Soft and chewy pretzel bites filled with cheddar cheese and rosemary and served with a homemade honey mustard dipping sauce is the ultimate party appetizer or snack!
I’m not a big sports fan, but I’m always a fan of a good appetizer and finger food spread! And whether you’re “just here for the food” like me or not, these soft and chewy pretzel bites are sure to be a big hit at your next party!
These cheddar and rosemary pretzel bites require a little time an patience, but they are honestly easy enough for anyone to make! And believe me, they are well worth the effort! They’re soft and chewy, with delicious salty flavor and a little extra flair from the cheese and rosemary, and the honey mustard sauce just sends them over the top!
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What you’ll love about these pretzel bites
- They’re less fussy than traditional soft pretzels, and these little nuggets are very forgiving and hard to mess up!
- Biting through that signature golden chewy exterior reveals a soft, fluffy and buttery center.
- Cheddar cheese and fresh rosemary give these pretzels even more flavor.
- The honey mustard dipping sauce is a must! And such a delicious pairing with these homemade pretzel bites.
Looking for a sweeter variation? Try my soft cinnamon-sugar pretzel bites!
Ingredients you’ll need
- All-purpose flour, salt and a little sugar are the primary dry ingredients in the pretzel dough.
- Active-dry yeast or instant/”quick rise” yeast will both work for this recipe, the only difference is the rise time.
- Melted butter gives the doughflavor and richness,
- Fresh rosemary and shredded cheddar cheese both add a punch of savory flavor, making these pretzel bites stand out from other recipes.
- Baking soda is required for the water bath that pretzels need before baking (more on that below!).
- Coarse salt for sprinkling is also a must!
- Mayonnaise, both Dijon mustard and whole-grain mustard, and honey make up the quick homemade dipping sauce.
How to make homemade pretzel bites
- Prepare yeasted pretzel dough. Combine 3 cups of the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and rosemary in a large bowl (of an electric mixer, if you’re using one!). Add warm water and melted butter and mix until it forms a very wet dough, then stir in the cheese. Continue to mix while adding more flour 1/4 cup at a time and only add enough flour to make a soft and tacky dough that clears the side of the bowl.
- Let the dough rise. Put the dough in a warm place and rise about 1 hour until doubled (about 30 minutes if you use instant yeast).
- Cut into bites. Pinch off small portions of the dough and use your hands to roll the dough into a rope about 1/2-inch wide, then use kitchen shears to cut the rope into 1/2-inch long pieces.
- Boil in a baking soda solution. While you’re cutting the dough, bring a pot of water to a boil, then add baking soda and let it dissolve. Drop the pretzel bites into the solution in small batches and boil them for about 30 seconds, stirring so they’re evenly treated with the solution. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and tap off as must water as you can. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with salt.
- Bake. Bake in a 450°F oven until puffed and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
- Make the honey mustarddipping sauce. Whisk together the mayonnaise, both kinds of mustard and honey until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Serve and enjoy! The pretzel bites will be their best the day they’re baked but will keep for several days stored at room temperature.
baking tip:Why pretzels are boiled before baking
Boiling the dough causes it to instantly puff, creating a chewy interior and giving the exterior a head start on forming a crisp crust. The baking soda also produces pretzels with a deep golden brown and cracked appearance.
Tips and FAQs
- Substitute other cheeses and different herbs, or leave them out completely. Using other cheeses like swiss, gruyere or pepper jack are great options. Fresh or dried thyme and chives are other great herbs options too.
- Work quickly but don’t stress. Have everything ready to go once the dough is done rising— your tools for cutting, baking sheets, etc. and have the baking soda solution nearby. This way you can move quickly through the steps of rolling, cutting and boiling without letting the dough sit too long in between. It’ll take a bit of time working in batches and that’s okay!
- If you don’t have a spider strainer, I highly recommend getting one! I use mine all the time for dipping things into hot liquids like while making these pretzel bites, or for deep frying.
The amount of flour you’ll need for this recipe will vary depending on many factors, which is why I give a range of 3½ – 4 cups. You’ll know you’ve added enough flour when the dough is still very soft and tacky to the touch, but you can handle it without the dough sticking too much to your hands. Adding too much flour will make the pretzels tough and dense, so use only as much as you need.
I learned the “dry blend method” for this recipe from Red Star Yeast, and I love that it saves a bit of time! Rehydrating yeast in water proves the yeast is still active, but if you are confident that your yeast hasn’t expired, you typically do not need to complete this step when making bread.
Yes, as it gives the pretzels their signature look and chewy texture. Skipping this step will result in little nuggets that are more like dinner rolls. It’s worth the extra time for this recipe!
More savory snacks
Note: This recipe was originally published January 2014. In February 2025, small improvements in ingredient amounts were made for better results, and instructions were more clearly states. These pretzel bites are better than ever!
Get the recipe
Cheddar Rosemary Pretzel Bites
Soft and chewy pretzel bites filled with cheese and rosemary make an irresistible appetizer or snack, especially when paired with honey mustard dipping sauce.
Prepare pretzel dough:
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In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or in a large bowl if you plan to knead by hand), combine 3 cups of the all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and rosemary, and cheese. Add the warm water and melted butter and mix until combined to form a wet dough. Stir in the cheese.
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With the mixer on medium low, add the remaining flour ¼ cup at a time until dough clears the bowl but is still slightly sticky to the touch. You may not need to use all of the flour (and adding too much flour will result in dry, dense pretzels). Continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
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Place dough in a grease bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
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Preheat oven to 450°F and line a few sheet pans with parchment paper.
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Gently punch down dough and knead a few times to bring it all back together. Tear a small handful of dough off with your hand and roll into a long thin rope about ½ inch wide. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with remaining dough.
Boil in baking soda solution:
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While you roll and cut pretzel bites, bring the 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in the baking soda and stir to dissolve. Drop the dough pieces into the boiling water in small batches (10-20 bites at a time depending on the size of your pot). Let them cook for about 30 seconds, stirring so they turn over and are evenly coated in the baking soda solution.
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Remove with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and tap off as much liquid as you can. Place on the prepared sheet pans, spacing them ½-1 inch apart. Sprinkle generously with salt.
Bake and serve with dipping sauce:
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Bake the pretzel bites until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes for each batch (if baking a few sheet pans at a time, make sure to rotate the pans so they baked evenly). Let cool completely.
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To make the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and store in the fridge if not serving right away.
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Pretzel bites are best the day they are made but will keep for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature.
- You can use either active-dry yeast or instant/quick rise yeast. The only difference will be rise time, if using instant yeast rise time will be about 30 minutes.
- Makes about 120 pretzel bites, or 10 (1-dozen) servings.
- Feel free to use other cheese and herbs, or leave the cheese and herbs out completely for a more “plain” flavor.
Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 2334mg, Potassium: 41mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 270IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 94mg, Iron: 1mg
