Pumpkin Beer Pretzels with Chipotle Queso + Video
You guys!!! Happy first day of Fall! ??
I know I’ve probably talked your ear off about the start of fall this week, but I am just so excited!
It’s finally my very favorite time of the year!
OK, with the exception of Christmas, but weather-wise this is my favorite time. So basically, the next three months are MY months. I love September, October, November, and December. UGH. Sorry, I’m being totally beyond annoying right now.
I’ll stop…
WATCH THE HOW-TO VIDEO:
Oh but wait! I have something VERY fun and exciting to share! Because it’s the first day of fall, and because I love you guys all so very much, and because I really wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who supported and voted for me in the recent Bloglovin Awards, I’m hosting an autumn-themed GIVEAWAY!
Yes, a giveaway, and it’s a really good one! My friends at Staub offered to send three of you my very favorite Staub Pumpkin Cocotte. I LOVE this pot and ok, I have totally been using it since the start of September. Sorry, not sorry…
Here are the details, this is an Instagram only giveaway, so head on over to the HBH Instagram for all the details AND watch a brand new video for this Pumpkin Spice Latte. Hehe! You see, so many fun things!! Now do you understand why I am so excited for today? It’s the first day of fall, major giveaways are happening, a new pumpkin spice latte video is up, AND… we are talking about cheesy soft pretzels right here, right now.
I mean, yes please! 🙂
Ok ok, so maybe we should ACTUALLY talk about these cheesy soft pretzels, yes let’s do that!
Oh, how I love soft pretzels…
…one: hot buttered rum cinnamon sugar stuffed soft pretzels
…two: peanut butter cup soft pretzel ice cream sandwiches
…three: warm chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed soft pretzels (legit, these are the BEST thing ever)
…four: spinach, artichoke + bacon stuffed soft pretzels
Ahh, yeah. I may be slightly obsessed with soft pretzels, apparently stuffed soft pretzels in particular. Whatever, they are just so good! Pretty sure I get my love of buttery soft pretzels from mom. She loves them too, but then are you surprised?
What’s not to love about salty, buttery carbs? Too good!
Today though, I made us something that’s one, probably totally expected out of me (hello carb and cheese freak here), two, completely addicting, and three, the bestest autumn appetizer/snack there ever was!
Pumpkin Beer Pretzels with Chipotle Queso
Um, YES… that’s right, soft buttery pretzels dipped in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce. We are so going there today, and it is going to be everything!
SIDE NOTE: after all, it is game day, so these pretzels are totally worth every calorie and every carb. Just make sure to be an active fan.
If you’ve never made soft pretzels before, please don’t be intimidated. I promise they’re actually pretty simple and easy to make, and the dough is very forgiving. The trickiest part is boiling the pretzels, but it’s really not a huge deal. So please, don’t fear them. You really have to give them a try – soft pretzels are one of my favorites!
Everything starts with the pretzel dough, and the secret here is the pumpkin beer, it adds SO much flavor. Personally, I always think of beer and pretzels together since that’s kind of my dad’s thing when watching football, beer, and those hard sourdough pretzels. So I just combined the flavors and made one seriously delicious soft pretzel. Honestly, these are so good. Soft, doughy, buttery, and with the slightest hints of beer and autumn.
Then just add that chipotle cheddar queso for dipping?
PERFECTION.
Who’s ready for Cheesy Pretzel Thursday? Cool, me too! First up though… I’m off to read all of your comments on what your favorite things about fall are on Instagram!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Pumpkin Beer Pretzels with Chipotle Queso.
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pretzel
Soft buttery pretzels dipped in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup pumpkin beer or any beer you love
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup baking soda for boiling the pretzels
- 1 egg beaten, for brushing before baking
- coarse sea salt or pretzel salt
Chipotle Queso
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 chipotle peppers adobo finely minced
Instructions
-
Combine the water, brown sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
-
Add the beer, melted butter, salt and all-purpose 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 sides 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. 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 a large pot of water to a boil.
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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, 1-2 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 baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with sea salt. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.
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Meanwhile, make the queso. Add the butter to a large skillet to melt. Add the cream cheese and milk. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is smooth and the cream cheese has melted. In a bowl, toss together the shredded cheddar with the flour. Little by little, add the cheddar to the warm milk, whisking until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the chipotle peppers. Keep the queso warm over warm heat. Serve along side the warm pretzels for dipping. EAT!
Hope you guys have a great first day of fall! 🙂
If you make this Pumpkin Beer Pretzels with Chipotle Queso be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Happy Fall, T! Oh, and these pretzels are seriously killing me over here, what a perfect way to kick off the season!
