Soft Sourdough Pretzel Bites
INGREDIENTS
Feed Your Starter
- 10 g sourdough starter healthy; ideally, fed within the last 24 hours
- 50 g water
- 50 g bread flour
Pretzel Dough
- 245 g water
- 95 g active sourdough starter that you made, from above
- 10 g sugar
- 25 g unsalted butter — softened or melted and cooled
- 510 g high-protein bread flour see Recipe Notes
- 15 g non-diastatic malt powder optional
- 11 g sea salt
For Boiling
- 1420 g water
- 110 g baking soda
After Boiling, Before Baking
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp pretzel salt optional
Before You Begin
Note: This recipe was developed and is written in metric (grams). Volume measurements (cups & spoons) are automatically converted and untested — use at your own risk. For best results, use a kitchen scale.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with the dough hook (or you can knead by hand)
Instructions
- Feed your starter: In the morning, in a medium glass jar, stir together 10 g sourdough starter and 50 g water. Mix in 50 g bread flour until smooth. Loosely cover and let it ferment all day, 10–12 hours at 68–75°F (20–24°C).
- Mix the dough (before bed): In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 245 g water, 95 g active sourdough starter (that you made earlier), 10 g sugar, and 25 g unsalted butter (softened or melted and cooled). Add 510 g high-protein bread flour, 15 g non-diastatic malt powder, and 11 g sea salt. Mix on low speed (usually Speed 1) until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed slightly (usually Speed 2) and knead for 6–8 minutes, or until smooth. The texture of this dough is just like bagel dough, which is firm and smooth yet pliable — not sticky or tacky.To mix by hand, combine all of the pretzel dough ingredients in a large bowl. Once you have a rough dough ball, turn it out onto a clean, unfloured counter and knead for 10–12 minutes, or until smooth.
- Bulk ferment: Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and cover. Let it ferment on the counter overnight, 8–12 hours at 68–75°F (20–24°C). In the morning, the dough should be roughly doubled to tripled in size (there is flexibility here).
- Divide and shape: Turn dough out onto a clean, unfloured surface. Divide into 6 equal pieces, about 150 g each.
- Working one piece at a time, roll each piece into a cylinder about 6 inches (15 cm) long and pinch the seams closed on each end. Cut each cylinder into 4 equal pieces. Flatten each piece slightly and place cut-side up on the parchment-lined sheet tray. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- Second proof: Cover loosely and let rise on the counter until the bites are about 50% larger and feel puffed up, about 3–6 hours.
- Optional cold proof: For a deeper sourdough flavor and potentially better digestion, refrigerate the shaped bites for 12–36 hours. You can do this before or after the second proof — just make sure the bites are fully puffed up before you boil them.
- Preheat and prep the boiling water: When ready to bake, position one oven rack in the center and one at the very top. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) convection or 475°F (245°C) conventional. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine 1420 g water (1420 g) and 110 g baking soda (110 g) before turning on the heat (adding baking soda to already-boiling water will cause it to foam up and overflow). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Boil the pretzel bites: Working in small batches, lower the bites into the baking soda water using a slotted spoon. Boil 30 seconds total, flipping once at 15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and hold over the pot for a few seconds to let excess water drip off before returning to the parchment-lined sheet tray.
- Top the pretzel bites: Brush all of the boiled bites with 4 tbsp unsalted butter (melted). Sprinkle with 1 tbsp pretzel salt over the tops.
- Bake: Place the sheet tray on the center rack and bake 10 minutes. Move the pan to the top rack and bake an additional 2–3 minutes, until the bites are a deep mahogany brown — watch closely, as they can burn quickly. Total bake time: 12–13 minutes.
- Serve warm, ideally within the first hour of baking. Pairs well with mustard or a warm cheese dipping sauce.Pretzel bites are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, cool completely and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes.
Notes
- Bread flour: Bread flour works best for pretzel dough — its higher protein content gives them a nice chewiness. I’ve tested this recipe with Central Milling High Mountain bread flour (13.5% protein). Another great option is King Arthur unbleached bread flour (12.7% protein). If you use a lower-protein flour, such as Kirkland all-purpose flour from Costco (11.5% protein), add 1 tbsp of vital wheat gluten to help it perform like a higher-protein flour, or decrease the water in the dough by about 10–15 g.
- Non-diastatic malt powder: Optional but highly recommended — it keeps the pretzel bites soft for days and enhances flavor and browning. If you only have diastatic malt powder (or non-diastatic is out of stock), toast it at 325°F (160°C) for 5 minutes first to deactivate the enzymes. Those enzymes would speed up the fermentation, which is not ideal for an overnight fermentation recipe.
- If making these ahead, wait to add the pretzel salt until reheating. Pretzel salt starts to dissolve into the dough after a day or two.
Nutrition Facts
Soft Sourdough Pretzel Bites
Serving Size
1 pretzel bite
Amount per Serving
Calories
113
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
7
mg
2
%
Sodium
476
mg
21
%
Potassium
29
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
18
g
6
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
87
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
0.02
mg
0
%
Calcium
6
mg
1
%
Iron
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
