Here’s a delicious sourdough discard pretzel bites recipe—soft, chewy, and perfect for dipping!
🥨 Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed)
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp instant yeast (optional, helps rise faster)
For boiling & baking:
- 8 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- Coarse salt for topping
🍲 Instructions
- Make the dough
- In a large bowl, mix sourdough discard, warm water, sugar, and yeast (if using).
- Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth.
- Cover and let rise 30–60 minutes (or skip if using just discard; they’ll be denser).
- Preheat oven
- Preheat to 220°C (425°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Shape the pretzel bites
- Roll dough into 1-inch thick ropes, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Optional: Twist into mini pretzels or leave as bites.
- Baking soda bath
- Bring 8 cups water + 2/3 cup baking soda to a boil.
- Drop pretzel bites in batches for 20–30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake
- Sprinkle coarse salt on top.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm
- Great with mustard, cheese dip, or even cinnamon sugar for a sweet twist!
🌟 Tips
- For extra flavor, brush with melted butter and sprinkle garlic powder after baking.
- Can freeze before baking; just thaw and bake straight from frozen.
- If you want softer bites, cover with a towel for 5 minutes after baking.
If you like, I can also give a sweet cinnamon-sugar sourdough discard pretzel bites version that tastes like dessert without wasting your starter. Do you want that recipe?
