These Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites are soft, chewy, and baked to golden perfection with a signature salty finish. They're everything you love about a classic soft pretzel, made bite-sized, dippable, and snack-ready in just a couple of hours.
Using sourdough discard adds just the right hint of tang and gives you an easy way to use up what would otherwise go to waste, just like my sourdough discard ciabatta rolls and my chewy sourdough discard bagels. If you haven't tried either, you really should.
Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
⏱️ Ready In: About 2 hours 15 minutes (including rise time)
🔥 Bake Time: 15 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 8 (roughly 100+ bites)
✨ Calories: Approximately 286 per serving
🥄 Main Ingredients: Sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, yeast, butter, baking soda
🌿 Dietary Info: Vegetarian (easily made dairy-free)
💛 Why You'll Love It: Chewy, salty, dippable, and the perfect way to use up that jar of discard.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The classic chewy pretzel texture: The baking soda bath is the secret — it gives these bites that glossy, deep-golden crust and signature chewy pull, exactly like a soft pretzel from the mall, only better because they're fresh out of your own oven.
- A genius way to use up discard: That tangy hint from the sourdough discard is what sets these apart from a plain pretzel. If you love putting discard to work, you'll also want my sourdough discard pizza and my pull-apart sourdough discard garlic butter dinner rolls.
- Perfect for a crowd: These are made for gathering — football season, holiday spreads, potlucks, picnics, and backyard BBQs. They disappear fast, and they're endlessly dippable with mustard, cheese sauce, or melted butter.
- Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients: Just flour, water, discard, yeast, and a few basics. Nothing fancy, and you likely have everything on hand already.
- Endlessly customizable: Go garlic herb, cheddar jalapeño, everything bagel, or even sweet cinnamon sugar. One base dough, a dozen directions.
Ingredients
- Warm water: Around 110–120°F to bloom the yeast. Too hot and you'll kill it; too cool and it won't wake up.
- Active dry yeast: Gives the bites their rise and fluffy interior alongside the discard.
- Brown sugar: Feeds the yeast and adds a subtle depth. Light or dark both work — I used dark.
- Sourdough discard: Fed at a 1:1 ratio. This is where the gentle tang comes from.
- All-purpose flour: The structure of the dough. Weigh it for the most consistent results.
- Unsalted butter: Melted and cooled, for a tender, rich crumb. Salt: For flavor in the dough itself.
- Baking soda: For the boiling water bath — this is what gives pretzels their color and chew.
- Pretzel salt: For that signature salty crunch on top. Flaky sea salt works too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Butter: Use a non-dairy plant butter to make these fully dairy-free — the dough comes together just the same.
- Pretzel salt: Swap in flaky sea salt if you can't find pretzel salt. Use a lighter hand either way; it packs a punch.
- Garlic Herb: Toss the warm bites in melted butter mixed with garlic powder, dried parsley, and a pinch of oregano. If you love garlicky bread, my sourdough discard garlic knots are a must-try too.
- Cheddar Jalapeño: Knead shredded cheddar and finely diced jalapeños into the dough for a spicy, cheesy kick.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Skip the salt, then brush the baked bites with butter and roll in cinnamon sugar for a sweet twist.
- Everything Bagel: Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the tops before baking for a savory crunch.
- Parmesan Black Pepper: Top with grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper before baking for a bold finish.
Instructions
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Make the dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, proof your active dry yeast in warm water (110-120F) and brown sugar. In 5 minutes or so, the yeast should bloom and become bubbly.
Once the yeast is ready, add in your sourdough discard, melted (and cooled) butter, flour, and salt. I like to just add everything into the stand mixer at once and let it do its thing, but some like to add the wet ingredients fist, followed by the flour and salt.
Up to you! I make this dough all the time and have never had an issue from adding everything all at once.
Run the stand mixer at a low speed with a dough hook for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is sufficiently kneaded and can pass the window pane test.
Step 2: Let the dough rest.
Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl (I use avocado oil typically) to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap or a clean, wet towel and let it rest for an hour or so until it is nearly doubled and soft/fluffy.
