The Best Sourdough Pretzel Bites Recipe (Starter or Discard)
Welcome back to the Matt’s Kitchen snack series here at Doughn’t Knock It. Today, we are taking a break from artisan boules to tackle the ultimate game-day or party snack: Soft Sourdough Pretzel Bites.
If you’ve never made pretzels at home, you are in for a treat. This recipe utilizes your sourdough starter to create an incredibly complex, tangy flavor profile that completely blows mall pretzels out of the water. They are soft and pillowy on the inside, with that signature chewy, mahogany-brown crust on the outside. Serve these alongside a bowl of warm beer cheese or spicy brown mustard, and they will disappear faster than you can pull them out of the oven.
The Secret to the Pretzel Crust
The defining characteristic of a pretzel isn’t the shape—it’s the crust. To get that distinct chew, dark color, and alkaline flavor, you have to bathe the dough.
- The Baking Soda Bath: Before baking, each little dough bite takes a quick 30-second swim in a boiling pot of water heavily laced with baking soda. The alkaline water alters the pH on the exterior of the dough, which supercharges the Maillard reaction (the browning process) when they hit the hot oven.
The Egg Wash: While the bath gives you the chew, the egg wash gives you the shine. It also acts as the perfect glue to ensure your coarse pretzel salt actually sticks to the bite instead of falling off onto the baking sheet.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Tips
Sourdough pretzel bites are best eaten fresh and warm on the day they are baked, but they are incredibly freezer-friendly. Let any leftover baked bites cool completely, then toss them in a freezer-safe bag. When a craving hits, just mist them lightly with water and warm them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes to revive their texture!
Sourdough Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Active Sourdough Starter or unfed discard
- 1 cup Warm Water around 90°F
- 1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar or Honey
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter Melted and slightly cooled
- 3 cups Bread Flour or All-Purpose
- 1 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 8 cups Water For the boiling bath
- 1/3 cup Baking Soda For the boiling bath
- 1 large Egg For the egg wash
- 1 tbsp Water For the egg wash
- Coarse Pretzel Salt or Flaky Sea Salt For topping
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the warm water, brown sugar, and sourdough starter until the starter is mostly dissolved.
- Pour in the melted butter, bread flour, and fine sea salt.
- Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for about 2 hours, or until the dough has noticeably puffed up and roughly doubled in size. (For a deeper flavor, you can place it in the fridge overnight after this step).
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment with non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean, un-floured work surface.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1-inch thick.
- Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut the ropes into 1.5-inch bite-sized pieces.
- In a large, wide pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Carefully and slowly add the baking soda (it will bubble up rapidly).
- Drop the dough bites into the boiling water in batches of 8-10. Boil for 30 seconds, then use a slotted spoon to remove them, letting excess water drip off.
- Place the boiled bites onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure they aren’t touching.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water together.
- Brush the top of each pretzel bite generously with the egg wash, then immediately sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the pretzel bites are a deep, rich mahogany brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving warm with your favorite dips!