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Oktoberfest Beer Pretzels + Smoky Chipotle Cheese

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Oktoberfest Beer Pretzels + Smoky Chipotle Cheese

During our Fall break, we had *GORGEOUS* weather! I mean gorgeous by Minnesota standards. It was sunny each day, 60-70 degrees and you could feel that crisp, fall air when playing outside in the leaves. It set the scene for the ultimate Fall break from school. All we needed were snacks.  And we needed really good snacks. Not just the kind we grab-n-go like every other day of the year. Enter: Soft Oktoberfest Beer Pretzels + Smoky Chipotle Cheese. This is the only soft pretzel recipe you will ever need!

I got the idea because we had recently purchased some Oktoberfest beer for a get-together with friends. I had a feeling that come the end of October, this beer would get pushed aside into the back of the fridge only to disappear until eternity. So…I came up with the only logical solution for this…I was going to use it in my cooking and create this super soft pretzel recipe! No sense in wasting (or pushing it aside) perfectly good Oktoberfest! That’s nonsense.

I had somewhat of an idea how to create a soft pretzel recipe. I’ve seen a few recipes years ago from some of my favorites like Tiegan from Half Baked Harvest. Now, I should explain that these aren’t the traditional Bavarian style pretzels with the SUPER dark exterior. Those are made with Lye and no one should be putting Lye into their bodies. Sorry. I apologize to the traditional Germans out there. But, I just couldn’t put this recipe for pretzels out there using Lye. However, they do get a nice, golden brown crisp outside with the addition of baking soda in the boiling water. And, they stay SUPER soft and tender on the inside because of a very quick boil and then placing them inside a 425 degree oven. Last…should I even get going on the smoky chipotle cheese sauce?

That cheese sauce. Ohmylanta.

If you’re not a fan of chipotle peppers, leave this part out. But, if you are like me and LOVE a good, smoky hottness with your cheese, then add those peppers in! Because my kids don’t love tons of heat, I split up the cheese sauce into two halves before I added the peppers. I did go lightly on half of the cheese sauce, just adding a bit of the sauce the chipotles come in. Then, I ramped it up with the other half for the hubby and me. If you love heat, but aren’t a fan of chipotles, jalapenos or green chiles work well here too.

This is a GREAT activity to involve the kids in! My boys had a blast making these pretzels with me! A few of the pretzels came out with slightly interesting shapes at the very beginning because we were learning how to best shape those ropes of dough. But, we quickly figured it out. And honestly, who really cares WHAT shape they are unless of course you’re serving them to your guests and you want them to look pretty? We didn’t care, though. They were devoured in less than an hour! My oldest son even said “Mom! They are better than the ones at Target!” Bah!! I almost died.

That’s probably the only type of pretzel he associates with soft pretzels. Those slightly card-board like pretzels with the gloopy cheese. Oh, ish. Well, at least he knows what really good soft pretzels taste like now!


And…once you’ve completely devoured the pretzels in this super soft pretzel recipe, check out my other great recipes for everything from brilliant breakfasts to supper table delights to sweet treats! You’re sure to find something super tasty for your next food adventure!

Until next time…Eat Well. Travel Often. Love Much.

XOXO

 

Oktoberfest Beer Pretzels + Smoky Chipotle Cheese

October 23, 2019
: 8 large soft pretzels
: Moderate
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These amazing soft pretzels are just what your October needs! (Or any month for that matter!) Warm, soft, slightly chewy & salty!

By:

Ingredients
  • Pretzels:
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • about 100 F degrees
  • 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 1 cup Oktoberfest beer (or your favorite Fall brew)
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup baking soda (this is for boiling the pretzels)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • coarse Maldon sea salt (or pretzel salt, if you wish!)
  • Smoky Chipotle Cheese Sauce:
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 T. salted butter
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 12 ounces cheddar cheese (I like Kerrygold or Tillamook sharp cheddar for this)
  • 1 T. all purpose flour
  • Chipotle pepper sauce + peppers, finely minced--use the quantity of peppers for whatever level of heat you want
Directions
  • Step 1 Combine the water, yeast and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until combined. Let it stand about 5 minutes to bloom.
  • Step 2 With the dough hook attachment, add the beer, salt, melted butter and all-purpose flour to the mixture and mix on low to medium speed until combined.
  • Step 3 Increase the speed to medium to continue kneading until the dough is a smooth ball and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Step 4 Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a flat surface and knead into a smooth ball using the push/ 1/4 turn method until it’s soft and smooth.
  • Step 5 Coat a large bowl with a neutral oil and place the dough inside the bowl. Coat the dough with the oil.
  • Step 6 Cover the bowl with a clean towel and place in a warm, non-drafty spot until the dough doubles in size. It takes about 1-2 hours depending on the warmth of your house.
  • Step 7 Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  • Step 8 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. I like to use a 6 quart Dutch oven or casserole pan. Something that is shallow, but a little wider.
  • Step 9 Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a flat surface.
  • Step 10 Divide the dough into 8 pieces for large pretzels, 12 for slightly smaller.
  • Step 11 Roll each piece into a long rope like you do with Play-do!
  • Step 12 Make a circle and with the ends, cross the right over to the left twice and flip up and tuck the ends into the pretzel dough.
  • Step 13 Add the baking soda to the boiling water. Do this slowly because you will get a bubbling effect.
  • Step 14 Boil the pretzels in batches of 2-3 for about 30 seconds, making sure to spoon some of the baking soda water over the tops of the pretzels while they are boiling.
  • Step 15 Remove the pretzels with a slotted spoon and place on parchment covered baking sheets. Brush the tops with the lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with an ample amount of Maldon sea salt or your pretzel salt.
  • Step 16 Bake the pretzels for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Step 17 Make the Smoky Chipotle Cheese Sauce:
  • Step 18 Place a 4 qt skillet on low to medium heat.
  • Step 19 Add the butter and melt it slowly. Add the cream cheese and milk, whisking until combined.
  • Step 20 Make sure the sauce is smooth and creamy and has no lumps before you move onto the next step.
  • Step 21 In a separate bowl, toss the 12 oz. of cheddar with the 1 T. flour.
  • Step 22 Add the cheese mixture to the sauce a little at a time, whisking until it’s incorporated.
  • Step 23 Stir in the chipotle sauce + peppers (whatever amount you are using).
  • Step 24 Serve immediately once the pretzels are hot out of the oven!
  • Step 25 Enjoy!
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Filed Under: Lifestyle, Recipes, Super Snacks
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Meet Tara

Hello Friends! I'm Tara~wife of 13+ years and a mom to 3 amazing boys. I'm a storyteller with an intense passion for wanderlust, exceptional global food scenes, unique & luxurious accommodations and really great coffee. My desire is to inspire people of all ages to get out & see the world, eat incredibly well along the way and to make friends whenever life throws you a chance! My simple rule of life: Eat Well. Travel Often. Love Much.

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