Thank you!! I hope you love them Tori!! (:
In the fall we make kat least 12 dozen homemade pretzels — we give 4 dozen to each family plus our hot pepper cheese. It’s been a family tradition for quite a while. We have never made it with pumpkin beer — it’s an interesting recipe. We will have to try it and try your sesame seeds instead of our pretzel salt. They look delish!
Awh what an awesome tradition! I hope you love these Marisa! Thank you!
These sound great! Does the dough only go through 1 rise?
Thanks, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer! Yup, only one rise> let me know if you have questions. Thanks! 🙂
wut. WUT. I love soft pretzels so much. oh my god. and PUMPKIN BEER.
wow.
https://www.searedandshameless.com
Haha thank you Jessica, I hope you enjoy these!!
Wow these are monstrously amazing !!! Love ir!
Thank you Angie!!
Now this is a pumpkin recipe I can get down with! Sounds delicious!
Thank you Chaucee! I hope you enjoy! (:
T… 🙂 what is melted beer ??
Add the melted beer, melted butter, salt and all-purpose flour to the mixture and mix on low speed until combined. ??
HI! No idea why I have melted beer, but it’s just add the beer. Sorry about that! Recipe fixed! 🙂
T.. I knew it was a typo..just had to tease you.. about the melted beer. 🙂 Thanks.
haha! Well thanks for letting me know!! 🙂
I’ve made pumpkin beer soft pretzels for fall the last two years, and they are truly incredible. Yours are much prettier than mine though. Lol! And that queso is to-die-for!!! I’ve gotta make that next time!
Awh thank you Sarah! I hope you love these pretzels and cheese just as much!
Wow! Those look amazingly delicious!
Thank you Jena!!
Looks delicious!
Thank you!
Happy Fall to you too ! This looks great; but why am I not surprised !?
Haha thank you so much! I hope you enjoy!! (:
Oh my gosh! These pretzels look soo amazing. I’m going to have to figure out where to get pumpkin beer! And that chipotle queso! Yum!
Haha yay! So happy you are loving this Andrea! I hope you enjoy!!
So good –but I wouldn’t know when to stop eating–ugh.
Haha right?! Sam problem here! Thanks so much Nancy!
Happy first day of fall, my dear!! Time to break out all of the cozy clothes, glorious fall candles, turn the fireplace on and enjoy this beautiful season!! Our leaves are just starting to change down here in Longmont but I’ve seen some amazing pics from around you and it is GORGEOUS!! Happy day to you, Tieghan!!
WOW! Sounds so amazing! Thanks so much Jessica!
Ummm, I cannot wait to make these! Out on the west coast now, but will be having a delightful autumn evening in NYC shortly!
Also – the link to the spinach/artichoke one takes you to the wrong recipe 🙂
Ooo thank you for catching that Kristen! I will have to switch it. Anyway, I hope you love these! (:
Yum, what a wonderful fall treat, something I’d like to try.
Awesome! I hope you love them Charlie! Thank you
Thank you so much! 🙂
How much water!??
A large pot of boiling water. Recipe adjusted. Thanks!
Sounds delightful… almost like an American take on Swiss fondue 🙂
Thank you Jane! I hope you love these!
Those pretzels are HUGE!!! Holy moly! Everyone will LOVE these for game day!!
This is my first comment on your blog… I’ve just recently found it but everything looks so so good. I want to make these tomorrow but won’t be able to eat them right away. Any tips on reheating or prepping ahead of time? I can’t wait!
WOW! Pretzels is actually one of the dishes I have in my list for October, like for an Octoberfest week that I am planning! My oh my, great minds think alike! LOL…And you and me both on soft pretzels dunk in cheese sauce (beer cheese, maybe? ;)). Love love love this! And we’re going to my cousin in WI next month, so I can grab some WI cheese!!! and hopefully she’ll have apples left in their orchard. I am getting excited! Speaking about trips, you have one coming up too! I’m sure you’ll have a great time there. 😉
Yes perfect for your Octoberfest week! I hope that goes awesome for you!! Oh and that cheese sounds so good!! Have fun on your trip to WI!! Thanks Sheila!
How much flour goes in the queso? It says mix it with the cheese?
So sorry! It is 1 tablespoon. I fixed the recipe. Hope you love this!
Yay-I guessed right! Thanks for updating. They are delicious!
Thank you!
Love these pretzels – homemade are the best!
Agreed! I hope you love them! Thank you Laura!! (:
Do you have a substitution for the beer if you’re avoiding alcohol?
Thanks!
HI! water works just as well! 🙂
Let me know if you have more questions. Thanks!
Oh my goodness haha. I just tried this recipe! Your site is seriously my favorite, it’s the only one I use when I have time to cook because the recipes are so amazing. My pretzels turned into more like…blobs. The dough did not want to stay in a long strip and it just kind of blobbed even with some flouring help. They’re still in the oven right now and I’m sure they’ll taste great, they’re just a little less aesthetically pleasing!
