Homemade Pretzel Bites

 I've shared our homemade pretzel recipe on here before, but thought I would share some variations that we've tried lately. These are one of my kid's favorite snacks. Mine too. It's hard to buy pretzels at the store anymore or from the shops at the mall, because they just don't compare to homemade ones!

Homemade Pretzel Bites

1 1/4 cup warm water

1 T. plus 1/4 tsp. yeast

3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. + 2 T powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vegetable oil

Bath:

2 c. warm water

1/4 c. baking soda

Place all ingredients (except bath mixture) into bread machine and run the dough cycle.

{If you do not have a bread machine, make these like any other dough. Mix water/yeast (let sit 10 minutes), add dry ingredients, knead, raise until doubled.}

When dough is done, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make a bath for the pretzels by combining the baking soda with warm water and stir until soda is mostly dissolved (it won't dissolve completely).

Roll out dough into a long rectangle (about 12"x24"). Using a pizza cutter, cut into small 2" sections. Dip each dough square into the water/soda bath and place on a greased baking sheet. If you are making salted or garlic pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate pan and bake another 4 minutes.

{Our variations are as follows}

 For your basic salted pretzels, sprinkle pretzel dough with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with melted butter.

 For Garlic Parmesan pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt BEFORE baking. When they come out of the oven, brush with a mixture of butter and garlic powder. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

 For cinnamon/sugar pretzels, brush with butter AFTER baking and then roll in cinnamon/sugar.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!