These sourdough beer pretzels are the perfect game-day food, or really, they’re perfect on any day Monday through Sunday (ha!). They’re crisp and buttery on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside– with the perfect sourness from the beer and sourdough. And of course you can’t have pretzels without cheese and mustard so I’ve updated the two classic sauces. Who wouldn’t want a creamy cheddar beer cheese and a side of honey mustard made with chili-infused honey! Talk about the perfect combination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a sourdough starter?
A: A “starter” is a combination of water, flour, and natural yeast used to make bread rise and add a distinct “sour” flavor.
Q: Can I make this without the Beer?
A: Sure! In the pretzels, replace the beer with water. In the cheese sauce, replace the beer with more half-and-half.
Q: Can I make this without yeast?
A: Absolutely! I use a combination of sourdough and yeast to get a faster rise while maintaining the sourdough flavor. If you don’t have any yeast, follow the recipe but instead of rising for one hour, rise overnight at room temperature.
Q: What is bread flour? Can I make this will all-purpose flour?
A: Bread flour is a high-protein flour– I use it to create a chewier pretzel. However, all-purpose will work perfectly in this recipe too.
Q: Why do the pretzels have to be boiled in baking soda?
A: Boiling the pretzels in baking soda helps give them their signature crust and flavor. If you don’t boil the pretzels… they won’t taste like pretzels.
The Recipe
Sourdough Beer Pretzels with Beer Cheese & Hot Honey Mustard
Ingredients
For the Pretzels
- 1 cup beer (something light like a pale ale or belgian wheat)
- ½ cup fed sourdough starter
- 1 packet active-dry yeast
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 + ½ cups bread flour divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1 egg
- Flake Salt and Sesame Seeds for topping
For the Beer Cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- ½ cup beer the remainder of the bottle
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 8 oz shredded cheddar
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of fresh nutmeg
For the Hot Honey Mustard
- 1 tbsp stone-ground mustard
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chili-infused honey
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Pretzels
- Warm the beer in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour it into a large bowl. Add the sourdough starter and brown sugar. Stir. Pour the packet of yeast over the top and let it sit for five minutes.
- After five minutes, stir in the yeast. Next, add 2 cups of flour and stir until the dough forms a wet, shaggy ball. Set aside to autolyse for 20 minutes.
- Next, add the salt and remaining ½ cup of flour. Mix just until the dough seems dry, not all of the flour will be incorporated yet.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Use the flour in the bowl to dust your hands and work surface. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball– it should take about five minutes. The dough will become increasingly sticky over the first 2-3 minutes. Use the flour in the bowl to dust your hands as needed.
- Once the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, place it into a well oiled bowl and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Once the dough has doubled, turn it out of the bowl and divide it into six pieces. Roll the sections into long rods and then shape them as desired: rods, nuggets, etc. There's a great tutorial on how to shape pretzels here.
- After you’ve shaped the pretzels, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slowly sprinkle in the baking soda– if you add the baking soda too fast it will bubble over so add it slowly.
- Boil the pretzels once at a time for 45 seconds on each side and then remove them to a parchment lined baking sheet (or two baking sheets if one isn’t big enough to hold all the pretzels).
- Brush the boiled pretzels with an egg wash (a beaten egg + a splash of water) and sprinkle them with sesame seeds and flake salt.
- Bake the pretzels at 425F for 20-22 minutes or until they are a deep amber brown color.
For the Beer Cheese
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the flour and whisk for one minute.
- Next, add the beer and half-and-half and whisk until it starts to bubble and thicken.
- Once the mixture has thickened (enough to coat the back of a spoon and not run off), add the cheese, dry mustard, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Whisk until the cheese is melted. Serve warm.
For the Hot Honey Mustard
- Combine the mustards, honey, and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Nutrition
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