The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Make the best soft pretzel bites at home with this easy recipe. After making these many times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfect, chewy pretzel bites every time. The warm, buttery aroma will fill your kitchen and make your whole house smell like a cozy bakery. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy High-Protein Stuffed Bell Peppers and Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole.

What You'll Need for The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1 tsp onion powder (optional)
• Everything bagel seasoning (optional)
• Optional: Melted butter, for brushing
• Optional: Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

How to Make The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add warm water and melted butter, then mix until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2. Let it rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Shape the pretzel bites: Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
4. Boil the pretzel bites: In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Boil the pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake the pretzel bites: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Sprinkle the pretzel bites with coarse sea salt and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve warm.

Storing & Reheating The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Pretzel bites can be shaped and frozen ahead of time. See pro tip above.

Freezing The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

Freeze shaped pretzel bites on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Bake frozen at 425°F (220°C) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. This can make the pretzel bites soggy, so the oven is the preferred method.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a more authentic pretzel flavor, use lye water instead of baking soda. Lye water can be purchased online or made at home using lye and water.
• Best substitution: Active dry yeast can be used as a substitute for instant yeast, but you'll need to proof it first.
• Make-ahead: See pro tip above for freezing shaped pretzel bites.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your pretzel bites are not rising, check that your yeast is still active. If your pretzel bites are burning, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and keep an eye on them.

The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

20 mins

⏳

Total

1 hr 55 mins

🍽

Serves

8 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Seasonings

• 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• 1 tsp onion powder (optional)
• Everything bagel seasoning (optional)

Optional Toppings

• Melted butter, for brushing
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Add warm water and melted butter, then mix until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2. Let it rise: Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Shape the pretzel bites: Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
4. Boil the pretzel bites: In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil. Boil the pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake the pretzel bites: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Sprinkle the pretzel bites with coarse sea salt and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve warm.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a more authentic pretzel flavor, use lye water instead of baking soda. Lye water can be purchased online or made at home using lye and water.
• Best substitution: Active dry yeast can be used as a substitute for instant yeast, but you'll need to proof it first.
• Make-ahead: See pro tip above for freezing shaped pretzel bites.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If your pretzel bites are not rising, check that your yeast is still active. If your pretzel bites are burning, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and keep an eye on them.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze shaped pretzel bites on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Bake frozen at 425°F (220°C) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. This can make the pretzel bites soggy, so the oven is the preferred method.
• Make ahead: Pretzel bites can be shaped and frozen ahead of time. See pro tip above.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 210
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 2g
• Carbs: 40g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 2300mg
• Cholesterol: 5mg
• Sat. Fat: 1g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try The Best Buttery Soft Pretzel Bites – Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!