Awh thank you so much Chelsea, I am so happy you enjoy my blog this much!! Anyway, super sorry about that, but I hope they are still amazing for you! Thanks!
These look so good! Any tips for making them ahead of time (maybe make the night before up until the baking step and bake the day of?) Would love to serve these at our fall-themed housewarming party!
These look great! Any tips on making these ahead? Is it possible to boil them, freeze, and then bake straight from the freezer?
Hi! Yes, boiling, baking and then freezing works great! Just warm the pretzels in the oven or the microwave. I would not boil, then freeze because the dough is too sticky at that point. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you!
What can I use besides beer? I don’t really drink and I live in a dry county.
Hi! Use can use water in place of the beer. No biggie! Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
oh my gosh, these pretzels look absolutely delicious! i love soft pretzels and haven’t made them in forever. i can’t wait to make these…my family will love them!! 😀
Yay! I hope you love these Emily, thank you!
question: if i made these smaller (knots, bites, etc), what would the cooking time be? i’m thinking of making them not only regular sized, as in the recipe, but also smaller for perhaps an appetizer…
Hey Emily! I am not sure since I have not baked them this way, but I would say 12-15 minutes. Start checking around 12 and then go from there. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
What’s the best way to get the dough all mixed together without a mixer?
Hey Paige! Just use a large mixing bowl and mix with a spatula until the dough comes together. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
aw man, so sad I missed out on the Staub contest! I’m obsessed with those pumpkins!
Thank you Jillian!
What did I do wrong if the dough didn’t rise? Yeast wasn’t expired, did it’s little bubbly thing during the five minutes, dough is covered and sitting in a warm sunny spot. ?
Hey Keri! Hmm, I am really not sure. It might not be a problem once you bake the pretzels. Did they turn out ok? Let me know and I hope I can help! Thank you! 🙂
These sound amazing! I’m wondering what you would recommend to substitute the Beer for (our family can’t have anything with alcohol in it). I would love substitutions in the future for your recipes with alcohol. Families with Alcoholics, religious reasons, etc.. would love it too.
Hey Liz!! Just use an equal amount of water. No big deal at all! Please let me know if you have any questions at all. With most of my recipes you can use water for the baking recipes and chicken broth or veggie broth in the savory recipes. I am happy to provide subs from now on, thank you!! 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love these!
So I made these last night, and I gotta say, they turned out amazing! Instead of the beer, I used a cup & a half of beef broth.
The dough was so sticky, that I couldn’t get it into a half descent ball (I put an extra 1/4 c flour in) so I just plopped it into the greased bowl, and hoped for the best. An hour later I took it out, (it was still really sticky, and hard to work with) cut it 8 ways, and then started to try & form a long rope with each. I found the easiest way for me to get them into a long string was to put a little flour down, then roll the dough, stretching it out, and then picking up one end, and spinning & pulling it down. It’s my first time trying it with this dough, so I didn’t do very good, but with the boiling, and cooking method AND the brushed on egg, it didn’t matter. They came out looking so beautiful & tempting! I have a photo, I will post on Pinterest. The outsides were nice and temptingly crispy, and the insides were oh, so soft! For the queso I used an entire package of the cream cheese, 2% milk (I forgot to buy whole) but it didn’t matter. It was perfect! This is the 2nd recipe of yours I have tried, and it did not disappoint! I served this with baked sweet potatoes with brown sugar, walnuts, butter & Readi-Whip on top. What a Fall dinner. Everyone was happy at the end of it. So glad I found your blog.
WOW!! SO awesome that you made them with the substitute!! Sounds like they came out amazing!!
Seriously so awesome!! Thanks for making them and reading the blog Liz!!
Hi, can’t wait to make these! If I’m going to make at night, and serve the next day, should I go ahead and bake them or boil them and then bake the next day?
Thanks!
Laura
Hey Laura! You could do either or. If I where you, I would leave the shaped dough in the fridge overnight, then boil and bake the next day. That said, baking then warming will fine too. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
I made these this weekend and they were fabulous…outside of the mistake I made by leaving my 2 year old in charge of the salt! I have one question – after baking, part of the undersides were still a bit “wet”/”sticky”. Should I pat the dough dry before baking?
Hey Jenna! Haha, kids and salt! 🙂
If the pretzels have a tone of water around them, then ya, just blot away the excess with paper towels. So happy you loved these! Thank you!
Well, that was my first time ever making dough. Everyone loved it. I was too much of a chicken to make pretzel shapes because my dough seemed a little sticky so I did sticks. You’re fantastic, thank you!
