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Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Sourdough Pretzel Bites

476kcal
5 from 2 votes
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Prep 45 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 15 hours 15 minutes
A simple, same-day sourdough pretzel bites recipe featuring an incredible chewy texture and rich flavor. Using a sweet stiff starter lowers the acidity of the final product while providing structure for rolling into ropes, boiling in a baking soda bath, and cutting into bite-sized pieces before baking to a golden brown.
Servings 24 bites
Cuisine American

Ingredients

Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter (Night Before)
Main Dough
  • 100 g Sweet stiff starter (From the stage above)
  • 150 g Warm water
  • 270 g Bread flour
  • 27 g Sugar
  • 5 g Salt
  • 2 g Malt (Can be replaced with 6g of honey)
  • 27 g Soft butter
Boiling Bath
  • 1 gallon Water
  • 3 tbsp Baking soda
Garnish & Finishing
  • Sea salt (Optional)
  • Melted butter (For brushing baked pretzels)

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Jar with Cover (For the starter)
  • Baking Tray & Parchment Paper (Generously oiled)
  • Wide Pot (For boiling)
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Scissors (For cutting boiled ropes into bites)
  • Pastry Brush

Method

  1. Night Before – Prepare the Starter At 10:00 PM, dissolve the 10g of sugar in 35g of water in a small jar.
  2. Add 10g of sourdough starter and whisk together.
  3. Stir in 70g of bread flour, mix well, form into a dough ball, cover, and let sit at room temperature (74–78°F) overnight until increased in volume by 2 or more times.
  4. Mix & Proof the Dough In a mixing bowl, combine 100g of sweet stiff starter, 150g warm water, 270g bread flour, 27g sugar, 5g salt, and 2g malt (or 6g honey).
  5. Knead for 5–10 minutes until well incorporated.
  6. Add the 27g soft butter and continue to mix for a couple more minutes until gluten is developed.
  7. Cover and let rise for about 3–4 hours until the dough becomes lighter and bigger with bubbles on the surface, performing a couple of folds during this time.
  8. Shape & Chill Prepare a baking tray with generously oiled parchment paper.
  9. Place the dough onto a non-floured work surface. Flatten it into a rectangle and divide it into 4 equal pieces (about 110–115g each).
  10. Pre-shape the pieces as cylinders, then roll them into 20 cm long ropes.
  11. Set the pretzel ropes on the prepared baking tray. Cover and let them proof for about 1 hour until puffy.
  12. Move the proofed pretzel ropes into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up for boiling.
  13. Boil, Cut & Bake While the dough chills, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a wide pot. Add 3 tbsp baking soda and whisk well until dissolved. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
  14. Remove the pretzel ropes from the fridge. Place 2 ropes at a time into the boiling water until they float (10 seconds or less), and cook for 20–30 seconds per side.
  15. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ropes and place them back onto the oiled parchment paper. Let them cool for about 1 minute.
  16. Use scissors to cut the boiled ropes into 1-inch thick bite-sized pieces directly on the oiled parchment paper.
  17. Sprinkle with sea salt (optional).
  18. Bake for 14–16 minutes until nice and brown.
  19. Brush with melted butter while still hot for extra flavor!

Nutrition

Calories476kcalCarbohydrates83gProtein14gFat9gSaturated Fat5gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat2gTrans Fat0.3gCholesterol60mgSodium2270mgPotassium151mgFiber2gSugar10gVitamin A251IUVitamin C0.1mgCalcium58mgIron1mg

Notes

  • Why an Un-Floured Surface is Mandatory for Rolling: When rolling your proofed dough pieces into long ropes, avoid dusting your counter with raw flour. Stiff pretzel dough requires a high amount of physical friction against the work surface to stretch smoothly under your palms. If the counter is slippery with flour, the dough will simply slide around under your hands instead of rolling out into uniform cylinders.
  • The Physics of the 20-Second Baking Soda Bath: The alkaline environment created by boiling baking soda drastically alters the starch molecules on the exterior surface of the dough, a process known as starch gelatinization. This chemical reaction restricts the dough’s expansion in the oven, locking in a dense, signature chewy bite while allowing the crust to brown rapidly into a deep, classic pretzel color. Do not leave the bites in the boiling water for longer than 30 seconds, or they can develop an unpleasantly metallic, soapy aftertaste.
  • Securing the Perfect Salt Adherence: Standard table salt or fine sea salt will instantly dissolve into the damp skin of the pretzel bites after the boiling bath, leaving you with an overly salty crust devoid of texture. To secure those classic, beautiful white crystals, always source authentic coarse pretzel salt or heavy rock salt. The compressed structures of these specialized crystals resist moisture, ensuring they stay perfectly intact through the high-heat bake cycle.

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