Beer Cheese Pretzel Bites

Looking for a quick and easy appetizer for your next gathering? These beer cheese pretzel bites are perfect for game day, potlucks, or for anytime!

Crispy, warm pretzel bread filled with melted cheddar and pepperjack cheese, these Beer Cheese Pretzel bites are the perfect grab n’ go appetizer! With a burst of melted cheese in every bite, everyone will love them!

These delicious beer cheese pretzel bites are the perfect appetizer for game day, graduation parties, potlucks, or a quick and easy snack! Since the cheese is sealed in the pretzel, there’s no mess, making them the perfect finger food. 

WHY WE LOVE BEER CHEESE PRETZEL BITES

I love hosting parties, but I don’t want to spend hours making appetizers and snacks for my guests. So, I’m always looking for delicious, quick, and easy solutions. Here’s why we love these beer cheese pretzel bites:

• Perfect finger food-Who wants to do a ton of dishes after their guests leave? Not me! I love these little bites because they are the perfect finger foods for parties. 
• Cheesy and delicious- What’s better than bread and cheese?! These little bites are filled with cheesy goodness that everyone will love!
• Quick and easy- With just 10-minutes of prep, you can have these appetizers ready to go in just 20-minutes making them a quick and easy finger food. 

INGREDIENTS/SHOPPING LIST 

• Cheddar cheese block
• Pepper jack cheese block
• Cornstarch
• Garlic salt
• Red pepper flakes
• Wheat beer- such as an hefeweizen. A hoppy IPA or Belgian beer will work here too.  
• Pizza dough
• Baking soda
• One egg

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

• Substitute the cheese: You don’t have to use cheddar and pepper jack. You can use whatever cheese blocks you prefer. Cheddar melts the easiest. 
• Add seasalt: If you want to have the classic pretzel flavor, you can use sea salt instead of the garlic and red pepper flake mixture. 

RECOMMENDED TOOLS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE 

• Baking sheet
• Cheese grater
• Mixing bowls
• Saucepan
• Rolling pin
• Measuring cups and spoons

HOW TO MAKE BEER CHEESE PRETZEL BITES

Perfect for gatherings, these beer cheese pretzel bites are quick and easy to whip up. Make sure your pizza crust is at room temperature before you begin!

1. First, preheat your oven to 400℉. Then, heat a saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Using a cheese grater, shred the cheese into a medium mixing bowl.
3. Toss the cheese with cornstarch and add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Stir to combine. 
4. Add the cheese mixture to the saucepan and pour in the wheat beer. Stir the cheese until melted. 
5. Remove the melted cheese from the heat, and let it cool in a bowl.
6. Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot.
7. Next, roll out the pizza dough ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Then, cut the dough into 3x3 inch squares.
8. Add a tablespoon of the cheese into the center of each dough square.
9. Gather the edges of the dough into the center over the cheese. Then, pinch it to seal it and roll the dough between your palms to form a ball.
10. Once the water is boiling, add the baking soda. Then, immediately add the pretzel balls to the boiling water and cook for 30-45 seconds.
11. Remove the pretzel balls from the water and place them onto the baking sheet. 
12. Combine garlic salt and red pepper flakes in a small ramekin.
13. Then, combine the egg and water in a small bowl and whisk well. 
14. Brush the pretzel balls with the egg wash, and then sprinkle them with the garlic mixture.
15. Bake the pretzel bites for 10-minutes. 

TIPS 

• Cheese will harden. As it cools it will slightly harden. This is ok because it will make it easy to stuff the pretzels. 
• Make sure the balls are sealed. You don’t want any cheese dripping out of your pretzel balls, so make sure you pinch them to seal them well. 
• Roll into balls gently. Once you’ve sealed the dough, roll it gently in your hand so that it forms a ball. Too much pressure can break the seal. 

STORAGE TIPS 

• Since these pretzel bites are filled with beer cheese, you will need to refrigerate any leftovers. 
• Store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. 
• To reheat, microwave for a few seconds or bake at 350°F for 5 minutes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are these pretzel bites spicy?

Since they are made with pepper jack cheese and red pepper flakes, these beer cheese pretzel bites do have a little kick to them. I don’t think they are too spicy, but they may be too spicy for the kiddos. 

What’s a ramekin?

A ramekin is a small round baking dish. It kind of looks like a dipping sauce bowl. If you don’t have one, you can use a small bowl instead.  

Is beer cheese the same as pub cheese?

Technically no, but pub cheese is sometimes made with beer. So, the terms are used interchangeably from time to time. Since pub cheese isn’t always made with beer, the homemade cheese in this recipe is not pub cheese. 

Can beer cheese get you drunk?

You will NOT get drunk off this recipe. When cooking with beer, most of the alcohol has evaporated off, and what is left is very miniscule. So, it is safe to serve to even your littlest of guests. 

OTHER APPETIZERS YOU MAY ENJOY

• Cheesy Meatball Crescent Ring

• Smoked salmon 7-Layer Dip- serve with crackers

• Fig and Mascarpone Cracker Appetizer

• Roasted Grape Brie Crostini

Print

Beer Cheese Pretzel Bites 

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

 

Crispy, warm pretzel bread filled with melted cheddar and pepperjack cheese!

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beer cheese recipe, easy football appetizer, easy pretzel recipe, superbowl food

Servings: 9 servings

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

• 8 oz cheddar cheese block
• 4 oz pepper jack cheese block
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt divided
• 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes divided
• ½ cup wheat beer ie hefeweizen
• 1 pound pizza dough
• ¼ cup baking soda
• 1 large egg +2 tablespoons water egg wash

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400* and heat a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Shred the cheese then add to a medium mixing bowl and toss with corn starch, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Add to the saucepan and pour in the beer. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and pour cheese into a bowl. As it cools it will slightly harden, making it easy to stuff the pretzels.
3. In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
4. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured wooden cutting board to ¼” thick. Cut into 3“ x 3“ squares.
5. Add a tablespoon of cheese into the center of each dough square. Gather the edges of the dough into the center over the cheese and pinch to seal. Roll between your palms to form into a ball.
6. Once water is boiling, carefully add baking soda. Immediately add pretzel balls to the boiling water and cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place onto a baking sheet.
7. Combine garlic salt and red pepper flakes in a small ramekin.
8. Combine egg and water in a small bowl and whisk well to prepare egg wash. Brush pretzel balls with the egg wash then immediately sprinkle with garlic salt and red pepper flakes.
9. Place pretzel bites into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
10. Serve warm and enjoy!