Haha the sticks are still fun! So happy you liked them Amber(:
I made these for lunch today and they could not have been more delicious! Last night for supper I made the one pot mushroom pasta. You are making me look like a rock star. I have made the yummy chocolate cake and the white lasagna with procuitto as well. Everything has been delicious and so pretty to look at. Thanks for being my go to for recipes.
I am so glad you loved those two recipes and I hope you continue to enjoy others Crystal! Thanks so much!!
I just made these for the super bowl! I made two batches and I put cinnamon and sugar on the last 4 to go in the oven! The pretzels and the cheese were big hits! I have never been disappointed by recipes I’ve tried of yours in the past, and this one is no different! Thank you!
Sounds amazing and so fun! So happy you have liked everything, thanks so much Christy!
I have a question about the amount of yeast. it says 1 teaspoons package active dry yeast 2 1/4. Is it the 1 tsp or 2 1/4? thanks Tammy
Hey Tammy, so sorry for the confusion. it is 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast or 1 packet (1 packet = 2 1/4 teaspoons). fixing the recipe now. Let me know if you have other questions. Thank you!
I simply love these pretzels, I use this basic recipe with different beers for pretzel dogs with cheese.. same process same bake time. They are quickly becoming a family favorite. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! So happy everyone likes them! Thank you Heather!
These are so delicious! Any tips on reheating?
I just pop them in the oven at 300 until warmed! 🙂 So happy you loved these!
How do you keep the cheese warm? Cheese sauces of all kinds get cold so easily and then they separate sometimes.
Love your site some very creative vegetarian recipes.
I recommend keeping cheese sauces in slow cookers on the LOW or WARM setting. This keeps the cheese sauce warm without burning them. Hope that helps! 🙂
Amazing!!
I put everything in my bread machine and let it do the kneeling and rising then pulled the dough out and finished as directed. We had hard apple cider so I used that for the beer. They were so good! We used the rest for bread on bbq chicken sandwiches for dinner because we wanted to keep eating these pretzels. Thanks for such a successful recipe!
I am so happy you loved these Tiffany! The hard apple cider seems like it would taste great in this!
Would these work with a gluten-free flour? Is that an annoying question? 😉
haha not at all annoying and yes, I think GF should work great! Let me know if you have questions and I hope you love recipe! 🙂
I just made these last night to snack on while we handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters! So fun to make and so delicious!
Great! I am so glad you liked these Olivia! & I hope you Halloween was amazing!
made this for my husband and i because i was feeling in a baking mood….and i. just. about. DIED!!! i was slain these were so good! yaaaasssss!
Woo!! So happy you loved these Shanise! Thank you!
Thanks for the recipe! I really like your site, everything is so beautiful.
I made these about an hour ago & they turned out great. Here are my thoughts after reading several comments.
You can really taste the beer so make sure you use one you like a lot or use water.
My dough did not double in size regardless of using fresh ingredients, however my pretzels rose to the occasion while baking. So no worries if this happens to ya.
A few of the pretzels turned out to be more like pretzel rolls. Tastes the exact same, gonna slice em and fill it with turkey & cranberry sauce.
I do not own a mixer so I mixed by hand in a bowl, was simple & fun!
I really look forward to making them again for my Mom.
Last but not least, dunk that baby all the way in that queso for maximum YUM.
Thanks again, love and light to you all <3
I am so glad you liked these and that you like my blog! Thank you Ginnie!
I had to stop by once more tell you how much I adore this recipe! We have local Omish stand that sells a variety of stuffed pretzel dogs. My favorite is the most simple and their most common with a hotdog and cheese. Thhey make everything from a breakfast version to a cabanra version. However they can be expensive especially to buy for a family dinner treat… , so I set out to find the perfect soft pretzel recipe and create my own version. I was so lucky to find this site and your unbelievably good recipe! I love to cook, and run a Facebook page where I love to post my own creations. I thought when I started, I was in for a serious trial and error session to find the right soft pretzel Recipe! There are so many bad ones out there, can’t always trust the general Google ratings anymore! Yours was the first I tried and the last I had to use! Thanks so much for sharing! Can’t wait to try the one I just saw above…. a cookie dough stuffed pretzel…. omg i think i might be in trouble ….sinful! Hope this reaches you and yours having a wonderful holiday season! Keep up the amazing work! Five stars would recommend to anyone! Newbies– read the post from start to finish, follow the easy instructions and u can’t fail!
Hi Heather! I am so glad you found this recipe and loved it! Thank you so much! Oh.. definitely try the cookie dough pretzel its so yummy! Happy Holidays!
These turned out great! Was scared as I’ve never made pretzels before but they were quite simple! The dip that goes with is also top notch!
Thank you Sarah!
