Crusty, chewy soft pretzels paired with a smooth savory cheese sauce speak to me of a nostalgic Sunday evening around the table with friends and family.
Jump to RecipeWhy You Will Love this Recipe
It’s basic. With a few ingredients and not much effort, you can create a nutritious snack that your family will enjoy!
It’s good. Because it’s packed with wholesome nutrients, fibers, and proteins, you can serve this to your family with confidence, knowing that their bodies are being nourished and satisfied.
It’s fun. Soft pretzels are such a great family project. I have so many good memories of helping my mom in the kitchen, and helping to roll out soft pretzels was always a highlight!
Ingredients for Fresh Milled Soft Pretzels and Cheese Sauce
Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat Flour– Azure Standard, and Ancient Grains are two places that I use to source high quality grain! Read this post to discover why I use fresh milled flour.
Warm water
Brown Sugar– I don’t buy this ingredient, because I make my own brown sugar by adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of unsulphured blackstrap molasses per cup of cane sugar. It’s quite simple, not to mention that pure molasses has a very rich nutrient profile! It contains iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other minerals, plus has antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Salt
Alkaline Solution: This creates the signature chewy glossy brown crust of a soft pretzel.
Hot water
Baking Soda
Coarse Pretzel Salt– For sprinkling on top of the pretzels.
Cheese Sauce: Once you’ve experienced the cheese sauce and soft pretzel combination, you’ll never go back!
Heavy Cream
Cream Cheese
Nutritional Yeast– This nutritious ingredient immediately elevates cheese sauce with its savory, umami packed flavor.
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Shredded Cheddar Cheese– Usually I use whatever cheese I have on hand, but cheddar definitely gives the smoothest and best cheesy flavor!
Tools You’ll Need for Fresh Milled Soft Pretzels
Flour Mill- I use the Komo Classic Mill and love it, but there are many other great options out there as well!
Digital Scales– Weighing your flour is not the answer to everything, but it does make a huge difference! When I learned to weigh my fresh milled flour, it increased the quality and consistency of the recipes I made.
Mixer- I use a Bosch mixer, and while it’s not the most aesthetic tool I own, it’s definitely a workhorse!
Small Saucepan- For heating the water to make the alkaline solution.
Basting brush- For brushing the tops of the soft pretzels with melted butter.
Larger Saucepan- To make the cheese sauce.
Soft Pretzel Dogs
For a fun variation, you can use this recipe to make Soft Pretzel Dogs! My favorite brand of hot dogs to use is the Marketside brand from Walmart. Instead of all the nitrates, they use celery salt for preservation, and the flavor is unsurpassed in my opinion! Make the dough as directed, then roll into a long slender log that you wrap around each hot dog. You don’t want the dough part to be too thick, as it will make the baking time much longer.
Continue with the alkaline solution before sprinkling with the coarse pretzel salt. Then bake them at 425º F for 20-25 minutes. When the pretzel dogs are finished, brush with melted butter, and serve warm with cheese sauce.
FM Chewy Soft Pretzels w/ Cheese Sauce
Course: Breads8
soft pretzels45
minutes10
minutesIngredients
480 grams (approx. 4 cups) hard white wheat flour
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
- Alkaline Solution
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon baking soda
Coarse pretzel salt for sprinkling
Melted butter for brushing tops
- Cheese Sauce
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- After milling your wheat berries, add all of the dough ingredients to your mixing bowl.
- Knead on medium low speed until the dough reaches window pane, about 8 minutes. It should nicely clean the sides of your mixing bowl.
- Cover the dough and let rise for 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but workable. If you struggle with it sticking, rub some oil on your countertop and the palms of your hands.
- While your dough is rising, prep the alkaline solution by dissolving the baking soda in hot water.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 425º F.
- Separate the dough into 8 parts. Roll into long “snakes”, then twist into pretzel shapes.
- Dip your pretzels into the alkaline solution, then place on parchment paper. Don’t skip this step, as it creates the signature chewy glossy brown crust of a soft pretzel! Sprinkle with coarse salt while still damp.
- Bake at 425º F for 10-12 minutes, until the pretzels are golden brown.
- When pretzels are finished baking, brush tops with melted butter and serve warm with cheese sauce.
- Cheese Sauce
- Combine heavy cream and cream cheese in a saucepan over medium low heat.
- Add in salt and seasonings. Stir constantly.
- When the mixture is nice and hot, add in shredded cheese. Stir until melted. If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little milk. Makes approximately 3 cups of cheese sauce.
Notes
- For a fun variation, you can use this recipe to make Soft Pretzel Dogs! My favorite brand of hot dogs to use is the Marketside brand from Walmart. Instead of all the nitrates, they use celery salt for preservation, and the flavor is unsurpassed in my opinion! Make the dough as directed, then roll into a long slender log that you wrap around each hot dog. You don’t want the dough part to be too thick, as it will make the baking time much longer.
Continue with the alkaline solution before sprinkling with the coarse pretzel salt. Bake at 425º F for 20-25 minutes. When the pretzel dogs are finished, brush them with melted butter, then serve warm with cheese sauce.
