Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites [with beer cheese dip]

Pretzel lovers unite! You are going to love these sourdough discard pretzel bites! Served with the best beer cheese dip you ever did eat, they make such a fun savory snack, game day treat or even a unique dish to serve at a potluck or brunch.

These easy sourdough pretzel bites recipe will give you small, pretzel balls with a soft, golden crust and chewy texture, just like traditional pretzels, only with a tangy sourdough flavor. You could choose to make these with sourdough discard or active, bubbly sourdough starter (you'll find notes for each in the recipe card).

If you love all things sourdough snacks, then make sure you check out these sourdough ham and cheese pinwheels, sourdough pizza rolls and easy 2 ingredient sourdough discard crackers!

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Just Like Soft Pretzels ... But Bite Sized - there's just something about "mini" or bite sized snacks that make them taste just a little bit better than the original, right? These bite sized pretzels make the perfect snack for any occasion! 

No Pretzel Shaping - if you don't like shaping pretzels because you just can't get the twist right, then these sourdough discard pretzel bites are for you! No ropes, no twisting, no knots - just an easy little ball to shape.

Use Either All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour - You can choose which flour you use for these. As it's a really low hydration dough, it really won't make too much difference.

What Is Sourdough Discard & Why Should You Use It?

Sourdough discard is the unfed portion of your sourdough starter that is removed before you add fresh flour and water. Once your sourdough starter is at least 7 days old, you can use the sourdough discard in lots of different sourdough discard recipes. It's very versatile and adds a deeper flavor to many baked goods, breads, sauces and cakes. 

It's great to use up this otherwise discarded sourdough starter as it will reduce food waste in your kitchen. 

You can read more about the difference between sourdough starter and sourdough discard here.

How To Make Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

This easy sourdough discard recipe is based on my original sourdough pretzels recipe which uses active sourdough starter to create soft sourdough pretzels. You might also like these sourdough pretzel buns!

I've subbed sourdough discard and yeast for the active sourdough starter, which shortens the rise time on these and means you can enjoy them just a little bit quicker! I've used instant yeast but you can also use active dry yeast. Just make sure that you add the active dry yeast into the water with the sourdough discard to ensure it activates properly.

Grab your kitchen scale and let's get baking!

Mixing & Kneading The Dough

I recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe as it is a stiff dough and can easily be kneaded in a stand mixer (using the dough hook attachment on low speed). If you don't have a stand mixer, you can still make these by hand (I've done it many times by hand, it will just take a bit of work to knead the dough - make sure you read my notes for this).

Add sourdough discard, water, yeast, bread flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer and bring together to form a shaggy dough. Using warm water will help your dough to rise more quickly.

Knead the dough (you'll need to use a dough hook for stand mixers) for around 10 minutes until it is smooth and supple. Be sure to give your stand mixer a break every few minutes so it doesn't over heat.This is a stiff dough (much like sandwich bread dough) so it won't be super elastic, however it should be smooth and not sticky.

Let It Rise

Once the dough is sufficiently kneaded, you'll need to allow it to rise, covered with plastic, at room temperature.You want the dough to double and be puffy and soft. As we are using added yeast, this won't take too long, but it is a low hydration dough so give it a little extra time than normal. If your kitchen runs a little cold, you might want to find a warm place for the dough to rise. 

Shape The Pretzel Bites

Once the dough has risen, you'll need to shape the pretzel bites. It's quite simple, you just need a little patience. Divide the pretzel dough into equal pieces (these will be smaller portions. I like making mine 20 to 30g, but you can do bigger or smaller if you prefer).

Take each portion of dough and shape it into a small ball. I like to pinch the dough underneath to form a tight round ball, but you can also roll them if you prefer. 

Place the pretzel bites on a large cookie sheet or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover the pretzel bites with a dish towel and allow them become lovely and puffy.

Once they are puffy, place them into the freezer for around 15 minutes to set (you don't have to do this if you don't want to, but I do find that it makes it easier when you go to boil them).

Let's Boil & Bake Them!

While they are setting in the freezer, bring a large pot of water with 60g of baking soda added to the boil and preheat your oven to 200C/390F.

When the water is boiling, carefully place 10 - 12 pretzel bites into the boiling water at a time. You want to boil them for around 20 seconds each. They should float to the surface and that's when you know to take them out.

