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Homemade Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce Recipe

Keyword: Appetizers, Snacks, Tailgating
Skill: intermediate
Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS

For the Pretzels:
  • 2 cups of warm water
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons of dry active yeast
  • ½ cup of melted unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt + more for pretzel tops
  • 6 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of baking soda and 1 gallon of water
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
For the Beer Cheese Dip:
  • 1 ounce of unsalted butter
  • 1 ounce of all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • ½ cup of dark German beer
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup of shredded smoked cheddar
  • Kosher salt and paprika to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Pretzels:
  • Pre-heat the oven to 450°.
  • In a standing mixer bowl, add in the water, sugar, and sprinkle on the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes or until it begins to foam.
  • Add the hook attachment and pour in the butter, salt and flour and knead the dough on high for 5 minutes.
  • Add vegetable oil into a large bowl and place in the dough. Cover with a towel and keep and rest until it doubles in size, about an hour
  • Before it is time to form the dough, bring 1 cup of baking soda and 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot.
  • To form the dough, take a small piece and roll it out until it is an 18” to 24” long rope. Cut into bite size pieces and set aside.
  • Turn down the boiling water to a simmer and cook each pretzel dough 1 at a time for :30 each and then place back on the Silpat.
  • Once all of the pretzels have been cooked in the baking soda solution, brush the tops with the egg wash and season heavily with Kosher salt.
  • Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
For the Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce:
  • In a medium size sauce pot on medium heat melt together the butter and flour to form a roux.
  • Next, add in the milk and beer and whisk until it becomes very thick. Whisk in the cheeses until it is smooth and season with salt and paprika. Keep warm.