Homemade Soft Pretzels with Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce
OMG. Yes!
Homemade Soft Pretzels, generously sprinkled with sea salt. And to top it off? Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce! Yes, I know. Wow!
Can I just say that this might be the best Super Bowl snack there is? Well, actually I don’t know the Buffalo “Fried” Goat Cheese is pretty amazing too. But I mean pretzels, buffalo sauce and cheese! Maybe we’ll call it a tie?
It is the Super Bowl, so you do need lots of snacks!
Originally, I was just going make soft pretzels. Just for a fun snack to have on a Sunday afternoon and then enjoy throughout the week.
But then while the dough was rising I set out for a hike. Oh, those hikes. Oh the yummy things I come up with while hiking.
Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce! Creamy, spicy and the best cheese sauce to compliment a soft pretzel.
The pretzels alone are just so good. Salty, soft, dough, dreamy. Just so good. Tear um, bite um, dip um.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Homemade Soft Pretzels with Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pretzels
Homemade Soft Pretzels, generously sprinkled with sea salt. And to top it off? Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
- 4 1/2 cups to 5 all-purpose flour
- 3 quarts water
- 2/3 cups baking soda
- 1 whole egg beaten
- Coarse sea salt
Buffalo Cheddar Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 2/3 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup franks red hot sauce
Instructions
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To make the pretzels: combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
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Add the salt and 4 1/2 cups flour to the mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
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Coat a large bowl with canola oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size. This will take about 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
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Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. To shape into pretzels, take the right side and cross over to the left. Cross right to left again and flip up. Slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water. Boil the pretzels in the water solution, 2 at a time for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula or a spider. Place 4 pretzels on each a parchment lined baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with sea salt. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.
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Remove pretzels from oven and let cool on a wire baking rack.
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To make the Buffalo Cheddar Cheese sauce: While pretzels are baking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
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Pour into one medium size dip bowl or a few bowls to scatter for dipping.
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Serve hot with the pretzels!
Soft, doughy, salty pretzels…..with cheesy, buffalo sauce! Snack time anyone?
These look amazing! I’m so jealous of anyone who can make pretzels at home! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Have a blessed week & come back soon!
I have wanted to try my hand at soft pretzels for the longest time. I think I might be able to have a go at your recipe. Thanks for sharing…and the dipping sauce…drooling! Sounds yummy!
I am usually intimidated by making things with yeast, but I may have to try these. They look so good and you can switch up the sauce to make lots of different flavors. Just pinned!
Do NOT be intimidated! These are so easy, seriously!
These look mouthwatering! I’ve made pretzel “bites” before, but never the twisted kind. I’ll have to give it a go.
Oh yumminess… these look SO good! I’m such a carbo-lover 🙂
Oh wow! Yummy!! There is nothing quite like pretzels or any bread straight from the oven! Wonderful idea for a snack for Superbowl. I’d love to pin this to my appetizer board!
OH WOW! You had me at buffalo cheese sauce!! These look and sound so good. Thank you for sharing.
I will for sure be making these soon!! Stopping by from Melt in Your Mouth Monday.
Yum! Found you via the Mrs. Happy Homemade link party. Pinning this for later. Perfect for a super bowl party.
Mmmmm….I love soft pretzels! And that buffalo cheese sauce? I think I need to give that a try.
Sitting at work and drooling over this recipe. Seriously looks and sounds so good. Found you on Naptime Creations 🙂
These look amazing! Going to pin them and add them to my recipes!
Thanks for pinning!
The pretzels look completely amazing, but then paired with that sauce, OMG!
The sauce really is OMG!
Wow these look so good! my son and hubby would definitely love these. I would never have thought of the sauce though! this is a rainy day must try for me 🙂 thanks for sharing! Found you via Show and Share link party 🙂
As always you delight and amaze me! Thanks for linking at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Yum! I like making homemade pretzels, but add some of that buffalo cheese sauce… I could go for one (or a couple…) right now!
ahumblebumble.blogspot.com
A goodness, these look so good it’s killin’ me! The dip really sends it over the top 🙂
Oh the dip…I could eat is with a spoon!
