Homemade Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip

These soft and chewy Homemade Soft Pretzels are so easy to make at home! Soft and chewy with that distinct salty pretzel flavor pairs perfectly with cheddar cheese sauce and garlicky cream cheese dip! This recipe yields 8 large soft pretzels and 2 cheese dips!

Who doesn’t love soft pretzels?

I first learned how to make them in my high school home ec class and made them all the time when I was a teenager. They are so easy and incredibly delicious, tender, chewy and addictive. And of course you can enjoy them as is but dipped in cheese is the way we do it in our house. And as my daughter Malloree would say, there are two types of people in the world – one that likes yellow cheese sauce to dip and the other likes garlicky white cheese dip. So naturally, I made both.

Honestly, it’s hard to choose which is best – they’re both so good.

To Make Homemade Soft Pretzels You Will Need:

• water – Use warm or lukewarm water.
• sugar – Helps feed the yeast and lends flavor to the dough.
• instant yeast (quick rise) – Has a faster rate of action than regular dry yeast. Sometimes called “bread machine yeast”.
• unbleached bread flour – Contains higher protein content which is best for yeast leavened dough.
• fine salt – Enhances flavors in the recipe.
• egg wash – Helps the pretzel salt to stick and gives the pretzels that shiny golden brown exterior.
• pretzel salt – Is large coarse salt. I’ve linked to the one I use for pretzel in the recipe printable.

for the baking soda bath:

• water
• baking soda

Make The Pretzels:

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mats.

Add 1 tablespoon sugar to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and then pour in 1-1/2 cups warm water, stirring to combine.

To the sugar water, add 2-1/4 teaspoons instant yeast.

Let it sit for 3 minutes to activate.

Meanwhile, add 1 teaspoon fine salt to 4 cups bread flour.

After 3 minutes the yeast mixture should be foamy.

Add in the flour and the salt to the yeast mixture.

Fit your stand mixer with the dough hook and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.

Once mostly combined, increase the speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes.

NOTE: Alternatively you can stir together by hand and then knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 8 minutes.

Stop your mixer and shape the dough into a ball with your hands.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 25 minutes.

Move your oven rack to just above center and preheat your oven to 450°F (or 225°C).

After 25 minutes the dough should have doubled in size.

Make The Baking Soda Bath:

Fill a shallow pot with 10 cups of water and add in 1/4 cup baking soda and bring to a boil.

Turn the dough out on to a very lightly floured surface and cut into 8 wedges.

Roll and stretch each wedge of dough between your hands until it is a 24-inch rope. Shape the rope to over lap at the top. Like an upside down ribbon.

Twist once.

And fold down over the bottom of the pretzel.

Place onto the prepared pans and repeat. You will want 4 pretzels per pan.

Once the baking soda bath is boiling, working with one at at time, carefully lower the pretzel into the water and set a timer for 30 seconds.

Use a wire skimmer (aka spider) to remove it from the water – draining any excess water. I linked to the one I use in the recipe printable.

Place back onto the prepared pan and repeat with the remaining pretzels.

Once finished, whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water.

Brush each pretzel with the egg wash.

And sprinkle with a desired amount of pretzel salt.

Bake one batch at a time for 12 minutes. Remove and repeat with the second pan.

To Make the Cheddar Cheese Sauce (Dip) You Will Need:

• butter
• unbleached all-purpose flour
• milk
• kosher salt
• sharp cheddar cheese

In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in 1 tablespoon flour until smooth.

Slowly pour in 1 cup milk. Whisk until thickened.

Remove off of the heat and stir in a pinch of salt and 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese.

Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately. It will thicken as it cools, so rewarm in the pan over low heat or in the microwave, stirring often.

For the Garlic Cream Cheese Dip:

Combine 8 ounces whipped cream cheese with 1 medium clove of grated garlic. Transfer to a bowl and top with sliced green onions.

And there you have it! Super soft and chewy salted soft pretzel and not one, but TWO cheese dips!

Prepare to fall in love.

How To Store Soft Pretzels:

Once cooled, store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Refrigerating may make them soggy and affect their flavor.

How Long Will Soft Pretzels Last?

If stored properly, they will last up to 4 days.

Can you Freeze Soft Pretzels?

Yes. Once cooled, store in an air-tight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or using a microwave at 30 second intervals.

Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Soft Pretzel and Cheese Dip recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!