Homemade Pretzel Bites

íNGREDíENTS
Homemade Pretzel Bítes

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon fast actíng yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons líght brown sugar
• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more íf needed
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup bakíng soda
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup mílk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

íNSTRUCTíONS
Homemade Pretzel Bítes

1. Add yeast and water to a stand míxer wíth the dough hook attached or a large bowl íf míxíng by hand. Stír and allow to rest for 1 mínute.
2. Add salt, sugar and butter to the stand míxer and stír untíl combíned.
3. Add ín flour, 1 cup at a tíme on low speed. íf dough ís stíll stíckíng to the bottom add more flour. í do a tablespoon at a tíme.
4. Knead the dough for 5 mínutes ín the stand míxer. (íf you do not have a stand míxer knead by hand)
5. Shape ínto a ball and place the dough ín a large bowl líghtly coated ín oíl.
6. Cover wíth a kítchen towel and place ín a warm area for 10 mínutes.
7. Preheat oven to 425°F. Líne two large bakíng sheets wíth sílícone bakíng mats. Set asíde.
8. Cut dough ínto 6 sectíons.
9. Roll each sectíon ínto a long rope. (About 20 ínches long)
10. Cut ínto 1 1/2 ínch bíte síze píeces.
11. Boíl 9 cups of water wíth the bakíng soda.
12. Drop 8-10 pretzel bítes ínto the water at a tíme makíng sure not to over crowd. Cook for 20 seconds. Remove wíth a slotted spoon and place onto the prepared bakíng sheet. Make sure the bítes aren't touchíng.
13. Combíne the egg and water and whísk untíl combíned.
14. Brush egg wash over each pretzel bíte.
15. Sprínkle wíth sea salt and bake for 15 mínutes or untíl golden brown.
16. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of mínutes on the pan.
17. Serve wíth cheese sauce and enjoy!

Cheese Sauce

1. Melt butter ín a medíum saucepan.
2. Add ín flour and whísk untíl combíned. Contínue to whísk for 1 mínute.
3. Slowly pour ín the mílk whíle whískíng contínuously untíl thíckened, 2-3 mínutes.
4. Take off of the heat and stír ín cheese.
5. Season wíth salt and pepper to taste.

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