Description
Soft homemade pretzels stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese, dipped in a baking-soda bath, and baked until golden—perfect for game day or cozy snacking.
Ingredients
Component Ingredients
Pretzel Dough 1 ½ cups (360 ml) warm water (100–110 °F / 38–43 °C) • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar • 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast or instant yeast • 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour • 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Cheese Filling 8 low-moisture mozzarella sticks (or 8 × ½-inch / 1 cm logs cut from a block)
Baking-Soda Bath ½ cup (120 g) baking soda • 4 cups (960 ml) nearly boiling water
Finish Coarse pretzel salt or flaky salt • 2 Tbsp melted butter, for brushing (optional but tasty)
Instructions
Activate Yeast – In a stand-mixer bowl or large mixing bowl, combine warm water and sugar; sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand 5 min until foamy (skip the wait if using instant yeast).
Make Dough – Add flour, salt, and melted butter. Mix with dough hook (or wooden spoon) until a shaggy mass forms, then knead 5–6 min until smooth and elastic. Cover; let rise 45 min until puffed (it won’t quite double).
Shape & Stuff – Heat oven to 425 °F / 220 °C. Punch down dough; divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20-inch (50 cm) rope. Flatten rope into a strip, place a mozzarella stick along its length, pinch edges to seal completely, then gently roll seam-side down. Twist into a traditional pretzel shape; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
Baking-Soda Bath – In a heatproof bowl whisk baking soda into nearly boiling water (caution: it will foam). Dip each pretzel 15 sec, ensuring full coverage; let excess drip off and return to sheet.
Top & Bake – Sprinkle pretzel salt over pretzels. Bake 12–14 min until deep golden-brown and cheese inside is molten.
Serve – Brush hot pretzels with melted butter if desired. Cool 2 min (cheese is lava-hot!) and enjoy warm.
Notes
Pizza twist: Tuck pepperoni slices around mozzarella before sealing.
Seasoning fun: After baking, toss with garlic-Parmesan or everything-bagel spice.
Sweet version: Omit salt topping; after baking brush with butter and roll in cinnamon-sugar.
Make-ahead: Freeze baked pretzels up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 350 °F / 175 °C for 8–10 min.
Leak prevention: Pinch seams firmly and place seam-side down so cheese stays inside.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 12–14 min
- Category: Snack / Appetizer / Game-Day Treat
- Method: Yeast Dough • Baking-Soda Dip • Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American / Mall-Style Pretzel