I made these and was thrilled with them–except that you call for WAY TOO MUCH BAKING SODA. I can’t believe that someone hasn’t written you about this before. You don’t give an amount of water, either. Other recipes call for more like 2 tablespoons of soda to 2 quarts of water. So my pretzels had a very strong soda taste, and since there was so much soda it didn’t get totally dispersed into the water, and some parts of the pretzels had much more soda taste than others. Anyway, I do truly love your blog and have tried other recipes that have come out well. I’m going to make this recipe for SB Sunday tomorrow–but with a LOT LESS SODA IN THE WATER. (Just to be clear.)
Hi Debi, thank you for letting me know! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I know this is a crazy question …..but I have just made these and they have turned out quite small with no holes….roughly what length must you roll the dough out to?
HI! Did they rise at all before you added them to water? I roll my ropes about 1 inch thick. Please let me know if you have other questions. Thanks! 🙂
Oh yes!!!! That will be it….coz I made them all before I started the cooking process??!!
Thanks so much….they are really good x
Thank you Heidi! I am so glad you loved this!
The queso wasn’t that good but got better with more garlic. Maybe opt out of the cream cheese
Thank you Briana!
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
They keep for about 5-6 day in a sealed container, but are best within 1-2 days of baking! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
hi!
i’d love to make these for an upcoming party! could i make the dough the night before and finish making them the next day?
or dough in the morning, cook at night?
thanks!
liz
HI! Yes, you can make the dough and keep in the fridge overnight. That works really well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make these! Quick question–if I don’t have a stand mixer, any ideas of how I could substitute? Would it work with non-pumpkin beer as well?
HI! You can mix the dough by hand, it will just take a little more effort, but should be great! And yes, you can use any beer that you love! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
This recipe looks amazing. Do you have a substitute for pumpkin beer? Something non-alcoholic? Thank you!
Sure! Use 1 1/4 cups chicken broth. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Looks amazing! If I want to make this for a larger group can I cut the dough into smaller sections and/or make them pretzel bites? Would the remaining directions stay the same?
HI! Small pretzels or pretzel bit will be great! This would make 12-16 mini pretzels. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Loved these! Shared with the neighbors! Thanks for posting. Will be making again for sure!
Thank you Cucina!
Forgot to give it 5 stars…..oops!
I made these!! They turned out great! They were warm, bready and delicious. I dipped them in melted butter – yum!! I usually find that my homemade bread is a bit bland and I never knew how to fix that but these were tasty. We don’t salt our food too much so with the amount of salt I sprinkled on I found that it was too salty. Maybe boiling in baking soda also added to the saltiness but they were delicious all the same – I’ll just be conservative with the salt next time. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I am so happy to hear that Tricia! I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you!
Hey! Can you use bread flour instead of all-purpose if you’re adding the packet of yeast? Or would they not rise as much.
Thanks!
Hey Mel! Bread flour will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thanks! xTieghan
Tieghan,
I made these the other night (like Saturday) and they were fantastic AND so simple to make! Tonight (less than a week since I first made them) I made them AGAIN! I did not have any more pumpkin beer but made them with regular beer. I’m sure they will be just as good! I’m taking them to work so I made smaller pretzels tonight and got 16 out of the batch.
Now I’m ready to conquer bagels… do you have a simple bagel recipe?
Thanks and keep up the great recipes!!
Hi Mimi! I am so glad you are loving this recipe and hope it turns out just as good with regular beer! I do have a bagel recipe and one especially for candy cane bagels, if you want to make them! I hope you love them!
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/candy-cane-bagels/#bo-recipe
I just made these and they are seriously the best pretzels I’ve ever had — and I used to work at a soft pretzel bakery!! So light and fluffy. Unfortunately I didn’t make the queso dip but I ate them with german mustard and they were just prefect.
I am so glad you loved this! Thank you so much Elke!
Hi! I’ve made these pretzels before and they are fantastic. Question about the queso- how much chipotle chili peppers? The recipe says 2 in so just clarifying! Thanks for a great recipe!
HI! You need 2 chipotle peppers in adobo (not the whole can, just 2 peppers). Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I’m so excited to make these but do have a question – does the beer need to be cold or room temp or does it not matter?
Thank you!
HI! I recommend using room temp beer! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Would it turn out ok to make the dough the night before and let rest in the fridge overnight/next day? I am hosting guests and would like to do a little work on the day-of as possible.
Hey Lauren! Yes, you can make the dough the night before and keep in the fridge. I recommend removing the dough from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before you are ready to shape the pretzels. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Made these so many times and my family loved them! Quick question, do you think these would keep baked for 24 hours till it was time to serve? Thanks!
Hi there! These keep really well if kept in a sealed container or ziplock bag. I would warm them slightly before serving. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
What if you don’t have a stand mixer?
Hi there! Just use a large mixing bowl and mix with a spatula until the dough comes together. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
Just curious how the recipe would change if we wanted to exclude the beer. Thanks!