We found you on the Six Sisters. You have some great ideas! We are having our 1st link party tomorrow (Thursday 1/24/13) We would love to have you come and link up. We have a fun blog joining us. We hope you will join us too @ the busybhive.blogspot.com
Have a great day!
Joye & Myrna
These are simply AMAZING pretzels
You’ve done an excellent job
Thank you!
Gorgeous pretzels! I made some a couple weeks ago & needed a cheese sauce recipe – this one sounds perfect!
These look so good! I will have to make them one weekend! Thanks for sharing on The Mandatory Mooch, where I found you!
These look divine, but they also look like a lot of trouble! It is all worth it? Do they taste as good the next day? Thanks
I am being totally honest when I say they are totally worth it! Really this has got to be one of the easiest doughs I have worked with and the pretzels are very easy to shape an boil. The taste pretty good the next day and keep awesome in the freezer! I promise they are worth it!
When you say they keep awesome in the freezer…do you mean bake them first and then warm them in the microwave when you want to eat them?
This looks like a great recipe! I didn’t see where you add in the baking soda though? What step does that occur?
THank you! I think you just missed the baking sodo part, it is in the directions. You add the baking soda to the water once is has boiled.
Oh, these look amazing! Thank you so much for linking up with Marvelous Mondays this past week. 🙂
Tieghan,
These are absolutely gorgeous! What a great treat and the cheese dip sounds amazing!!!
You are a Featured Favorite this week on Saturday Show & Tell on Cheerios and Lattes! Thanks so much for sharing with us last week! We can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to this week!
Have a great weekend!
Mackenzie 🙂
These look amazing!
Hey Tieghan! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Stopping by to let you know you are one of the features this week at Mom’s Test Meal Mondays!! Thanks so much for linking up!!
I found your recipe from Stone Gable’s On the Menu Monday and let me just say….Oh my goodness…these look unbelievably good! My husband would go NUTS over these! Thanks for sharing!! =D
These look great, my oldest daughter would love them! Pinned on Pinterest & found you on Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms!
Lori
Whoneedsacape.com
Not Your Average Super Moms!
Another pin, this looks amazing!
Thanks for pinning!
These look so good and have wanted to try making soft pretzels.
Buffalo Sauce AND Carbs?! What more could a girl ask for?
Wish I could just reach through my screen and grab one…they looks so good and I LOVE soft pretzels!
KC
These are beautiful!!! There is nothing more delicious than making your own soft pretzels! And the sauce…yum! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
These look amazing! I love the buffalo cheddar cheese sauce. I have been craving buffalo everything lately and homemade pretzels. You just combined them and made my day. Pinning this to try very soon!
Sounds great to me- printing!!!
Ya! I hope you enjoy them!
Mmmmmmm…my mouth is literally watering just thinking about these! Pinned and will be making this weekend!
These are so good! Thanks for pinning!
Do you think I could make these a day ahead of time and put the dough in the fridge? Then, take them out tomorrow and let them sit for an hour or two to come back to room temperature, shape, and then boil/bake?
No time tomorrow to make them for the big game, but time today. I may try this.
YES, YES, YES! I should have mentioned this in my post!! I actually made the dough the night before and boiled and baked the pretzels the next day! It works great. You can even boil and bake them today and just reheat them in the oven at 200 till warm! I hope you enjoy these!
Hey I saw your post on DailyBuzz Food when it just so happened I was looking for recipes for super bowl. I used a different pretzel recipe that I’ve had book marked to try for a while, but your Buffalo Cheese Sauce is genius! Thanks!!!
So yummy looking! Thank you for linking it up at our party at http://www.fineCraftGuild.com
Yesssss. I need these.
I just made buffalo mac and cheese and fell in love with the buffalo cheese sauce! So good!
Thanks for linking up to What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Found you from karly’s site!
I crossed soft pretzels off my bucket list in january as well! yours look fabulous!
OMG! I am so excited you found me! I read blog EVERY day. You inspire me show much. Thanks for reading and I hope you like what you see!
Omgosh these look AMAZING!! My boys will love these! Thank you so much for the recipe! Would love for you to share at the party tonight! xo bridgett
http://www.osiemoats.com/2012/07/thursday-linky-party-1.html
I love the idea of a buffalo cheddar cheese – yum yum yum.
