Get ready to enjoy your favorite ballpark and brewery snack right in your own home with this incredible vegan recipe! These homemade Soft Pretzel Bites are everything you could want: warm, pillowy-soft, perfectly chewy, and sprinkled with crunchy pretzel salt. Paired with a rich, velvety, and surprisingly easy-to-make vegan cheese sauce for dipping, this is the ultimate appetizer for game days, parties, or any time a craving for a fun, savory snack strikes.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pretzel Recipe
This recipe proves that you don’t need dairy to enjoy this classic comfort food. Here’s why it’s so amazing:
- Perfectly Chewy Texture: The essential step of boiling the pretzel bites in a baking soda bath before baking gives them that authentic, chewy crust and soft interior.
- Rich & Creamy Cheese Sauce: This simple vegan cheese sauce is smooth, savory, and has the perfect consistency for dipping.
- Fun to Make: From kneading the dough to watching the bites puff up in the oven, this is a really fun and rewarding recipe to make from scratch.
- The Ultimate Party Snack: A warm bowl of these pretzel bites with a side of cheese sauce is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and will disappear in minutes.
Your Ingredient Checklist
This recipe is broken down into the pretzel dough and the easy vegan cheese sauce.
For the Soft Pretzel Bites:
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) fast-rise yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup melted vegan butter
- 4+ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tbsp salt
- For Boiling: 3 quarts water and ⅓ cup baking soda
- For Topping: Oil or more melted vegan butter and pretzel salt
For the Vegan Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened rice milk
- ¾ cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Paprika for topping (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps for perfect, chewy pretzel bites every time.
Part 1: Making the Pretzel Dough
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Form the Dough: To the yeast mixture, add the melted vegan butter. In a separate bowl, stir together the 4 cups of flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, adding a little more flour as needed so it’s not too sticky. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Let it Rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl. Form the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to coat it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a wet towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Part 2: Shaping and Boiling the Bites
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the Bites: Gently punch down the risen dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into small, bite-sized pieces (about ¾” x 1″).
- Prepare the Water Bath: In a large pot, bring the 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Carefully and slowly whisk in the baking soda. It will fizz up.
- Boil the Bites: Working in small batches, carefully drop the pretzel bites into the boiling water. Boil for about 1 minute per side, then use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them on your prepared baking sheet.
Part 3: Baking and Making the Sauce
- Top and Bake: Brush the tops of the boiled pretzel bites with a little melted vegan butter or oil and sprinkle generously with pretzel salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they are a deep golden-brown.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: While the pretzels bake, make the sauce. Melt the 2 tbsp of vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a paste (a roux).
- Build the Sauce: Slowly pour in the rice milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the garlic powder and salt. Add the vegan cheddar shreds and whisk until they are completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Finish the Sauce: Whisk in the vegetable broth until the sauce reaches your desired creamy consistency. Serve the warm pretzel bites immediately with the hot cheese sauce for dipping. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika if desired.
Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites with Easy Cheese Sauce
These Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites are perfectly chewy, golden, and sprinkled with pretzel salt, served with a rich, velvety vegan cheese sauce. The ultimate dairy-free party snack!
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large pot
- Slotted Spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Saucepan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp fast-rise yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra as needed)
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 3 quarts water (for boiling)
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- oil or more melted vegan butter, for brushing
- pretzel salt, for topping
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (for sauce)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for sauce)
- 1 cup plain unsweetened rice milk
- 3/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- paprika, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy.
- Add melted vegan butter. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to yeast mixture until dough forms.
- Knead dough on floured surface for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour as needed.
- Place dough in oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line baking sheet with parchment. Punch down dough, roll into rectangle, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In large pot, bring water to boil and whisk in baking soda. Boil pretzel bites in batches, 1 minute per side. Remove with slotted spoon to baking sheet.
- Brush with melted vegan butter or oil, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown.
- For sauce: Melt vegan butter in saucepan. Whisk in flour to form roux. Gradually whisk in rice milk until smooth.
- Stir in garlic powder, salt, vegan cheddar shreds. Whisk until melted and smooth.
- Whisk in vegetable broth to desired consistency. Serve pretzel bites warm with cheese sauce, garnished with paprika if desired.
Notes
Best enjoyed fresh out of the oven. The cheese sauce can be made ahead and reheated over low heat, adding a splash of plant milk if it thickens. Perfect for game days and gatherings.