When I was getting my MPA I would often pop by a beer hall near campus called Rhein Haus for a quick snack to power me up for studying—and that snack was almost always a soft pretzel with an obatzda spread (thick, smoky, cheesy dip)—and occasionally a beer. With it currently being Oktoberfest season, a big pile of fresh-from-the-oven pretzel bites with a side of cheese dip really hits the spot.
Soft Pretzel Bites
- 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 heaping teaspoon table salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus a bit more if your dough is too sticky)
- 4 tablespoons (half a stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Vegetable oil, for bowl and work surface
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt
Combine the 1 1/2 cups water and sugar, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.
Add the salt, flour, and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. I found I needed to sprinkle in a few additional tablespoons of flour, as my dough was incredibly sticky.
Place the dough in a bowl coated with vegetable oil, rolling it around to ensure the sides and top are oiled, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into an approximately 24-inch rope. Cut each rope into 8-10 pieces.
Bring the 10 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large stock pot, saucepan, or roasting pan. Add baking soda, and your cross your fingers the water won’t violently boil over—it foams up!
Place 1/3 of the pretzels into the boiling water, for 30 seconds (lightly stirring and trying to rotate/flip as best as possible once or twice). Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula, slotted spoon, or spider. Place pretzels on your prepared sheet pans.
Brush the top of each pretzel bite with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel or sea salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 10-12. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Non-Pimento Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 6 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 6 oz Monterey jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon Adobo sauce (from canned chipotles; more or less depending on your preferred level of spice and smoky, but I think 1 tablespoon is perfect)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until lightly fluffy. Add remaining ingredients, and slowly turn mixer back on (to avoid ingredients flying out), before cranking up the speed and mixing until light and fluffy. Taste for seasoning. Chill to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes:
- Oktoberfest is traditionally celebrated beginning mid-September and ending the first Sunday of Oktober. However, does anyone need an excuse to enjoy pretzels and beer at other times of the year? I think not.
- A traditional obatzda spread is composed of an aged soft cheese (like Camembert), butter, and spices. The version I’m sharing is definitely not that, but has smoky, cheesy notes I know and love. It reminds me of a pimento dip, sans pimentos.
- When it comes to storing pretzels, like most baked goods, soft pretzels are best the day they’re made. DO NOT put them in an airtight container (too much humidity). Chances are they’ll look super shriveled up due to the pretzel salt. The best way to store them is in a paper bag, at room temperature. When ready to serve, heat them up for a few minutes in a 375 oven. But really, there won’t be any leftovers because they’re so delicious!