Stopping in from Totally Tasty Tuesday – pinned to share 🙂
Thanks for pinning!
Thank you so much for that recipe!
I have made these Pretzels three times already and they are always a hit.
Love,
Natasha
I am so glad you like them! My family keeps begging me to make more!
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
I made it and reviewed it over on my foodie blog: http://sometimesfoodie.tumblr.com/post/46176741968/soft-pretzels-and-buffalo-cheese-dip-pinterest
Everything was very easy and the final pretzels were delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this yummy recipe.
I am SO glad you liked these! They are kind of hard to stop eating!
These look delicious and easy — any way to make with whole wheat flour or maybe half and half whole wheat/all purpose flour?
Yes! I have done half and half and it works great! Hope you love these!
I just made these pretzels. They are amazing & so easy to make. The kids loved them!
YAY!! that makes me so happy!! Thanks Jodi! So glade you guys like them!
Hi Tieghan,
I just made these pretzels today. They were delicious and looked pretty too!! Cheers!!!
Yes! Thrilled you love them! 🙂
Thanks for reporting back!
I’m going to make these for tomorrow but I’m taking them to someone elses house. What’s the best way to do it? Boil and bake them at my friends house. Or bake them at home and reheat when I get to the party?
I would bake them at home and re-heat them when you get there in the oven…. Unless you are super good friends and she does not mind you being in here kitchen!
Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!
This recipe is delicious! Honestly, the first time I made them the pretzels were gone before I had a chance to make the cheese sauce. I made it again today and the cheese sauce makes them even better! The hubby is a huge fan! The only thing I did differently the second time around was use parchment paper on the baking sheets. They stuck to to my baking sheets badly the first time around. This is one of my new favorites and I will definitely be making these again!
SO happy you loved these! Thanks Anna!
Amazing recipe! Even my mother-in-law was impressed!
Yeah!! THANKS!
I made these tonight and they turned out FANTASTIC!!! I didn’t make the sauce due to not having all the ingredients on hand. But the pretzels….won.der.ful! Thanks lady!
So happy you loved them! THANKS!
Can I half-bake the pretzels, freeze, and finish baking at a later date?
Hey Rose, That will work great. Hope you love these and please let me know if you have any other questions.
I have made these many times and absolutely love them, as does my family! I was wondering if you had ever frozen them to have on hand and ready at the last minute. Wondering if it would be best to freeze the dough before letting it rise, or to go ahead and form the pretzels and then freeze them? Or maybe go ahead and complete the whole process and freeze them once complete?
I just made these and I absolutely loved them! So yummy!!!
I was intimidated to make these at first but! I finally did last night. it was super easy. I actually divided the dough into 16 parts and made mini pretzels because we are going to a rather large Superbowl party later and I didn’t want to make two batches. they were done in 12-13 minutes in the oven. also: I foolishly gave away my stand mixer so I mixed these puppies by hand. still- very easy! and insanely delicious. my husband was very impressed
can’t wait to put them out at the party later.
thanks!!!!!!
SO happy you are happy with the pretzels! Hope they are hit! THANKS!
Update: They WERE a hit! I ended up piping the buffalo dip into plastic shot glasses for serving. There was enough dip to half-fill 16 shot glasses -just enough for all the mini pretzels. Thanks again!
That is awesome! Thank you!
I made these for a New Years Party and they were AMAZING! I am having a Labor Day party and want to make them again. The only thing is there will be a lot of people, if i double the recipe, should I make the dough twice and let it sit and rise separately or do you think I will be ok to double it when i am mixing it?
HI! I would make the dough twice since it is already SO much dough as is. I just think two doughs will be easier to work with. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!!
Without jeopardizing the recipe, what would be the best way to make/store the sauce one day in advance? Any tips for rewarming? Thank you!!!
Hey Nicole! You can make the sauce in advance and then warm over low heat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. If the sauce thickens just add a splash of milk to thin it out. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love these pretzels!
