Lederhosen Optional
There’s not much I don’t like that happens in the month of October. Oktoberfest, no exception. Even though I am not a big fan of drinking beer 🍺, I really love cooking with it. I love the smell of it, I’ve just never liked the taste of an icy cold beer. That’s okay, ‘cuz I like almost everything else and these pretzels 🥨 are every bit the carb filled, warm delish-us-ness you crave! I promise, you’ll love these Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese 🍻🧀. They’re super fun to make too.
I’ve never been to Germany 🇩🇪, but I’ve certainly been to a shopping mall in the 80’s. That’s really my soft pretzel cultural experience. I really need to get out more!
There’s nothing that smells quite as homey 🏡 or tastes so comforting as these homemade soft pretzels with beer cheese. This recipe is a little time consuming ⌛️ but totally worth the effort. I call it a fun weekend project with tasty rewards. These would be a fun surprise half time snack for football 🏈 Sunday too.
These are so delicious, perfectly crusty on the outside with a salty topping and soft as can be on the inside. Serve them in the traditional Oktoberfest way with a little beer cheese🍺🧀, some mustard or even some decadent, melted butter, and don’t forget the beer!
Here’s how you can make these Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese.
The Dough for Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese
Into the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 1/2 cup of warm milk and 1/2 cup of warm beer, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir with a fork, then sprinkle with the active dry yeast. Mix again and let it sit and bubble up, about 5 minutes.
Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter, set aside.
Into the yeast mixture, add 4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt and the melted butter. Start the mixer on low, then gradually increase the speed to medium. Let the dough hook work the dough until it pulls away from the side of the bowl and clings to the hook. If the dough is too dry, add a bit more beer.
Remove from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Kneed the dough by hand about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic.
Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball.
The Pretzel Rolling 🥨
So, here’s the fun part! Roll each piece into a 16 inch long rope. The middle of the rope should be thicker than than the ends.
Take a hold of each end and twist them twice in the center, then make the traditional pretzel shape by sealing each end at the bottom curve.
Set the pretzels on a sheet pan covered in parchment. Let them rise again for about 30 minutes. Let the pretzels air dry, which is what helps them develop a top layer of crispy skin.
Preheat the oven to 400º
Into a large pot, add 4 cups of water and 1/4 cup of baking soda, let it come to a boil on high heat. Using a slotted spoon, lower the pretzels one by one into the boiling water for 5 seconds, then flip them over for another 5 seconds and set them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes until dark brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Lightly brush each pretzel with unsalted butter.
Beer Cheese 🍻🧀
In a medium heavy bottom sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk together to make a roux. As the butter melts, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of whole grain mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and cook for a few minutes.
As the roux thickens, add 1 beer, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Cook for a few minutes, then lower the heat to low, then add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
Stir with a wooden spoon until all the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl.
Serve pretzels warm with beer cheese, melted butter or a whole grain mustard (or all three). And beer, you gotta have beer!
Salty crust on the outside, soft and light on the Inside
Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese
Ingredients
For the Pretzels
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup beer
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 cup melted butter, divided
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- coarse salt or pretzel salt
- 1/4 cup baking soda
For the beer cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup beer
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated, about 3 1/2 cups
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
Instructions
For the Pretzels
- Into the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 1/2 cup of warm milk and 1/2 cup of warm beer, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir with a fork, then sprinkle with the active dry yeast. Mix again and let it sit and bubble up, about 5 minutes.
- Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter, set aside.
- Into the yeast mixture, add 4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt and the melted butter. Start the mixer on low, then gradually increase the speed to medium. Let the dough hook work the dough until it pulls away from the side of the bowl and clings to the hook. If the dough is too dry, add a little more beer. Remove from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Kneed the dough by hand about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 or 10 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a ball.
- Roll each piece into a 16 inch long rope. The middle of the rope should be thicker than than the ends.
- Take a hold of each end and twist them twice in the center, then make the traditional pretzel shape by sealing each end at the bottom curve. Set the pretzels on a sheet pan covered in parchment. Let them rise again for about 30 minutes. Let the pretzels air dry, which is what helps them develop a top layer of skin.
- Preheat the oven to 400º
- Into a large pot, add 4 cups of water and 1/4 cup of baking soda, let it come to a boil on high heat. Using a slotted spoon, lower the pretzels one by one into the boiling water for 5 seconds, then flip them over and boil another 5 seconds. Set them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until dark brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Lightly brush each pretzel with unsalted butter.
For the Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce
- In a medium heavy bottom sauce pan, add the butter and the flour over medium heat. Whisk together to make a roux. As the butter melts, add garlic powder, mustard, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce and cook for a few minutes. As the roux thickens, add the beer, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Cook for a few minutes, lower the heat to low, then add the cheese. Whisk until melted. Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl.
- Serve the pretzels warm with the beer cheese, some whole grain mustard or melted butter.
