Easy Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Bites! Store-bought pizza dough shaves precious prep time off of this deliciously simple pretzel bites recipe! Stuffed with gooey cheese, they're perfect for game day snacking!
Easy Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Fall is one of my favorite times of year because of all of the food-filled festivities. Football season, Oktoberfest, Halloween, and the beginning of the holiday season... so many good reasons to snack! There isn't always time to make everything completely from scratch, so I've gotten pretty good at finding shortcuts for some of my top-pick nibbles. {Plus, you've all made it very clear that you fully appreciate a shortcut!}
If you're a fan of cheesy game day snacks, this recipe for Easy Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Bites is definitely one that's going to be a keeper. I tucked small pieces of string cheese into globs of store-bought pizza dough to create these heavenly soft and chewy nuggets! They're perfect for dipping, dunking and straight up gobbling -- just make sure you take a second to appreciate that cheese-pull!
Using Pizza Dough for Pretzel Bites
My secret to shaving prep time off of these tasty little bites {and other mouthwatering recipes} is simple: Use store-bought pizza dough. I've made homemade soft pretzels in the past, and while they're not terribly difficult to make, they take more time and ingredients, especially because most call for a yeast dough that requires rise time. Store-bought pizza dough isn't exactly the same as pretzel dough, but it's a good enough stand in when you're looking to shorten the time kitchen to couch snacking.
I picked up one pound ball of dough in my grocery store's deli section and let it come to room temperature for about an hour; this makes it easier to work with as it won't spring back on you like it does when it's cold.
How to Make Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
This pretzel bites recipe can't get much easier. Here's how I make these little guys:
- Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper with a sharp edge, I cut off 1 ounce pieces of the room temperature dough {I used a kitchen scale, but you can eyeball it if you don't have one} for each pretzel bite. Since there are 16 ounces in a pound, you should get about 16 pretzel bites.
- I cut 4 mozzarella string cheeses into quarters, then carefully tucked a piece of cheese into the center of each dough ball, pinching the dough to create a sealed seam. Make sure you do a thorough job of this or they'll pop open and the cheese will leak out.
- After giving the ball a nice shape, I gave each of them a dip in a boiling baking soda bath solution {more on that below} before placing them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkling them with pretzel salt.
- They only take about 8-10 minutes to bake in a 400 degree oven!
How to Make a Baking Soda Bath for Pretzels
One of the things that makes this pretzel bites recipe more like pretzels and less like pizza nuggets is the dip they take in a boiling baking soda solution before baking. It's the step that gives them that dark, chewy exterior and that noticeable sheen that makes pretzels {and bagels!} different than other types of bread.
I won't get too deep into the science {mostly because I'm not quite sure of all the details}, but basically, adding baking soda to water makes the water alkaline. A dip in this alkaline water allows for a chemical reaction {Maillard, for you science nerds out there} to occur that produces that unique pretzel exterior when it's baked. This article does a decent job of explaining the whole shebang.
Making the baking soda bath for this recipe is simple: Combine ¼ cup baking soda with 4 cups of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. When your pretzel bites are formed and ready for a dunk, toss them in a few at a time for about 10-15 seconds. If you leave them in too long they'll puff up too much and most likely open up at the seam, revealing the cheese you worked so hard to tuck inside! Remove them with a slotted spoon, giving them a tap to let any excess water drip off, then place them onto your prepared baking pan. That's it!
These bite-sized bundles will be filled with molten cheese in the center when they come out of the oven, so I suggest letting them cool a bit before serving. They pair well with honey mustard, grainy mustard or cheese sauce. {Yes, that would be cheese on cheese, and I'm totally okay with that.}
Easy Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 1 pound store-bought pizza dough room temperature
- 4 sticks mozzarella string cheese cut into 16 pieces
- Pretzel salt to taste
For Baking Soda Bath
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Meanwhile, stuff the pretzels. Cut a 1 ounce chunk of pizza dough and flatten slightly. Place a small piece of cheese in the center. Wrap the cheese completely with the dough, pinching the dough to seal the edges. Repeat with all the pieces.
- Make the baking soda water bath: Bring water and baking soda to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-high.
- Drop a few pretzel bites at a time into the water, and allow to boil for about 10-15 seconds. {Longer than that and they'll start to open up.} Use a slotted spoon to remove them, allowing any excess water to drip off before placing them on the lined baking sheet.
- While the pretzels are still wet, sprinkle with pretzel salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the pretzels turn a deep golden brown. {Some of the cheese may leak out, and that's ok.} Cool slightly before serving.
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