Just made these and read the instructions about 5 times to see if I needed to grease my pan, and it didn’t say to, so I didn’t. They stuck horribly and wouldn’t come off the pan. My pretzels now have no bottom 🙁
Hi Britney, so sorry for the trouble. I prefer to use parchment paper when baking pretzels. I find it works better than greasing the pan. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Happy Holiday’s ? 🙂
I have just recently discovered your blog. I thought these pretzels would be a fun treat for New Year’s Day and boy was I right! These were really good. Dough came together really quickly. The cheese sauce was delish! This is definitely a keeper recipe!
Thank you Lizzie! I am so glad you enjoyed these and hope you had a fun New Years!
Hi, is the butter to be cold, cubed; soft at room temp; melted? Also can I make these if I don’t have a stand mixer?
HI! The butter is melted. and yes, you can make these in a regular bow, just will need to use a little elbow grease. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Are you supposed to melt the stick of butter when you combine it with the warm water and yeast and brown sugar? Or beat it first?
Hi! Yes, you should melt the butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Made these and substituted Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel seasoning for the topping. Flavor was perfect and the dough was nice and tender, however the bottoms completely stuck to the parchment paper! Next time I will try heavily greasing the paper before putting pretzels on. Anyone else have this problem?
Hi Madi! I am so glad these turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying! xTieghan
No mention of the egg. I’m assuming it goes in with the first wet ingredients….yes?
Hi Kelley! It is used to brush on the pretzels before baking! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I suggest not using parchment paper. The paper sticks to the pretzels when baked. I had a whole batch ruined because of this.
Hi Julie! I am sorry to hear that, but I did not have the same result! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
Will you please change the recipe so that readers know the butter is melted? I had to scroll through all the comments to find the answer. Thanks so much. I’m making the pretzels right now and can’t wait to snack on them.
Hi Marlo! I apologize for that, but I am glad you found the answer! I hope these turn out amazing for you! xTieghan
I just made the pretzels and cheese and they are delicious. The pretzels are super easy to make. They tasted very much like Auntie Anne’s pretzels, soft and buttery. I brushed them with melted butter and sprinkled a little more sea salt on after pulling them from the oven. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much Marlo! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! I hope you are doing well! xTieghan
Should the butter be soft or melted when you combine in the first step?
We took it right out of the fridge and it’s not combining well.
Thanks!
Hi Bailie! It will work better warmed or at room temp! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
These look amazing. I only have instant yeast and was wondering if I could use this instead of active dry yeast? I am new to baking with yeast so please let me know!: ) Thank you!
Hi Kat! Yes, you can use instant yeast for this! I hope this turns out amazing for you! xTieghan
Made the sauce and pretzels-so good!!! The only trouble i had is that I used parchment paper. Don’t do it!!! The pretzels totally stuck. I had to slice the bottom of the pretzels off ☹️
Hi Jenna! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
Tieghan, I just read past reviews and saw others had problems with the pretzels sticking, even to parchment paper. Do you think it could be the timing of boiling the pretzels? Maybe if they are over/under boiled, they stick? Just troubleshooting so I can avoid this next time. Love any insight you have.
Looks delicious, however, do I melt the butter or is it softened?
Hey Elhamk,
You can melt your butter in the microwave:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi, so I was just wondering I am using instant yeast do I follow the exact same steps as the recipe using the instant yeast, or do I combine it in a different way?
Hey EK,
If you are using instant yeast you can just add that right in with the flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My daughter (6) loves to make these and they are always a hit. So good fresh out of the oven. We make them exactly as the recipe is written.
Thank you Holly! So happy these turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I am a bit confused.. when it calls for the water is it the 1 1/2 cups or the 3 quarts? TIA!
Hey Brittlee,
You want to use 1 1/2 cups of water. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So I made these and the baking soda was a bit much, did I dip them in the boiling baking soda water for too long?
Hey Laura,
So sorry about this! What do you mean it was too much? What happened to the pretzels? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Was the butter supposed to be melted? It’s been mixing forever and is t combining. Maybe the warm water wasn’t warm enough??
Hey Tina,
You always wanted to soft butter while baking:) Let me know if that helps. xTieghan
Pretzels are delicious and easy to make! Great recipe!
Hey Jill,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xTieghan