about this recipe is how easily you can tailor it to your taste. Sprinkle them with coarse salt for a classic pretzel flavor, or get creative with toppings like grated cheese, garlic butter, or cinnamon sugar. You can even experiment with sweet and savory combinations to suit your mood or event.
🥨 Fresh homemade pretzels straight out of the oven? Absolute perfection. Trust me, you need to try them next!
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Instant yeast
- Salt
- Butter
- Milk
- Coarse salt
- Egg
- Water
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
Sweet & Decadent: Skip the salt topping and dip the baked bites in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar for a dessert-style twist. Perfect with cream cheese frosting for dipping.
Everything Bagel Style: Before baking, sprinkle the bites with everything bagel seasoning instead of coarse salt. This adds an amazing savory kick with garlic, onion, sesame, and poppy seeds.
Pro Tip: Since this is a yeast dough recipe, it's best not to substitute any of the dough ingredients. If you didn't want the egg wash or butter or salt, you could leave those off.
How to Make Homemade Pretzel Bites
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl or in the bowl for a stand mixer. Add softened butter, milk, and water. Combine and then knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and just stick to the bottom of the bowl or only slightly cling to your fingers when you touch it.
- Let the dough rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out slightly until it's about 2 inches thick and slice it into 1-inch thick strips. Cut the strips into 1-inch pieces and place on a lined baking sheet. Let rise for 20 minutes.
- Combine egg and water. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Toss with melted butter.
Recipe FAQs
In this recipe, the pretzel bites are brushed with an egg wash and then sprinkled with coarse salt. The egg wash is what will help the salt stick to the pretzel bites.
Yes, you can make pretzel dough the night before. Make the dough as directed and let it do the first rise in the fridge overnight. Do not let it sit in the fridge for longer than 8 hours.
There are a few ways. First, the recipe here for the dough will yield a soft pretzel bite. Be sure to not make the dough too dry or overwork it. If the pretzel bites are overbaked, they could also be dry.
Pretzel bites can be made crisp by extending the baking time. Depending on how crisp you want them will determine how much longer the baking time needs to be extended.
Dipping pretzels in boiling water gives them that chewy crust that a lot of pretzels have. This recipe skips that step because they are a copycat for the Pretzel Maker pretzel bites and those pretzels also skip the water step.
Expert Tips
- Room Temperature Matters: Make sure your water is lukewarm (not hot) when adding the yeast - around 110-115°F is perfect. Hot water will kill the yeast, while cold water won't activate it properly.
- Dough Consistency: Ensure the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Adjust with a bit more flour or water as needed for the perfect texture.
- Watch the Rise: The first rise usually takes about an hour, but the process can be sped up if the dough is placed in a warm area. You can preheat your oven to 200ºF, turn it off, and set the dough inside to rise.
- Even Sizing: Use a kitchen scale to portion your dough or measure with a ruler to ensure all pretzel bites are roughly the same size. This ensures even baking and a professional-looking result.
How to Store Pretzel Bites
Store your homemade soft pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
When ready to enjoy, reheat frozen pretzel bites in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed through — they'll taste nearly as good as fresh! While you can microwave them in a pinch, using the oven helps restore that delightful crispy exterior.
More Favorites From Longbourn Farm
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you will get great new recipes from us every week!
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted, reserve for later)
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 egg (reserve for later)
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Combine flour, brown sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add softened butter, milk, and water. Combine.
- Knead for 5 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth and just stick to the bottom of the bowl or only slightly cling to your fingers when you touch it. See note.
- Let the dough rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out slightly until it's about 2 inches thick and slice it into 1 inch thick strips.
- Cut the strips into 1-inch pieces and place on a lined baking sheet. Let rise for 20 minutes.
- Combine egg and water. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.
- Toss with melted butter.
Notes
- If your brown sugar is clumpy, break it apart in your hands before adding it to the dough.
- This recipe uses all-purpose flour. Using any other kind of flour will change the texture of the dough.
- I use instant yeast when I make this recipe, which is more potent than active dry yeast and doesn’t need to be bloomed in the water like active dry yeast does. If you’re using active dry, don’t worry, just put it in with your water for a few minutes instead of the flour. If you forget which kind of yeast you have, it really won’t make too big of a difference in this recipe.
- Ensure the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Adjust with a bit more flour or water as needed for the perfect texture.
Nilaya
I tried 15 minutes and my pretzels were burnt like the others said. I live in Arizona and they only needed 8 minutes on 450 for anyone seeing this. Great recipe though! Absolutely love these and will always use your recipe! I already recommended this recipe to my sister and she’s making for her kids tonight!
Devin
Pretzel maker pretzels are my favorite but all near me have been replaced by auntie Annes— they’re not the same. This recipe is close to pretzel makers flavor! Very good recipe and simple to follow.
Crystal
Did you use all purpose flour?
Alli
Yes, I do.
Amanda
Not sure what happened, but mine were blackened by 12 min 👎🏻
Alli
I would definitely check your oven temp! I'm not sure how it would be possible for them to be black after 12 minutes.
Anonymous
Same! I luckily watched mine and they were done cooking after 4-5 min. I think it’s suppose to cook at 350.. not sure 450 for 15 min is a good idea
Alli
It's supposed to cook at 450. If your oven cooks hot, you can lower the temperature to 425.
Ignez Bell
Love. This recipe!!!
Alli
Yay! So glad to hear it.
Carrie
Does this recipe call for warm milk or water? Normally with yeast there is a warm liquid you add. Thx!
Alli
Nope, I don't bloom my yeast. I use instant yeast when I make this recipe, which is more potent than active dry yeast and doesn’t need to be bloomed in the water like active dry yeast does. If you’re using active dry, don’t worry, it really won’t make too big of a difference in this recipe.
Alli
New favorite recipe!