These vegan pretzel bites are so easy and quick to make! With only 6 ingredients, you will have soft, buttery pretzels at home in just 30 minutes.
Perfect for parties or game day, these little pretzel bites are soft, chewy, salty and are begging to be dipped in cheese sauce!
While baking with yeast may seem intimidating, I’m here to show you just how simple it can be. Just like with my pizza dough, dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls, I keep this pretzel recipe super quick and easy.
You can enjoy fresh pretzel bites in just 30 minutes! The dough doesn’t need any rise time and it won’t stick to your hands.
Preparing the pretzel dough
This is an overview with photos of the process. For the complete, printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or just a large bowl), add the instant yeast, warm water and brown sugar. Stir.
Add 3 cups of flour and salt to the bowl. With the paddle attachment (or a spoon without a stand mixer), mix until the dough starts to come together. Add additional flour as needed (I ended up using 3 1/4 cups).
The dough should be slightly sticky, but not stick to your hands. If it does, add a little more flour until the dough is easy to handle.
Divide the dough into 4 sections.
Roll each section into a log.
Cut into 1 inch pieces. You should get about 11-12 bites per section of dough.
Boil pretzel bites in baking soda bath
This is what makes pretzels unique! You will need a full 1/2 cup baking soda and about 12 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then slowly add in the baking soda.
Be careful as it will bubble as you add the baking soda. Add it slowly and lower the heat if needed.
Drop about 12 pieces of dough in at a time and boil for only 20-30 seconds, until they rise to the surface.
With a slotted spoon, remove them from the water and place on a silicone mat or parchment paper nearby. Continue until all the pieces are boiled.
Finally, bake the vegan pretzels
Place the boiled pieces of dough on a parchment lined pan, brush with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
For a cinnamon sugar version, brush with butter but bake without the salt. In a small bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Once they’re done baking, brush with a little more vegan butter and dip generously in cinnamon sugar.
How to store pretzel bites
Keep leftover pretzels in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They will become less soft over time.
They also freeze well! Freeze in a freezer bag or container for 2-3 months. Thaw and enjoy!
Can they be made gluten free?
I haven’t tried a gluten free version so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, let me know! A quality gluten free mix is probably your best bet.
Looking for more vegan party foods?
- Ultimate Vegan Chili
- Vegan Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Buffalo Cauliflower
- BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Queso
- The Best & Easiest Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Vegan Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 cups water for boiling pretzels
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 3-4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, brown sugar and yeast and stir. Alternatively, use a large bowl and wooden spoon.
- Add 3 cups of flour and salt to the bowl. With the paddle attachment (or simply a spoon if you don't have stand mixer), mix on low until the dough starts to come together. Add more flour as needed until you have a slightly sticky dough. It shouldn't stick to your hands though. I needed 3 1/4 cups flour.
- Place the dough on a clean flat surface and form the dough into a ball. Separate the dough into four sections and roll each section into a long log.
- Cut into 1 inch pieces using a knife. I got 11-12 bites per section.
- Bring 12 cups of water in a large pot to a boil, then slowly add the baking soda to the water. Be careful as the water will boil up as you add the baking soda. Add it slowly and lower the heat if needed.
- Place the pretzel dough bites into the water about 12 at a time and cook for 30 seconds. They will rise to the surface when they are ready. Use a slotted spoon to remove the dough pieces and let cool. Set the pieces on parchment paper or a silicon mat nearby. Continue until you have boiled all the pretzel bites.
- Arrange pretzels on the baking sheet. Brush with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the tops are browned. Remove from oven.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover pretzels – Keep leftover pretzels in a covered container for up to 3 days. They may also be frozen.
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites – For a cinnamon sugar version, bake the pretzels without the salt. Once done, dip or brush with melted vegan butter, then dip into a bowl of cinnamon sugar (3/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons cinnamon).
- Gluten free pretzels – I haven’t tried making them with gluten free flour, but a quality gluten free mix would probably work well.
Hi can you airfry these please? Thanks
I bet you could! I’d try 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Hi Nora! I make your recipes at least twice a week and my family loves them! Can I make these pretzel bites with oat flour?
I’m glad your family loves the pretzel bites! I have never tried it myself, so I’m not sure. Oat flour is quite different to work with though and I’m not super confident it will work.
First time one of your recipes failed me
Followed recipe but when I took them out of the oven they were stuck to the parchment paper had to pull the tops off leaving the bottom stuck to paper
Sorry to hear this Linda! I wonder if you placed them directly from the boiling water onto the parchment lined pan? Because that would likely make them stick in the oven. You should boil them, set them on a different surface, then transfer to the parchment lined pan. Hope that helps!
These are so good! Made a batch to share for the next day and I ate them all before then. Could I use this recipe and make the dough regular pretzel shaped rather than the bites?
Yes, it works for large pretzels as well, they will just need longer to bake of course. So glad you enjoyed them!
Can I use spelt flour with this??
Thank you for such awesome recipes!!
Sorry, I haven’t tested these with spelt flour so I can’t say for sure.
I tried them and they’re PERFECT with spelt too!! I did half night one and half night two, dough is much easier to handle day 2!!
Thank you! Delicious 😋
Hi! Can I make the dough the night before and do all the subsequent steps (boiling and baking) the day after?
Hi Jenna. Yes, you can make the dough the night before. Just keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
My vegan son wants me to make pretzels for him but he wants no yeast, no vegan butter, no vegan yogurt or anything that mimics dairy? I tried a recipe the other day and it was awful. Have you made these without those ingredients?
Sorry, I’ve never made them without yeast and I’m not sure how to do that and make them taste good.