Pretzel Bites with Sourdough Discard
Ingredients
- 145 gsourdough discard
heaping 1/2 cup, or bubbly sourdough starter
- 175 glukewarm water
3/4 cup
- 5 ggranulated sugar
1 teaspoon
- 8 ginstant yeast
2 teaspoons
- 6 gsalt
1 teaspoon
- 285 gall purpose flour
about 2 cups, see recipe notes - plus more for rolling
- 120 ghot water
1/2 cup
- 15 gbaking soda
1 tablespoon
- 55 gunsalted butter
melted, 4 tablespoons
- 12 gflaky salt
2 teaspoons, for topping
- 20 gparmesan cheese
shredded, 1/4 cup, if desired
- 60 gcinnamon sugar
1/4 cup, if desired
Directions
- 1
To a large bowl or to bowl in a stand mixer, mix together the sourdough discard, water, sugar, instant yeast, salt and flour.
- 2
Knead by hand about 5-8 minutes or knead in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes until it comes together and forms a smooth ball. Add a little more flour as needed. The dough will still be sticky, but not overly sticky. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll it into a ball in your fingers. If it forms a ball with minimal sticky residue left on your fingers, you can stop adding flour. Check out a few other tips for kneading dough here.
- 3
Lightly oil a bowl or container (affiliate link) and turn the dough around in the bowl to cover it lightly with the oil. Drape a kitchen towel or some plastic wrap over the bowl and let dough rise for 1-1 ½ hours.
- 4
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 5
Once dough has doubled in size, flour a counter with 1-2 Tablespoons flour and punch down the dough. Turn it out onto the floured surface and separate into 4 sections.
- 6
Roll each section into a long strand and cut each strand into 6-8 pretzel pieces. Place each pretzel bite on the parchment paper.
- 7
Heat 120 grams (1/2 cup) of water in the microwave until almost boiling. Add 15 grams (1 Tablespoon) of baking soda (it will bubble up a little) and mix together. Make sure the baking soda is completely dissolved before proceeding.
- 8
Use a pastry brush to brush each pretzel bite with the baking soda/water mixture. Alternatively you can dunk each pretzel bites into the baking soda/water mixture.
- 9
Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Let the pretzel bites rise for about 10-15 minutes (usually the amount of time it takes for the oven to preheat) before baking.
- 10
Bake the pretzel bites for about 8-10 minutes until crisp and lightly brown on the outside.
- 11
While the pretzel bites are baking, melt the unsalted butter and prepare any toppings (salt, parmesan cheese, cinnamon sugar).
- 12
As soon as the pretzel bites are baked through, remove them from the oven and brush with melted butter. Continue adding butter until all of the butter is on the pretzel bites. It may seem like a lot of butter, but keep adding it for the best taste and flavor.
- 13
Top with salt, cinnamon sugar or parmesan cheese and enjoy immediately.
Pretzel Bites with Sourdough Discard
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About this Recipe
Transform your sourdough discard into something truly special with these crispy, chewy pretzel bites! Perfect for a crowd or a simple snack, these homemade pretzels are utterly irresistible.
This recipe ingeniously uses sourdough discard, preventing waste and imparting a subtle tang and complex flavor that sets these pretzel bites apart from standard versions. It's the secret to their exceptional depth and helps create that desirable balance of a perfectly crispy exterior with a wonderfully chewy interior.
When you bite into these pretzel bites, expect a truly satisfying experience. Each piece offers a delightful crunch on the outside, giving way to a soft, springy, and chewy interior. You'll enjoy the nuanced flavor profile, where the subtle tang from the sourdough discard harmonizes beautifully with your chosen savory or sweet toppings. With a generous yield of 32 servings at just 50 calories each, these are perfectly portioned for individual enjoyment or for effortless sharing at any gathering.
These homemade sourdough pretzel bites are a fantastic canvas for your favorite toppings. For a classic savory delight, sprinkle them generously with flaky salt or shredded Parmesan cheese before baking. Craving a sweet treat? A dusting of fragrant cinnamon sugar turns them into a dessert-worthy snack. You can easily divide your batch to create a mix of savory and sweet options for everyone to enjoy.
These versatile sourdough pretzel bites are perfect as an appetizer for any get-together, a game-day snack, or simply as a satisfying treat. Serve them warm straight from the oven for the best experience.