Hey Alexa! Just replace the beer with an equal amount of water. You loose a little flavor, but the pretzels are still delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Can I make the pretzels without the beer? What could I substitute for the beer? Thanks!
HI Kristin! You can use an equal amount of water in place of the beer. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Just making this now and the prep time does not include the hour for the dough to rise. You might want to add that.
Thank you Ali! xTieghan
Can you make the dough a day in advance or will that mess with the rise?
Can you make this ahead of time? was thinking of making this for my work potluck but would have to make it the night before. would the queso be ok to reheat?
These look delicious! What do you recommend for stirring the dough if you don’t have a stand mixer?
Hi Hannah! You could use your hands or a wooden spoon. Just takes a little bit more elbow grease and time. Let us know if you have any other questions as you go along. Hope you enjoy this recipe! X Kelly
Made these for dinner last night as part of a reinvented fondue dinner… Used your dip recipe but added smoked Gouda… Served with roasted butternut squash, apple slices and a simple green salad. Lots of dipping and happy grunting from my two teenage boys! The texture of these pretzels is amazing, salty and crunchy on the outside, deliciously soft on the inside. Might try the artichoke ones next, now that I know how foolproof these are!
Hi Dana! I am so happy to hear that these turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for making them! xTieghan
Wanting to make this for my book club, but I was thinking of pretzel bites instead of big pretzels. Any suggestions for changes to cooking times etc?
Hi Sarah! I would just divide the dough into 10-12 balls and make mini pretzels. That will be so great! I would bake 10 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
Do you think these would work if kneaded by hand?
Hey Annie! Yes, kneading by hand works well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
If I make the dough the night before can I keep in the fridge or do I leave it out?
Hey Julia! I recommend keeping the dough in the fridge and then bring to room temp before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Is there a way to prep these pretzels the night before you’d like to serve them? Can I boil the pretzels, store them in the freezer then bake them the next day? And how long do they stay fresh for?
I would love to make these for a potluck at work but i want to make sure they’ll still be fresh by lunch!
Thanks so much!
Hey Danielle!! Yes, you can boil, then keep the pretzels in the fridge over night. To bake, remove the pretzel from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
I just made these for the second time and they are DELICIOUS! I drizzled two with truffle oil and dusted another two with cinnamon sugar. So good. But my pretzels get VERY stuck to the pan in the oven. I didn’t grease the baking sheet the first time but this time I did with olive oil and the same thing happened. Any idea why this could be? Thank you!
Hey Breana!! So when using oil they shouldn’t stick, BUT I always recommend using parchment paper for best results. I find it works best and leaves you with a better pretzel. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
This recipe is amazing!!! So easy to make and so delicious. I’ve made it four times already and each time they turn out more and more perfect. I’ve found that the pretzels freeze super well and with only a minute to defrost they’re like they just came out of the oven. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Thank you for trying this recipe Danika! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
If I made this in the morning and put it in the fridge, do you thing it would be proofed by 5pm? I want to make it for Halloween….
Hi Courtney! Yes, but I would just leave the dough on the counter, no need to keep in the fridge. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Hi! If I wanted to do any day before prep for this recipe, what stage do you recommend?? Can I shape them the night before and then bake them the next day?
Or is reheating the pretzels an option?
Thanks!!!
Hi Morgan! You can do either! You can shape the pretzels, place them on a baking sheet, and then keep in the fridge until ready to bake the following day. OR can easily just bake then reheat in a 300 degree oven until warm, about 10-15 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
These were great – easy to make and taste wonderful! My picky kid liked them so the passed the test.
Amazing! So glad you all loved these, Danica! Thank you! xTieghan
Would it be possible to make these into pretzel bites?
Hi Lindsay~ Yes! Pretzel bites will be great!! Love that idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
These were great! A hit at our Super Bowl party! I made them with regular beer.
Love to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying this Abby! xTieghan
What would bread flour do to this recipe??
Hi! I am sure bread flour will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
HI! if I am using instant yeast do I omit the 1/2 cup of water in the beginning and just mix right in with the brown sugar and other ingredients listed in that next step?
Hi Alli,
Yes that is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What can you sub for beer
Hey Nida,
You can sub sparkling cider for the beer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Please don’t hate me, but if I use regular beer instead of pumpkin, will I get regular pretzels or do I need to sub something else. I’ve been searching for a killer homemade pretzel recipe & I think this is it, but I’m the only person in my family that eats all things pumpkin.
Hey Lisa,
LOL you can use whatever beer you enjoy:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! What can I replace the beer with?! Looks so yummy!
Hey Rebeccah,
You can use sparkling cider in place of the beer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
How can I still get the pumpkin flavor without using pumpkin beer?
