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A few days ago, in the middle of the black night I heard these words whispered from a small boy at the side of my bed.
“Mom. Hey Mom! Mom, can me and Nate play the Wii?”
Um. Are you kidding me? It’s the middle of the night. Shouldn’t you be sleeping and shouldn’t I be sleeping and shouldn’t someone, somewhere! do something about your growing addiction to the Wii and oh boy, how am I going to get back to sleep now and why does the winter seem so long and dreary and why is it that I can’t seem to find enough exhilarating, educational and productive activity for you and your 5 year old twin brother and how am I going to keep you entertained for the rest of the long and dreary winter and holy cow I’m going to be tired tomorrow.
But what I actually said to him was…
“It’s the middle of the night. The Wii and every wise person living on this earth are going to be sleeping for at least 5 more hours. Get back in bed.”
And then I rolled over and thought to myself in the quiet of night…
Holy cow, those two twins of mine are going to kindergarten in only a matter of months and what will I do all of the long and dreary winter without them to pal around with and read stories to and go swimming with and cuddle with and chase around the house and chat with and look at and see all day long and…
If you thought I had a peaceful nights sleep after that, you are mistaken.
They are my babies, you know.
Only they aren’t really babies, just the youngest of my 5 kids and what in the world will things be like when they all go to school every day, I am wondering!
It is yet to be seen.
I’m wishing it would come along a little later than sooner. You know what I’m saying here?
In the mean time…I think my boys and I’ll make these Soft Pretzel Bites a few more times.
Beats playing the Wii…any old day.
These fabulous Soft Pretzel Bites are a treasure to behold. I found the recipe over at Two Peas and Their Pod. If you haven’t visited this lovely site, I recommend you do! There are many tasty recipe to be had there.
These Soft Pretzel Bites are a fun activity for kids on a cold winter day. They would also make a fabulous addition to your super bowl party. I hope you love them as much as we did!
Let me show you how to do it.
1. Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into your stand mixer.
Add 6 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
and 1 tablespoon yeast.
Mix it together on low, just for 30 seconds or so.
2. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, allowing time for the yeast to start to bubble up a bit.
3. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
and 2 cups of the flour. Turn your mixer on to low and add the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time while the mixer runs.
You know you have enough flour when the dough pulls itself away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn your mixer to medium speed and let the old girl mix for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the bowl from the stand and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 hour
or until doubled in size.
6. Spray your counter with cooking spray and place the dough on top of it. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into eight equal portions. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Don’t cheat here, my friends. The dough will be super easy to roll out if you let it rest. If you don’t…you might start to pull your hair out, and stamp your feet and say a curse word or two. For that, I cannot be held responsible. Just let it rest for 5 little minutes. Thanks for your cooperation. 🙂
7. While your dough is resting, pour 12 cups of water into a large stock pot and bring it to a boil and pour 3/4 cup baking soda into it. If it starts to get super frothy, turn it down a bit.
8. Roll each dough piece into a long rope shape.
9. Cut the rope into little chunks, about 2 inches wide.
9. Drop the little dough pieces into the boiling water and let them boil for 1 minute. You can boil about 15 at a time.
10. Take the dough out of the boiling water with a metal strainer, or slotted spoon. Let all of the water drain off the dough and back into the pot.
11. Place the dough on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Brush the beaten egg over the top of each piece…
and then sprinkle a bit of course pretzel salt over the tops.
12. Bake the bites at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bites rest for at least 5 minutes before you dig in.
Enjoy!
Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod has a great cheese sauce posted with this recipe, if you want to check it out on her pretty site.
1. Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into your stand mixer. Add 6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon yeast. Mix it together on low, just for 30 seconds or so.
2. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, allowing time for the yeast to start to bubble up a bit.
3. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 cups of the flour. Turn your mixer on to low and add the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time while the mixer runs.
You know you have enough flour when the dough pulls itself away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Turn your mixer to medium speed and let the old girl mix for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the bowl from the stand and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Spray your counter with cooking spray and place the dough on top of it. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into eight equal portions. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Don't cheat here, my friends. The dough will be super easy to roll out if you let it rest. If you don't...you might start to pull your hair out, and stamp your feet and say a curse word or two. For that, I cannot be held responsible. Just let it rest for 5 little minutes. Thanks for your cooperation. 🙂
7. While your dough is resting, pour 12 cups of water into a large stock pot and bring it to a boil and pour 3/4 cup baking soda into it. If it starts to get super frothy, turn it down a bit.
8. Roll each dough piece into a long rope shape. Cut the rope into little chunks, about 2 inches wide.
9. Drop the little dough pieces into the boiling water and let them boil for 1 minute. You can boil about 15 at a time.
10. Take the dough out of the boiling water with a metal strainer, or slotted spoon. Let all of the water drain off the dough and back into the pot.
11. Place the dough on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Brush the beaten egg over the top of each piece and then sprinkle a bit of course pretzel salt over the tops.
12. Bake the bites at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bites rest for at least 5 minutes before you dig in.
I made these with my 6 and 8 year old yesterday… lots of fun! They made some with salt, and others with sugar and cinnamon. I also made your mint oreo cookies for a baby shower the other day… BIG HIT!!! You are the best. DITTO to what Maleen said above! Thanks for all your hard work.
These are soooo good. I ended up making them with 1/2 whole wheat flour because I didn't have enough white flour. Turned out well and I am really enjoying them! Thanks!
