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    Home » Appetizers » Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites

    Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites

    Published: Jun 29, 2022 · Updated: Sep 29, 2022 by Marlena Luna · This post may contain affiliate links. · 29 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin SaveSaved!
    Soft pretzel bites with writing for Pinterest.

    Vegan soft pretzel bites are the perfect party food. This recipe makes a large amount and it is easy to follow. These kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) snack bites will be everyone's favorite appetizer on the table.

    Homemade vegan pretzel bites topped with coarse sea salt on a black plate.

    Soft pretzel bites are a snack everyone can agree on.

    Choose between classic salted pretzel bites or sweet cinnamon and sugar-covered bites. Can't choose a flavor, then make both!

    There are plenty to share since this recipe makes about 64 bites. Take them to parties, enjoy them on game day, or make a batch for family movie night and they will all quickly disappear!

    Instructions

    Making pretzel bites may seem intimidating, but they're actually pretty simple to make by following the steps below.

    Step 1: Add the yeast to a bowl of warm water. Set aside to activate and become foamy.

    Step 2: Mix in the remaining ingredients until a slightly sticky dough forms. Cover and set aside to rise for 15-20 minutes.

    Step 3: Place the risen dough on a flat dry surface.

    Step 4: Cut the dough into 8 triangle pieces. Roll each triangle into a long rope. Cut the dough ropes into bite-sized pieces.

    Baking soda being added to a pot of hot water.

    Step 5: Add baking soda to a pot of hot water.

    Baking soda and hot water in a pot with a pan of pretzel bites dough.

    Step 6: Turn the heat up and bring the water to a light simmer.

    Vegan pretzel bites in a baking soda hot water mix.

    Step 7: Add about 10 pretzel bites to your pot. Let them soak for about 30 seconds or until they puff up. You can see how much bigger the bites in the pot are compared to the ones on the baking sheet.

    Vegan soft pretzel bites on a baking sheet hot out of the oven.

    Step 8: Bake the pretzel bites in the oven at 450ºF for 10-12 minutes.

    A baking sheet with vegan soft pretzel bites, half covered in cinnamon and sugar and the other half topped with coarse sea salt.

    To serve: Top your pretzel bites with coarse sea salt or roll them in cinnamon and sugar or a combination of both.

    Dip Ideas

    I paired the salty pretzel bites with my leftover vegan nacho cheese. You can go with my cheese dip or use your favorite recipe. Or go with a store-bought vegan cheese dip to save time.

    Sweet mustard or spicy mustard are also great dip ideas for salty pretzel bites.

    I found the cinnamon and sugar bites were sweet enough on their own, but I don't have too big of a sweet tooth.

    For pizza-style bites, skip the above toppings and instead, sprinkle the pretzel bites with vegan parmesan. Serve them with marinara sauce for dipping. It's another delicious flavor option everyone will enjoy!

    Soft vegan pretzel bites on a black plate and a twisted pretzel in the back.

    Pretzel Bites FAQs

    What does the baking soda bath do?

    The baking soda bath is what gives the pretzel bites their golden shell during baking. It's definitely a step you shouldn't skip if you want a true pretzel-like outside and a soft inside.

    How can I get the coarse salt stick without oil?

    To get the coarse salt to stick to the pretzel bites without oil, sprinkle the bites with salt before baking. The salt will stick to the baked bites.

    Can I freeze the pretzel bites?

    Yes! Skip the toppings and freeze the cooked bites in a freezer-safe container or bag. Reheat the frozen bites before adding the topping.

    Tips for Success

    • Don't skip the baking soda bath. It's the only way to get the classic outer shell of the pretzel bites.
    • If the dough ropes keep shrinking: If they keep shriking while rolling them out, let them rest for 3-5 minutes before rolling the full length.
    • To twist a full pretzel: Twist the ends of the dough rope together once. Bring the twisted ends down to the curved bottom. Add a bit of water to get the ends to stick to the dough. Gently place the shaped pretzel in the baking soda bath one at a time. If you're a visual person, this pretzel guide on how to twist a pretzel is helpful.
    Two black plates one with sweet pretzel bites and the other with salty pretzel bites and a twisted pretzel with cheese sauce.

    We'd love to hear from you!

    If you enjoyed this vegan recipe, please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and share your thoughts in the comments below.

    Also, if you snap a photo, share it with us! We love to see your creations!! You can find us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

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    See ya there!

    Recipe

    A pile of soft pretzel bites on a black plate.

    Vegan Soft Pretzel Bites

    prep time: 40 minutes minutes
    cook time: 20 minutes minutes
    total time: 1 hour hour
    servings: 64 bites
    This vegan soft pretzel bites recipe yields about 64 bites making them perfect for parties, game day, or to share with the family! These kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) snack bites will be everyone's favorite appetizer on the table. Watch how quickly they disappear!
    4.89 stars (45 reviews)
    Print Pin SaveSaved!

