Game Day Soft Pretzels with Cheese Sauce (Print)
Golden-brown pretzels with a chewy crust and fluffy center, served with creamy, tangy cheese sauce. Perfect for game day.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Pretzels
01 - 1½ cups warm water (110°F)
02 - 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
07 - ⅓ cup baking soda for water bath
08 - 10 cups water for water bath
09 - 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
10 - Coarse salt for sprinkling
→ For the Cheese Sauce
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 1 cup whole milk
14 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
15 - ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
16 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add flour, salt, and melted butter. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on a floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - In a large pot, bring 10 cups water and baking soda to a boil.
07 - Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20-inch rope, form into a U-shape, twist ends, and press down to create the classic pretzel shape.
08 - One at a time, gently place pretzels into the boiling baking soda water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and place on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
10 - Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
11 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
12 - Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (2–3 minutes).
13 - Reduce heat to low; stir in cheeses until melted and smooth. Add Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Keep warm until serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The baking soda bath creates that distinctive pretzel chew you cant get from regular bread recipes - it took me years to learn this secret.
- Making your own cheese sauce lets you control the flavor balance between sharp and creamy, and youll never go back to the jarred stuff once you taste the difference.
02 -
- The water for the baking soda bath needs to be at a rolling boil before adding pretzels, or youll miss out on that signature chewy exterior - I learned this the hard way after serving oddly soft pretzels at my first attempt.
- Always add cheese to the sauce with the heat turned to low or even off, as high heat will make your beautiful sauce break and become grainy instead of velvety smooth.
03 -
- For the absolute best texture, let the shaped pretzels sit uncovered for 10-15 minutes before the baking soda bath - this slight drying of the surface creates an even better crust.
- If you want perfectly smooth cheese sauce, use a splash of sodium citrate (which you can buy online) instead of making a traditional roux - its the secret ingredient commercial cheese sauce makers use for that silky texture.