Store-bought pizza dough is my shortcut secret for the best Pizza Dough Soft Pretzel Bites! All you need is five ingredients and 25 minutes (seriously, start to finish!) to achieve that classic chewy, soft pretzel texture and taste.
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There are few things pizza dough can’t do, from calzones and stromboli to croutons and garlic knots. It can even transcend from savory to sweet for the ultimate pizza dough cinnamon rolls!
But never have I ever met a savory carb that I love more than soft pretzels. Chewy, pillowy perfection in every shape and size. While I’m all for a 100% made-from-scratch batch of soft pretzel twists, sometimes a shortcut is in order for nearly instant satisfaction.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. Using pizza dough cuts the total time standing between you and hot, homemade soft pretzel bites to a speedy 25 minutes.
- Made with five simple ingredients.
- You can get creative with toppings and seasonings. Go classic with a sprinkle of coarse salt or get creative with everything seasoning, cheese, herbs or even cinnamon and sugar.
- Perfect for sharing. Whether you’re serving them as an appetizer for guests, a gameday snack or a movie night treat, these are sure to be a hit.
- Soft and chewy just like traditional soft pretzels!
- Pizza dough: The star of this recipe! You can opt for the convenience of store-bought pizza dough (I do this all the time!) or make your own pizza dough from scratch.
- Baking soda and water: Baking soda is dissolved in boiling water to create a baking soda solution. This solution gives the pretzels their distinctive browned and slightly crispy exterior during baking. It’s a key step in achieving that classic soft pretzel texture.
- Egg yolk: One large egg yolk is mixed with one tablespoon water to create an egg wash, which is brushed onto the dough before baking to achieve a shiny, golden-brown finish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
When it comes to soft pretzel toppings, there are three distinctive routes you can go down:
- Classic salt
- Everything seasoning
- Cinnamon-sugar
I’ll take them all! Regardless of which topping you choose, an egg yolk wash pre-bake (and post-baking soda soak) guarantees that rich golden brown hue. You can then go the savory route and sprinkle them with salt or everything seasoning, or you can wait until after they’re baked before plunging them in melted butter and giving them a good roll in cinnamon-sugar.
Ready to start your 25-minute countdown to these gloriously chewy, golden brown, everything seasoning-topped nuggets below? Grab the pizza dough (even no yeast pizza dough works!), preheat the oven and let the soft pretzel-ing begin!
- Preheat and prepare your baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- Roll out the dough. On a floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough into a roughly 12×12-inch square.
- Cut into bites. Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1-inch strips lengthwise and then crosswise to create bite-sized pieces. (They don’t need to be uniform in shape but should be roughly the same size.)
- Make a baking soda bath. In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot set over medium-high heat, whisk together the water and baking soda. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Boil the bites. Working in batches, boil the pretzel bites for 1 minute, then using a slotted spoon, transfer them into a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
- Egg wash and season. Brush each piece of dough with the egg wash then sprinkle them with your topping of choice.
- Bake and serve. Bake until they are dark golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving.
And don’t forget the dips! These pair well with classic marinara sauce, beer cheese sauce, spicy mustard or cheesy onion dip.
- Room-temperature pizza dough is much easier to roll out and shape than chilled pizza dough.
- Be mindful of the boiling step. The pretzel bites only need about 30 seconds to a minute in the baking soda solution. Over-boiling can affect the flavor.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. Overcrowding can prevent even baking and browning.
- The pretzels can go from golden brown to overdone quickly, so aim to remove them as soon as they reach that perfect dark golden color.
In the event any of these tasty soft pretzels from pizza dough remain uneaten (I am not familiar with this scenario, but I’ve been told it can happen!), they’ll freeze and reheat beautifully.
- Let the pretzel bites cool completely.
- Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer so that they aren’t touching and place them in the freezer until they’re frozen solid.
- Transfer to a sealable plastic bag or airtight container and stash them in your freezer.
How to Reheat
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or greased foil).
- Arrange the frozen pretzel bites in a single layer.
- Bake until soft and warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
While they share many similarities in their basic ingredient list, pizza dough and pretzel dough aren’t the same. However, when pizza dough is boiled in a baking soda bath before baking, it mimics the flavor and texture of traditional pretzel dough.
Dipping the dough in a baking soda solution is essential because it creates that classic texture, flavor and browned exterior we all love.
Yes, you can use frozen pizza dough, but make sure to thaw it according to the package instructions and bring it to room temperature before rolling it out.
Work in batches to avoid overcrowding your pot. Also, gently stir the pretzel bites while they’re in the boiling water to prevent sticking.
These pretzel bites are definitely best when enjoyed on the day they’re baked. If you really need to make them in advance, I’d make them one day before you want to serve them and store them in sealed plastic bags, but keep an eye on the moisture and open the bags every now and then if they look like they’re getting too soft.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- All-purpose flour, for rolling out dough
- 1 pound homemade or store-bought pizza dough, at room temp (See Kelly's Notes)
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk, whisked with 1 Tablespoon water
- Everything seasoning or salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper greased with cooking spray.
- Lightly flour your work surface then cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. (They do not need to be uniform in shape but should be roughly the same size.)
- In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot set over medium-high heat, whisk together the water and baking soda. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Working in batches, boil the pretzel bites for 1 minute, then using a slotted spoon, transfer them into a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
- Brush the pretzel bites with the egg wash then sprinkle them with everything seasoning or salt.
- Bake the pretzel bites until they are dark golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving.
Kelly’s Notes
- Room temperature pizza dough is much easier to roll out and shape than chilled pizza dough.
- Be mindful of the boiling step. The pretzel bites only need about 30 seconds to a minute in the baking soda solution. Over-boiling can affect the flavor.
- The pretzels can go from golden brown to overdone quickly, so aim to remove them as soon as they reach that perfect dark golden color.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Can I pre-boil them and then bake as needed same day? I wanted to take it to a market
Hi Cristina! I’ve never tried dividing up the cooking process like that so I’m not entirely sure. Let me know if you give it a shot!
So easy and my Grandkids love them .
Love reading this, Lucille!
What can you substitute for the egg yolk? Vegan. Thank you
Hi Rose! Any dairy-free milk would work :)
Yummmy having with Greek chicken rice soup tonight thanks. Made with pizza dough from grocery store
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Pattie!
YUMMM
Can you deep fry the pretzel bites after boiling them?
I’ve never tried that so I’m not sure!
These are so easy and taste just as good as from scratch pretzels! I sprinkled salt on half the batch and rolled the other half in cinnamon and sugar. Loved both ways! My husband and kids thought they were excellent. I will be making this again and again
I’m so thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe, Janice!