Hey Jessalyn,
I would use a sparkling cider in place of the beer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Love this! Tip for those looking to take to the next level: instead of baking soda try using food grade lye (can get on amazon in US). Will give you that amazing authentic German pretzel crust! Before adding toppings and baking, dip shaped pretzels (using clean rubber kitchen gloves!) into 1:20 lye to cool water ratio (I usually do 5 cups water, 1/4 cup lye) in large Pyrex or plastic bowl for about 10-15 seconds before transferring to silpat or parchment paper and adding toppings prior to baking. NOTE: Need to be very careful not to touch your skin/eyes as lye is very alkaline, and keep it away from anything aluminum, but its so worth it! Totally safe to eat pretzels once cooked as the lye cooks off in the oven within first few minutes. This is how they make them in Bavaria and I’ve been doing it for years since I lived there.
Thank you for sharing! I have not tried this, but I would love to!! xTieghan
Hi!
I am so excited to try this!
I have two questions:
Do you know if I can make this ahead of time and store in Tupperware?
Also, best way to reheat? Thank you!!
Hey Megan,
I would recommend serving the pretzels fresh, but you could certainly make the queso ahead of time and just reheat on the stove top. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These turned out Awesome!! I also made the butter chicken meatballs that turned out amazing. This is new favorite recipe site!
Thank you Shannon! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
Hi! I am making these for the first time tomorrow for football Sunday!! Can the beer be cold or does it need to be room temperature? Thank you!
Hey Lauren,
Room temperature beer works best. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wow wow wow! These are insane! So much fun to make and they turned out perfect!!
Thank you Ashley! xTieghan
Delicious BUT the recipe does not say to spray or line the baking sheet. Admittedly, I didn’t think to do it on my own so half my pretzels were glued to the sheet pan. Would recommend adding that to the recipe instructions in hopes that another hasty baker doesn’t miss that key step. Oh well, four pretzels for me and four pretzels to share. Could be worse! Oh and they really did turn out tasty!
I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Kat! Thank you for trying these! xTieghan
I made this a few days ago and omg they were delicious!! The queso was awesome as well. I have a question though… My dough was super sticky, even after adding additional flour a few times! Does it matter what the temp of the beer is? Mine was cooled from the fridge.
Hey Liz,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, it does help to use room temp beer! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was my first time making homemade pretzels. This recipe was so easy to follow and the results were fantastic! I made them for my family’s Oktoberfest celebration and they were a huge hit. Definitely make the cheese sauce!
I am so happy to hear that, Jill! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
Yum!!
If I wanted to not have the pumpkin part (and just the plain pretzel recipe) would it be the same if I take out the pumpkin beer? Or do I need to add something?
Also, I want to make the pretzels into bite size pretzels so it’s a quick bite appetizer. Would that affect the amount of time I put them in the oven?
Any help and ideas would be great! I’m excited to try your recipe!
Kirsten
Hey Kirsten,
You could use another beer that you enjoy. I have not tested making these into bite size pretzels but I would recommend reducing your cook time, just be sure to keep an eye on them! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Question—to make these a little bit ahead of time, would you recommend forming the pretzels and refrigerating until ready to boil and bake? Just trying to prepare ahead of time, if possible! They look delicious!!
Hey Jess,
Yes that would be a great idea! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi there, I’d like to make these for a friend this Sunday. We are social distancing in her backyard and she lives a little bit away. Will the cheese sauce keep on the way there?
Hey Melissa,
Yes totally fine, just heat it at your friend’s house. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I am not an experienced cook and found this recipe straightforward and delicious! Thank you!
Thank you Claire! xTieghan
Can the queso be made ahead of time and reheated (or stay in a crockpot ok)? I’m making them to bring to a friend’s house and could easily reheat pretzels in her oven but wasn’t sure what to do with queso.
Hey Peggy,
Yes totally fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
First time ever making pretzels here – and it was a huge hit for my boyfriend and company. I was worried when I added the active dry yeast and my bowl didn’t react the same as the video, but I continued on and the results were great. I also halved the recipe with the recipe conversion calc. Worked out great. 5 stars for the pretzel, three stars for the cheese – probably an error on my part. The cheese was a bit grainy in texture. Considering making the cookie dough filled pretzels next :). Thanks for the recipes!!
Thank you Jordan! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Not comfortable using chipotle peppers. Any other suggestions to give another savory flavor and maybe just a little bit of spice?
Hey Maureen,
Trying using chipotle powder. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love the taste of the recipe and even love to add jalapeños for a kick. Would you have any tips for forming? I have a problem where the pretzel dough doesn’t want to shape into anything (even a bun). It also tends to get a “Damascus-like” pattern rather than a smooth texture. Any tips are appreciated for a novice dough baker!