Hi Jaime — I just barely got done making my first batch of these. I used 3/4 of the flour whole wheat which seemed to work for me, too. I love how soft these pretzels turned out inside. The last time I tried to make soft pretzels I used a recipe from AllRecipes.com (I think) and it was a disaster. I have some question though… These had a really strong taste. I'm not sure if it's just the Kosher Salt or what? I swear that I used about the same as you but I can't figure it out. I did put butter on top out of the oven but I don't think that would be it. Also, if I do a batch over 12 minutes it seems to burn the outside but if I do it only 12 minutes some of them kind of taste a little doughy. Could this have to do with my boiling time? I did them exactly 1 minute in the pot. Do you have any advice on how to keep them from getting too dark where they sit on the pan? Sorry for so many questions. LAST ONE: HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO MAKE THESE LIKE DESERT PRETZELS WITH CINNAMON AND SUGAR? Any tips on how to do that? Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hi Jennine, So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Make sure you aren't using too much baking soda in the water. Try adding even more than the 12 cups next time and see if that helps with the taste. Also, be sure to place the oven rack to the middle or lower position in your oven. This will help with the darkening. Some of mine got a little bit dark, too. If you want to make them sweet, once the pretzel bites are out of the oven brush them with some butter and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top. You can also make a little dipping sauce with milk, powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla. Good luck! ~Jamie
OMG – I just made these and they are DELICIOUS!!! I just got a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, and admit, I was a little worried when it was kneading the dough. It seemed to struggle a bit, but I will go back to my instruction book! I just LOVE your blog, Jamie. I have a whole notebook of your recipes, and I absolutely LOVE the humor you add to your posts. I'm assuming I have to post this as “Anonymous” since I don't have a blog – it's not that I'm trying to be mysterious!!!! LOL
Hello! If I wanted to make these bigger instead of cutting them into smaller pieces and keeping the size of the eight equal portions, would I just have to boil them longer? How long would you say they have to be boiled for?
Hi Jasmine,
I don’t know how the egg substitute would work out. I haven’t ever tried it with this recipe. The egg is used here to create that nice shine on the bread. If you left it out they would still taste good. They just wouldn’t look as good. Good luck!
~Jamie
Alexis,
I haven’t ever tried freezing these. I would imagine it would work out pretty well. Let me know if you try it and how it goes. Good luck!
~Jamie
I made these with my 6 and 8 year old yesterday… lots of fun! They made some with salt, and others with sugar and cinnamon. I also made your mint oreo cookies for a baby shower the other day… BIG HIT!!! You are the best. DITTO to what Maleen said above! Thanks for all your hard work.
Hi Jamie – we made these today for my daughter's preschool class. I'm sure they're going to be a hit as my daughter can't keep her hands off of them!
These are soooo good. I ended up making them with 1/2 whole wheat flour because I didn't have enough white flour. Turned out well and I am really enjoying them! Thanks!
Hi Jaime — I just barely got done making my first batch of these. I used 3/4 of the flour whole wheat which seemed to work for me, too. I love how soft these pretzels turned out inside. The last time I tried to make soft pretzels I used a recipe from AllRecipes.com (I think) and it was a disaster. I have some question though… These had a really strong taste. I'm not sure if it's just the Kosher Salt or what? I swear that I used about the same as you but I can't figure it out. I did put butter on top out of the oven but I don't think that would be it. Also, if I do a batch over 12 minutes it seems to burn the outside but if I do it only 12 minutes some of them kind of taste a little doughy. Could this have to do with my boiling time? I did them exactly 1 minute in the pot. Do you have any advice on how to keep them from getting too dark where they sit on the pan? Sorry for so many questions. LAST ONE: HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO MAKE THESE LIKE DESERT PRETZELS WITH CINNAMON AND SUGAR? Any tips on how to do that? Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hi Jennine,
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Make sure you aren't using too much baking soda in the water. Try adding even more than the 12 cups next time and see if that helps with the taste. Also, be sure to place the oven rack to the middle or lower position in your oven. This will help with the darkening. Some of mine got a little bit dark, too.
If you want to make them sweet, once the pretzel bites are out of the oven brush them with some butter and then sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top. You can also make a little dipping sauce with milk, powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla.
Good luck!
~Jamie
I LOVE the pictures that you add to your recipes!! Thank you!
OMG – I just made these and they are DELICIOUS!!! I just got a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, and admit, I was a little worried when it was kneading the dough. It seemed to struggle a bit, but I will go back to my instruction book! I just LOVE your blog, Jamie. I have a whole notebook of your recipes, and I absolutely LOVE the humor you add to your posts. I'm assuming I have to post this as “Anonymous” since I don't have a blog – it's not that I'm trying to be mysterious!!!! LOL
Sally
Hello! If I wanted to make these bigger instead of cutting them into smaller pieces and keeping the size of the eight equal portions, would I just have to boil them longer? How long would you say they have to be boiled for?
I can’t eat egg. Could I use egg replacer?
Hi Jasmine,
I don’t know how the egg substitute would work out. I haven’t ever tried it with this recipe. The egg is used here to create that nice shine on the bread. If you left it out they would still taste good. They just wouldn’t look as good. Good luck!
~Jamie
Have you ever frozen these before?
Alexis,
I haven’t ever tried freezing these. I would imagine it would work out pretty well. Let me know if you try it and how it goes. Good luck!
~Jamie