If you live in a cooler home or environment, put your bowl in an oven with the oven light on. The light will provide a subtle warmth to encourage the dough to rise quickly.
Step 3: Shaping.
Preheat your oven to 425F and start heating a pot of water on high heat.
Turn the risen pretzel dough out onto a lightly floured surface and split it into 8 pieces (this doesn't need to be perfect; the idea here is just to portion the dough into smaller, easy-to-work-with pieces)
Step 4: Shaping.
Roll each piece into a rope of your desired length.
Step 5: Shaping.
Cut each rope into 1-inch-thick pieces. Each rope will make anywhere from 12-16 pieces.
If some of your pieces are flat, roll them into balls for better results.
Bring the pot of water to a boil and add baking soda.
Step 6: Water bath and bake.
Dunk all of the pretzel bite dough balls into the boiling baking soda water and leave them in for 15-30 seconds.
Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove them from the water and add to a lined baking sheet. Two baking sheets are recommended.
The picture included has the pretzel bites a little too close together. You'll have better and more consistent results if the pretzel bites are adequately spaced out.
Top with pretzel salt (use less than you think you need because this salt packs a punch).
Bake at 425F for 15 minutes or until you achieve the golden-brown goodness of a classic pretzel.
If desired, brush the pretzels with butter immediately after they come out of the oven. Serve warm and enjoy!
Hint: Make sure your pretzel bites are properly spaced out so that they can cook/brown.
Expert Tips
- Space them out. Crowded bites steam instead of browning. Give them room on two sheets so every side turns deep golden.
- Go easy on the salt. Pretzel salt is far stronger than table salt. A light sprinkle goes a long way, and you can always add more at the table.
- Don't skip the baking soda bath. Those 15–30 seconds in the boiling water are what create the classic pretzel crust and chew. Without it, you just have bread.
- Use the oven-light trick. If your home is cool, the oven with the light on is the perfect cozy spot for a faster, more reliable rise.
- Serve them fresh. These are at their absolute best warm from the oven, when the crust is crisp and the inside is pillowy.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
Most pretzel bites are just bread shaped small. What sets these apart is the sourdough discard — it adds a quiet tang and a tenderness you don't get from a standard dough, plus it's a satisfying way to use up the discard that would otherwise hit the trash. It's the same philosophy behind my sourdough discard burger buns, where the discard does double duty for flavor and softness.
The other star here is the baking soda bath. That quick boil is the difference between a soft roll and a true pretzel — it gelatinizes the surface so the bites bake up glossy, deeply browned, and irresistibly chewy. It's a tiny step with an outsized payoff, and once you see it work, you'll never skip it.
Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites FAQs
Yes! Let the dough complete its first rise, then shape and cut it into bites and freeze them before the baking soda bath. When you're ready, thaw, let them puff slightly, then dip and bake as directed. They turn out soft and fresh every time.
If you're not freezing it, the dough can rest in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after the first rise. Just let it come closer to room temperature before shaping for the best texture.
No. The baking soda bath gives these their classic color and chewy texture, so an egg wash isn't necessary. An egg wash will make them softer and more roll-like — fine if that's your preference. I love brushing them with melted butter after baking for a traditional finish.
Cheese sauce, spicy or yellow mustard, and melted butter are all classics. They're also great alongside a soup or chili spread, much like my sourdough cornbread.
Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pale, not golden bites | The bites were crowded on the sheet. | Space them out across two baking sheets so they brown instead of steam. |
| Too salty | Too much pretzel salt was sprinkled on top. | Use a lighter hand — pretzel salt is much stronger than it looks. |
| Dense, flat bites | The dough was under-risen or pieces were rolled flat. | Let the dough nearly double, and roll any flat pieces into balls before boiling. |
| No chewy pretzel crust | The baking soda bath was skipped or too quick. | Be sure to boil with baking soda for a full 15–30 seconds per batch. |
| Bites went soft fast | They were stored after the salt drew out moisture. | These are best fresh; reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven to crisp them back up. |
Storage
These pretzel bites are best served fresh, as the salt will start to soften them shortly after storing.
