Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites Recipe
Delicious soft and chewy pretzel bites made from sourdough discard, perfect for snacking with warm cheese dip or your favorite dipping sauce. This recipe minimizes waste by using sourdough starter discard and delivers that classic pretzel crust and flavor through boiling and baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter (discard)
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, warm water, sugar, and salt. Stir well to integrate all the ingredients smoothly.
- Add Flour and Form Dough: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the wet mixture, stirring slowly until a dough begins to form and becomes manageable.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it for about five minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which will give the pretzel bites their chewy texture.
- Rest the Dough: Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes, which helps relax the gluten and makes shaping easier.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 450°F (230°C), preparing it for baking the pretzel bites.
- Boil Baking Soda Water: Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully add the baking soda, which will create the base for the pretzel crust.
- Shape Pretzel Bites: Divide the rested dough into small bite-sized pieces and shape each into a small ball or bite.
- Boil Pretzel Bites: Boil the pretzel bites in the baking soda water for about 30 seconds each; this key step develops the characteristic pretzel crust and slight chewiness.
- Arrange and Salt: Remove the boiled bites with a slotted spoon and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle flaky sea salt generously over each piece.
- Bake: Bake the pretzel bites in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they turn a lovely golden brown color.
- Serve Warm: Serve the pretzel bites warm alongside your favorite dipping sauces such as warm cheese dip, mustard, or marinara.
Notes
- Knead the dough thoroughly until smooth and elastic to ensure a chewy texture.
- Do not skip the boiling step; it’s essential for that signature pretzel crust.
- If flaky sea salt is unavailable, regular salt or coarse kosher salt works well as an alternative.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; reheat in the oven to restore freshness.
- For variations, try adding garlic powder, cheese, herbs like rosemary, or sweet options like cinnamon sugar to the dough.
- You can freeze baked pretzel bites for up to 3 months; thaw and reheat as needed.
Keywords: sourdough, pretzel bites, snack, baking, cheese dip, sourdough discard
