Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Bites

These gluten-free pretzel bites are soft, chewy, and incredibly delicious! Whether served salted or with cinnamon sugar, the Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Bites make for a super easy snack or dessert! Based on the HealthGFfamily.com recipe, I made a few modifications to make the process easier and add a little extra flavor.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 ½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour with xantham gum (we used Bob’s Red Mill’s 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour Mix)
  - Separate an additional ¼ cup to use for flouring your hands and mat when kneading)

• ¾ tsp. Kosher salt + extra for sprinkling on salted option 

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt or fairy-free Greek yogurt (we used Zoi)
  

Baking Soda Bath:

• 4 ½ cups water

• ¼ cup baking soda (4 tablespoons)

Finishing for Salty Option:

• 3 tbsp melted butter

• Coarse sea salt or pretzel salt, to taste

Finishing for Sweet Option:

• 3 tbsp melted butter

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Optional

• Gloves for kneading

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Make the dough: In a large bowl add gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix or whisk to combine. Add Greek yogurt, and using a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix for 2-3 minutes or until well combined. The dough will form into a ball and pull away from the mixer when well combined.

3. Roll and cut into pretzel bites: Put on gloves (optional, but recommended) and lightly coat hands with flour. Lightly dust pastry mat with flour and place dough in the center. Roll dough into a ball and knead about 10 times.

4. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and then using both, roll each ball into worm like strips (about 8-10 inches long). 
   
   Pro tip: I find it easiest to roll into the worm like shape by placing the ball on a silicone mat and rolling with both hands. Using a pastry scraper, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut into 1 inch pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet.
   
   

5. Baking Soda Bath: Bring water and baking soda to a boil in a medium saucepan. 4-6 bites at a time, add bites to the boiling water for 10 seconds, set a timer. Using a slotted spoon, scoop them out, letting any excess water drip off, and place back on prepared baking sheet. Repeat baking soda bath with remaining bites.

6. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes. They will be a nice golden brown. Remove from oven.

7. Melt butter. Brush or dip baked pretzel bites in butter, letting excess drip off. 

8. For salty bites, generously sprinkle with kosher salt. For sweet bites, toss in cinnamon sugar mix.

Serving and Storing

• Pretzel Bites are best enjoyed day of.

• Salted Bites can be stored in an air tight container overnight and heated the next day in microwave or oven.

• Salted bites can be frozen for 2 months. Thaw and reheat in a microwave or oven. For cinnamon sugar bites, freeze before adding the cinnamon sugar and add the cinnamon sugar topping after thawing.

Let me know if you try this Gluten-Free Soft Pretzel Bites recipe and how if you love it as much as I do!

And as always, thank you for reading! ♡

— Cierra