Can I make these pretzels without a filling?

You sure can! If you are not filling them, you can make 6 to 7 pretzels.

Which kind of beer should I use?

I used a German wheat beer because that's what I had in the fridge, but you can use any kind! You can use American lagers or pilsners such as, Coors Light/Banquet or Miller/Miller Lite, but the malty flavor will be mild. Amber ales, like Fat Tire or a hoppy IPA beer will add more flavor. You can even go for a dark strout, like Guinness, which is slightly more bitter, but very flavor forward. If you don't consume alcohol, you can use non-alcoholic beer. It has more flavor than water.

Why do pretzels get a baking soda bath?

Baking soda bath is what gives pretzels their unique flavor and texture. Baking soda, which is alkaline, breaks down the starch in the dough to form a chewy crust and gives them their characteristic dark brown color and shiny crust.

Small Batch Soft Pretzels with Cheddar and Chives

Description

These easy Small Batch Soft Pretzels start with a simple yeast dough that's made with wheat beer and then stuffed with melty extra-sharp cheddar cheese and fresh chives!

Ingredients

Cheddar Chive Pretzels

3/4 Cup (170g) Beer of Choice (measured without foam), warmed 110ºF (43ºC)
2 Cups (240g) + Up to 2 Tablespoons Bread Flour
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Light or Dark Brown Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon (4g) Instant Yeast
3/4 Teaspoon Fine Salt
6 Ounces Cheddar Cheese, diced into small cubes
3 Tablespoons (10g) Chives, finely chopped
1 Whole Egg, for egg wash
Coarse or Flaky Sea Salt

Baking Soda Bath

4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Baking Soda

Additional (optional)

1/2 Tablespoon Melted Butter

Cook Mode Press to prevent your screen from going dark!

Instructions

Make the Pretzel Dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl, add bread flour, instant yeast, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and warm beer. If you are using active dry yeast, be sure to activate it in the warm beer for 7 to 8 minutes. When frothy, pour into the flour mixture.
Knead the Dough - With a spoon or spatula, mix the the ingredients until it becomes a shaggy ball. Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium/high speed for about 10 to 12 minutes. The dough should pull clean from the sides of the bowl, but okay if it sticks a bit to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, but refrain from adding too much. It's ready when it passes the window pane test. See note below.
Prep the Filling - As the dough is kneading, dice the cheddar cheese into small cubes and finely chop the chives. Set aside.
Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. It's best to use a kitchen scale for this part. Weigh the whole dough first, then divide that number by 5. Mine weighed about 86 grams each.
Fill the Dough - Working one piece of dough at a time (loosely cover remaining dough balls with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out), roll to roughly 15 inches long by 2 inches wide (38x5 cm). Add about 4 tablespoons of diced cheddar cheese and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped chives. Seal the edges of the dough together, then gently pull, stretch and roll into a 24 inches long rope, making sure to taper the ends. The dough should be very elastic, so just keep rolling and stretching it.
Shape the Pretzels - Make a U-shape with the rope. Then hold the ends of the rope and cross them over each other 2 or 3 times. I crossed mine 3 times, but if you want a more traditional shape, you can just cross them once or twice. Finally, flip the top over onto itself to form a pretzel. Gently press the ends into the bottom of the pretzel. Place the finished pretzel on greased (this will prevent them from sticking to the paper) parchment lined baking sheets.
If you'd like a denser pretzel you can immediately proceed to the baking soda bath and bake right away. If you like a soft springier pretzel, loosey cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 25 to 30 minutes. Allowing them to rise is my preferred method. If you are using active dry yeast, your rise time will be a little longer.
As the pretzels are resting, set a rack in the center of the oven and set it to 425ºF (218ºC).
Make a Baking Soda Bath - When pretzels are nearly done proofing, boil 4 cups of water in a small saucepan over medium/high heat. Once boiling, add baking soda to the pot and let it dissolve.
Place the pretzels into the boiling water one at a time and boil for about 20 seconds on each side. With a slotted spoon, transfer pretzels back to the same baking sheet.
Bake the Pretzels - Beat an egg and brush it all over the pretzels and top with coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt. Bake at 425ºF (218ºC) for 11 to 13 minutes. I achieved this golden brown color by baking them for a full 13 minutes, but you can go a tad longer if you'd like a deeper color.
As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and serve warm. Enjoy!!

Notes

Yeast - If you are using active dry yeast, activate the yeast in the warm beer (110ºF) for 7 to 8 minutes. Once ready, add to the rest of the dough ingredients. Your rise time will about 45 minutes or so.

Stand Mixer - If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use the dough hook attachments from a hand-held mixer or knead by hand.

Window Pane Test - Lightly oil your fingertips, take a small ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Rise Time: 25 to 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 12 to 13 Minutes