Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

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 pretzel, made bite-sized and snack-ready.

Using sourdough discard adds just the right hint of tang and gives you an easy way to reduce kitchen waste. Whether you’re dipping them in mustard, cheese sauce, or just enjoying them warm from the oven, they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.

These pretzel bites are perfect for cooler months when cozy, carby snacks really hit the spot, especially during football season or fall gatherings. They also shine during the holidays as a warm appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, or New Year's Eve spreads.

In the warmer months, they’re great for potlucks, picnics, and backyard BBQs when you want something crowd-pleasing and easy to share. Basically, if people are gathering, these pretzel bites belong on the table.

If you're looking for more savory sourdough discard recipes, try my sourdough discard bagels, my sourdough discard garlic butter rolls, and my sourdough discard pizza!

Ingredients

The ingredients for this pretzel bite recipe are super simple—just flour, water, sourdough discard, yeast, and a few basics for boiling and topping. Nothing fancy required, and you probably already have everything you need.

• Water
• Active dry yeast
• Brown sugar (light brown sugar or dark brown sugar is fine. I used dark brown sugar)
• Sourdough discard (fed at a 1:1 ratio)
• All-purpose flour
• Unsalted butter
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Pretzel salt (or flaky sea salt)

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

These pretzel bites come together easily with just a bit of mixing, shaping, and a quick boil before baking. No special equipment or experience needed—just a few simple, hands-on steps.

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!

Substitutions

Some of the listed ingredients do not work for you? Here are some of my tried and true substitutes!

• Butter -  Use a non-dairy butter like Country Crock's plant butter.
• Pretzel salt - Use flaky sea salt instead.

Variations

Want to switch things up? Try one of these fun flavor twists to make your pretzel bites even more irresistible:

• Garlic Herb – Toss the warm pretzel bites in melted butter mixed with garlic powder, dried parsley, and a pinch of oregano.
• Cheddar Jalapeño – Add shredded cheddar and finely diced jalapeños into the dough for a spicy, cheesy kick.
• Cinnamon Sugar – Skip the salt and, after baking, brush with butter and roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for a sweet twist.
• Everything Bagel – Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the tops before baking for that perfect savory crunch.
• Parmesan Black Pepper – Top with grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper before baking for a bold, salty finish.

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)

Storage

These pretzels are best served fresh as they will start to become soft from the salt quickly after being stored.

If needed, I'd recommend storing them in the fridge for a day or two and then reheating them in the oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes or until they are heated through.

FAQ

Related

Looking for other savory recipes like this? Try these:

Sourdough Discard Pretzle Bites

Audrey

These soft, chewy sourdough discard pretzel bites are the ultimate salty snack. Easy to make and perfect for dipping, sharing, or munching by the handful.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

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!

Keyword sourdough discard