If needed, store them in the fridge for a day or two, then reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes, until heated through and crisp again
Other Sourdough Discard Bread Recipes to Consider
Sourdough Discard Pretzle Bites
Equipment
- Kitchen scale with a paddle attachment (please weigh your ingredients for best results)
- Stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer)
- 2 Baking sheets
- Small bowl for melted butter (optional)
- Pastry brush (for melted butter, optional)
Ingredients
for the sourdough discard pretzels
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon warm water 250g; 110-120F
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast 3g
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 26g
- ⅓ cup sourdough discard 100g
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled; 56g
- 4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 500g
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt 9g
- pretzel salt for garnish
For the water bath
- 3 quarts water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, proof your active dry yeast in warm water (110-120F) and brown sugar. In 5 minutes or so, the yeast should bloom and become bubbly.
- Once the yeast is ready, add in your sourdough discard, melted (and cooled) butter, flour, and salt. I like to just add everything into the stand mixer at once and let it do its thing, but some like to add the wet ingredients first, followed by the flour and salt. Up to you! I make this dough all the time and have never had an issue from adding everything all at once.
- Run the stand mixer at a low speed with a dough hook and knead for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is sufficiently kneaded and can pass the window pane test.
- Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl (I use avocado oil typically) to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean, wet towel and let it rest for an hour or so until it is nearly doubled and soft/fluffy.
- If you live in a cooler home or environment, put your bowl in an oven with the oven light on. The light will provide a subtle warmth to encourage the dough to rise quickly.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and start heating a pot of water on high heat.
- Turn the risen pretzel dough out onto a lightly floured surface and split it into 8 pieces (this doesn't need to be perfect; the idea here is just to portion the dough into smaller, easy-to-work-with pieces)
- Roll each piece into a rope of your desired length (about 12-16 inches).
- Cut each rope into 1-inch-thick pieces. Each rope will make anywhere from 12-16 pieces.
- If some of your pieces are flat, roll them into balls for better results.
- Bring the pot of water to a boil and add baking soda.
- Dunk all of the pretzel bite dough balls into the boiling baking soda water and leave them in for 15-30 seconds.
- Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove them from the water and add to a lined baking sheet, gently shaking off as much water as you can. Two baking sheets are recommended for adequate spacing between the pretzels (if they are too close together, it will take longer to bake, and they won't get as golden as we want).
- Top the wet pretzel dough bites with pretzel salt (use less than you think you need because this salt packs a punch).
- Bake at 425F for 15 minutes or until you achieve the golden-brown goodness of a classic pretzel.
- If desired, brush the pretzels with butter immediately after they come out of the oven. Serve warm and enjoy!
Rebecca says
Made these for Super Bowl, I did double the batch as we have about 15 guests. They are easy to make and delicious!
Audrey says
I'm so happy you liked them!
Esther says
This was amazing! My husband and I could not stop eating them!!!
Audrey says
Best comment ever!!! Thank you, Esther!
John Waters says
Nice recipe. I was curious if there was any way to freeze the dough, or how long could the dough sit before using it?
Audrey says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yes, you can absolutely freeze the dough. I recommend letting it complete the first rise, then shaping and cutting into bites and freezing them (before the baking soda bath). When you’re ready to bake, just thaw, let them puff slightly, then dip and bake as directed.
If you’re not freezing them, the dough can rest in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after the first rise. Just let it come closer to room temperature before shaping for the best texture.
Paula jane says
Good recipe, easy to use
Amanda Taylor says
Can I freeze theses? And at which steps should I freeze, boil then freeze or cook completely first
Audrey says
Great question! I recommend freezing the pretzel dough after the first rise and after you’ve shaped and cut it into bites, but before the baking soda bath. That way all the hard work is done, and when you’re ready to bake you can just thaw, let them puff slightly, dip, and bake. They turn out soft and fresh every time!
Stacy Speakman says
What about an egg wash?
Audrey says
Great question! I don’t use an egg wash for these because the baking soda bath gives them that classic pretzel color and chewy texture. An egg wash will make them softer and more like rolls, which is totally fine if that’s what you prefer! I love brushing them with melted butter after baking for that traditional finish.