Carefully remove the pretzels from the boiling baking soda bath using a slotted spoon. Lay the pretzels onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Using a pastry brush, brush on the egg wash mixture and then sprinkle with salt or seeds as desired.

Bake the pretzel bites for around 15 to 20 minutes at 200C/390F. Remove them from the oven when they are golden brown. Baking them just a little longer will give you that deep, golden color.

Allow them to cool before you enjoy them!

How To Make 3 Ingredient Beer Cheese Dip

If you're looking for a way to elevate your sourdough discard pretzel bites, then this 3 ingredient beer cheese dip is it! Honestly, it will take your soft, salty sourdough pretzel bites to the next level! And it's so easy to make!

To a medium sized saucepan, add the beer and bring to a simmer over a moderate heat.

Once the beer is simmering, add the cream cheese block and whisk until it is well combined with the beer. Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to bubble slightly.

Now add the shredded cheeses and continue to whisk until all of the cheese is melted and the dip is smooth.

Add a pinch of cayenne or some black pepper if you would like to.

Pour into a serving dish and allow to cool slightly so it begins to thicken. It will be quite runny when it's hot, but thickens nicely as it cools (I like it either way).

Serve warm with sourdough discard pretzel bites.

If you have any 3 ingredient beer cheese dip left over, pour it into a glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dip is delicious warm or cold!

Recipe Notes

Flour - I have used Bread Flour to create this recipe. You could use all purpose flour if you like. Being a low hydration dough, it won't really make any difference to the dough. You may end up with a slightly less chewy crust and crumb texture using all purpose flour.

Kneading - Ideally this recipe should be done in a stand mixer because it is a stiff dough - but you can knead it by hand if you wish. It can take a little while for it to become soft and supple, but be patient and it will happen. 

Sourdough Discard - this recipe has been written using sourdough discard plus 7g of instant yeast. If your discard is very fresh and from a mature starter, you could omit the yeast. You can also just use active, fed starter and omit the yeast. You would then need to allow additional fermentation and rise time. The dough is very low in hydration so allow extra time than you normally would to bulk ferment the dough.

Preventing Pretzel Bites from Sticking - I find that freezing the sourdough discard pretzel bites a little before boiling them prevents them from sticking the parchment paper. Don't worry too much if they do stick a little and become a little misshapen, they will still bake up just fine.

Best Flavor Variations for Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

There are so many different ways you can enjoy these sourdough discard pretzel bites! Honestly, every time I make these, I usually take half the dough and create a new flavor combination for my family to try. Here are some of the flavor combinations and variations that we love to enjoy:

• Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites - Once the sourdough discard pretzel bites are baked, remove from the oven and toss in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. They're just like cinnamon donuts, but with a better chewier texture.
  
• Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Pretzel Bites - To turn these sourdough discard pretzels into something truly special, add 40g of diced, pickled jalapeños and 100g of shredded cheddar cheese when you knead the dough. For a little extra spice, you can also add a slice of pickled jalapeño to each pretzel bite once you've egg washed them and right before you place them into the oven.
  
• Garlic & Herb Sourdough Pretzel Bites - Dip warm, baked sourdough pretzel bites into melted garlic butter and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for a herb and garlic flavor twist.  

How To Serve & Enjoy 

These sourdough discard pretzel bites are such a versatile dish, especially because you can serve them with your favorite dips (if you don't want to use the beer cheese dip listed). Here are a few other dips we like to serve alongside these soft sourdough pretzel bites.

• Homemade Tomato Pizza Sauce
• White Pizza Sauce made with Sourdough Starter
• Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
• Whipped Ricotta Dip (with honey and thyme)

How To Store + Freeze 

These sourdough discard pretzel bites are best enjoyed freshly baked, right out of the oven. They will stay fresh for around 12 hours, after that they will start to become stale. You could refresh them in the oven though, just warm them on a low heat. 

They do freeze really well. Once baked and cooled, snap freeze them on a baking tray and then place them into a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to use them, thaw at room temperature and then gently warm them in a moderate oven when you're ready to eat them. I don't recommend freezing the beer cheese dip as it tends to change the texture. I make this fresh when we want to use it (although it will last for up to 3 days in the fridge).

Share the sourdough love!