Hey Lauren,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am sorry you had issues with forming! I am wondering if you are overtaxing at all? This could be making the dough difficult to work with. Please let me know if this helps! xTieghan
I have made these before and they are amazing. I am making them for a party and was wondering if the dough can be made the day before and refrigerated over night?
Hey Elisa,
I am so glad you have enjoyed this recipe! Yes you can store the dough in the fridge overnight. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made these and they were sooooo amazing! How long do you think the queso will keep in the fridge?
Hey Melody,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! I would say it is good for 3-4 days. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! What is the best way to store these pretzels? I want to bring them to a Friendsgiving but may need to make them 2 days in advance.
Hey Amy,
I would recommend storing in an airtight container on the counter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Everything tasted great but for me the queso ended up really runny.
These pretzels were SO. DANG. GOOD! The dough came together really easy and the video on how to fold them was really helpful. Wasn’t a super pumpkin-beer forward flavor, but the texture and taste was amazing!
Thank you Grace! I am really glad you enjoyed these pretzels! xTieghan
Wondering if it’s possible to get the pretzels to the point where you shape them and then hold in the fridge before cooking?
Hey Maria,
Yes that is totally fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I had been meaning to make these for… 2 months? These are my first pretzels and I’m so excited! I had trouble with the dough at first, it needed to rest and warm up-even after an hour. The 2nd round was much better. Definitely going to make these again and play with variations. We put Everything but the bagel seasoning on some, Sky High Farms salt on some and regular sea salt on the rest. Chipotle cheese sauce was a hit!
Hi Stacey! I am really glad these turned out so well for you! If you need any help, please let me know!! xTieghan
Hello. These look amazing!!! Can they be prepared ahead of time? If so how far ahead , can they be kept in the freezer & defrosted later?
Thank you!
Hey Dionne,
Sure that would work to keep them in the freezer! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Are these ok reheated? How would you suggest storing and heating again?
Hey Katie,
I like to store in an airtight container on the counter and then to reheat cover and pop in the oven on low. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi , loved the recipe but Can you please let me know with what can I replace beer with ? As I don’t consume alcohol
Hey Shivani,
Sparkling cider also works well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these, it was exciting to make pretzels! Question: can I freeze the dough after it rises?
Thanks!
Hey Stacey,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Boiling, baking and then freezing works great! Just warm the pretzels in the oven or the microwave. I would not boil, then freeze because the dough is too sticky at that point. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This recipe is amazing! It was my first time making pretzels and they turned out great! However, mine got super stuck to the pan. Any tips?!
Hey Liz,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, so sorry your pretzels stuck to the pan, next time try spraying the baking sheet. I hope this helps! xTieghan
I can’t wait to make these but I am gluten free so I need to sub out gluten free flour. How many grams of flour are you using? When subbing to gluten free especially I need to use weight not measurement. So excited to make these, I’ve been wanting to forever!! Thank you fir being such a incredible recipe resource, I swear 80% of what I make is off of your site
Hey Gabrielle,
You will want to use an equal amount of GF flour. You will want to use 548 grams of flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were so soft and delicious! Even my 3 year old enjoyed, which is quite a feat! Another great recipe, thank you!
Hey Christine,
I am so glad you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Amazing!!
Thanks Hayley!
I have to stop and say that this is my favorite pretzel recipe and has been for years now. I first used this to make homemade pretzel dogs and shoved them full of cheese and a Good hot dog or brat! It has never failed me! Thank you so very much for such a great recipe!
Hey Heather,
I so appreciate you giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
These were super easy and fun to make! Wish I’d cooked them a little longer to brown them a bit more, but they were still delicious! I liked the queso flavor!
Hey Jenny,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I had a lot of fun making this recipe, especially twisting up the pretzels. The cheese dip wasn’t my favorite but I think that’s a personal preference. Next time I’ll cook the pretzels for a little longer because they didn’t have that crisp outer layer that I like. Overall pretzels were a big hit!
Hey Aisling,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I know this is an old recipe but I had to comment! I started making these last fall and now we always have some on hand! I usually double the recipe and freeze half. We just use whatever beer we have and it’s great whether we use cheap PBR or a pricey IPA. Seriously the best!
Hey Megan,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it. Happy Sunday! ☀️Tieghan
These were absolutely delicious!! We used Elysian Night Owl pumpkin ale as our beer (highly recommended!). I’ve never made queso with this technique before but it came out great (and also reheated well the next day when gently heated on the stove). I forgot the egg wash but they still looked cute!
Hey Julia,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Can this recipe be doubled? My family loves them too much!
Hey Carol,
Totally! So glad this recipe has been popular with your family! xTieghan
What can I use in place of beer?
Hey there,
You can use sparkling cider or sparkling water in place of the beer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan