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If you’re looking for the perfect pretzel recipe, I’ve got something incredible to share—Jalapeno Ranch Stuffed Pretzel Bites. These little bites are soft, cheesy, and coated in a buttery, jalapeno ranch seasoning that will knock your socks off!, and most importantly, it’s an easy pretzel recipe.
Whether you’re using King’s Hawaiian pretzel bites or whipping up your own homemade pretzels for this pretzel recipe, this pretzel recipe is a showstopper. Let’s dive in and get these bites ready for your next snack or appetizer.
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Let’s Prep:
Before we begin, preheat your oven or smoker to 275°F. While that’s heating up, let’s talk about our ingredients. We’re keeping it simple, starting with King’s Hawaiian pretzel bites. I prefer these for this pretzel recipe because they are readily available at my grocery store, and delicious
If you’d prefer to make this pretzel recipe fully from scratch, you can make your own soft pretzel dough at home, I’ve got details on that at the bottom of this page.
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You’ll want to make sure you have all-purpose flour, and yeast handy to mix with warm water to make the soft dough. Either way, this pretzel recipe and pretzel bites are going to turn out amazing every time.
Next, grab some string cheese. Cut it into 16 little discs, one for each pretzel bite. The key here is to create a small slit in each pretzel bite without splitting them open too much—just enough to tuck the cheese in. Don’t worry if the edges don’t pinch perfectly closed, as the cheese will melt beautifully inside as it cooks.
Let’s Cook:
Once your pretzel bites are stuffed, it’s time to get them onto a wire rack. Place them in a single layer and pop them into the smoker or oven for about 7-10 minutes.
Keep an eye on them because different cookers have their own hot spots and quirks. We’re aiming for a deep golden brown finish. The pretzels will be crispy on the outside but stay soft and chewy inside, with that melty cheese center.
While the bites are cooking, it’s time to prepare the buttery, spicy coating. In a small bowl, mix 8 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of jalapeno ranch seasoning, 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Make sure everything is well combined so each bite gets coated evenly. When the pretzel bites are done, toss them in this butter mixture to soak up all those flavors.
Let’s Eat:
When your pretzel bites come out of the smoker or oven, they’ll have that perfect combo of soft and crusty. The buttery, garlicky, jalapeno ranch coating takes them to the next level, making them irresistible. You can serve these right away—they’re best when they’re warm, with the cheese still gooey inside. If you have any leftovers (which I doubt!), store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
These cheesy delicious snacks are perfect for the big game, taking to the tailgate, or putting out before the holiday party or event. These are not your average pretzel. These are versatile in that you can change up the pretzel recipe by adding pepperoni inside or changing the cheese to something completely different like smoked gouda or pepper jack.
Making Pretzel Dough from Scratch
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to go beyond store-bought pretzel bites, you can make your own using a pretzel recipe. Making your own homemade pretzels is a fun option. Start by combining 2 cups of self-rising flour, 1 cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, and a little salt to create a two-ingredient dough pretzel bites. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s smooth, then shape it into small dough balls or roll it into a long rope before cutting into equal pieces.
After shaping, drop them into a baking soda bath (boil baking soda water for about 30 seconds) to get that classic pretzel texture, and your pretzel recipe is halfway done!
Once that’s done, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush them with egg wash, sprinkle on some coarse sea salt, and bake until they’re golden brown.
Whatever you do with them – these Jalapeno Ranch Stuffed Pretzel Bites are exactly what your friends and family will be asking for again and again! This is a pretzel recipe that can’t be beaten!
While this method is more involved and not as quick, it gives you the ability to modify flavors and customize exactly the way you want.
Print out this recipe and save it for later!
Jalapeno Ranch Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 16 Pretzel Bites King's Hawaiian or similar
- 1 String Cheese
Butter Coating
- 2 TBSP Jalapeno Ranch Seasoning
- 2 TBSP Parsley fresh if possible
- 1 TBSP Garlic minced
- 8 TBSP Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat smoker or oven to 275F
- Slice a string cheese into 16 slices to form disc shapes
- Slice a slit in the side of the pretzel bites to open up to the inside, being careful to minimize the splitting of the bread
- Insert a slice of the cheese into the pretzel bite and pinch the edges around the insertion point. If it doesn't close that's ok.
- Place on a wire rack, and place into the smoker for 7-10 minutes – make sure to keep an eye on them as different cookers will have different cooking times and hot spots.
- While in the smoker, chop parsley and mix together the ingredients to go into the butter coating. Mix well to combine. When pretzel bites are done on the smoker, they will be both soft and crusty at the same time. They may darken slightly, but make sure they don't burn, especially the bottom.
- Toss smoked pretzel bites in the butter mixture, and serve warm.