    Ingredients

    Pretzel Dough

    • 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cups water, warm
    • 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast, or 1 packet
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
    • 3 Tablespoons melted refined coconut oil

    Baking Soda Bath

    • 5 cups water
    • 3 Tablespoons baking soda

    Cinnamon & Sugar Coating

    • ¼ heaping cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
    • 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

    Salty Topping

    • Coconut oil for brushing
    • Coarse sea salt

    Optional Dip for Salty Pretzels

    • Nacho Cheese Dip
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Pretzel Dough

    • Start by warming your water. You want it to be warm to the touch, but not hot.
    • Pour the warm water into a large bowl and mix in the sugar. Then sprinkle the yeast on top. Cover and let sit for 10 min to activate the yeast.
    • Once the yeast is foamy, mix in the salt and coconut oil.
    • Now, slowly mix in 2 cups of flour. Once it is well blended, mix in the 3rd cup of flour. If the dough is too sticky to handle, mix in enough flour from the 4th cup until you can handle the dough.
    • On a clean lightly floured surface, knead your dough for 3-5 min adding more flour as needed. You shouldn't need more than 4 cups of flour. The dough should be slightly sticky.
    • Shape the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 15-20 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Then preheat your oven to 450ºF and heat the water for the baking soda bath.
    • Once the dough has risen a bit, cut it into 8 triangles, as you would a pizza.
    • With your hands, roll each triangle out to an 18-inch-long rope. Cut each rope into 8-9 (2-inch) bites.

    Baking Soda Bath

    • Once the water is boiling, lower the heat. When the water stops boiling add 3 Tablespoons of baking soda.
    • Turn up the heat to simmer the water, then place about 10 bites in the bath. Let them soak for 20-30 seconds. Once they "puff up" a bit remove the bites from the bath and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until it's full. Be sure not to crowd your baking sheet.
    • Bake at 450ºF for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are nice and brown. Keep an eye on them at about halfway through because they will darken quickly.

    Cinnamon & Sugar Coating

    • In a bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
    • Lightly brush each bite with just enough coconut oil to allow the sweet coating to stick.
    • Roll in the cinnamon and sugar mix until coated.

    Coarse Sea Salt Topping

    • Brush the tops of each bite with coconut oil, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

    Notes

    • If the dough ropes keep shrinking while rolling them out, let them rest for 3-5 minutes before continuing to roll the full length.
    • To Store: If you don't plan on eating all the bites right away, I suggest topping only what you're going to eat. Store leftover, cooked bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Or the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, preheat your oven to 350ºF and bake for 5-10 min. Add sweet or salty toppings to the bites after baking.
    • To twist a full pretzel, twist the ends of the dough rope together once. Bring the twisted ends down to the curved bottom. Add a bit of water to get the ends to stick to the dough. Gently place the shaped pretzel in the baking soda bath one at a time.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2bites | Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 191mg | Sugar: 1g

    **Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

    course: Side Dishes
    cuisine: American
    author: Marlena Luna
    Did you make this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

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    Comments

      4.89 from 45 votes (45 ratings without comment)

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    1. Karen

      May 18, 2023 at 8:08 pm

      Can you use Gluten Free Flour and what can I use instead of coconut oil? I’m not able to have coconut.

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        May 18, 2023 at 9:15 pm

        Yes, you can use a 1:1 ratio gluten-free all-purpose flour. The best replacement for coconut oil would be melted vegan butter. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Alli

      April 20, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      These are absolutely phenomenal! Made them with my 12 year old doing most the work and we all loved them! Will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        April 23, 2020 at 9:45 am

        Yay! I’m so glad everyone love them! :)

        Reply
    3. Addisen

      February 07, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      So easy to make! I made a batch yesterday, and had to make them again today. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!

      Reply
    4. Evan

      November 18, 2019 at 1:18 pm

      These are great. I found that the seasoning doesn't stick well with the coconut oil though

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        November 19, 2019 at 8:09 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Next time add the salt to the dough just before baking. That should keep it in place.

        Reply
    5. Megan Carriere

      June 07, 2019 at 8:29 pm

      Are these still good after they cool down? I’m bringing them to a party where there is no oven but will heat them up at home first!

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        June 08, 2019 at 8:42 am

        They are ideal warm, but definitely still super tasty at room temp. And they always get devoured when I bring them to parties. They should be fine for about 8-10 hours uncovered. Enjoy! :)

        Reply
    6. rachel

      May 26, 2019 at 5:19 am

      WE LOVE THEM. It's just my husband and I, and we eat a half a pan as soon as they come out of the oven! DELICIOUS.

      I ran out of regular flour and used whole wheat. I found it was easier to manipulate, but had a drier taste. Still amazing. Will keep coming back to this recipe till I know it by heart!

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        June 04, 2019 at 7:07 pm

        Yay! That's awesome you and your husband love the recipe so much! I can see how whole wheat would make the dough easier to handle, but much drier. I add a bit of oat flour to my homemade tortillas and it makes the dough easier to roll and transfer to the pan without being dry. I may have to test these out by replacing a bit of oat flour and see if it has the same effect while handling the dough. Thanks for your feedback, Rachel! :)

        Reply
    7. Emily

      March 06, 2019 at 4:00 pm

      I made these for a New Year’s Eve party and they were a big hit!
      Now My husband is suggesting I use this recipe to make small pretzel buns for sandwiches we are making tomorrow but I’m wondering if I can make the dough and refrigerate overnight and do the bath and the baking tomorrow ?

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        March 07, 2019 at 4:10 pm

        Hi Emily! Sorry if I am too late! To answer you question, yes the dough should be fine to refrigerate overnight. Just allow it to come to room temp before cutting and rolling it. Also, you may want to "punch it down" a few times while it's in the fridge. I'm so glad you guys are loving the recipe!! :)

        Reply
    8. Jane2

      January 02, 2019 at 4:51 am

      We made these for our New Years Party buffet and they were a big hit! We substituted around a cup of the white flour with spelt flour, and added more flour than the recipe called for, until we had a dough that was soft but not too sticky to handle. We used a mixer with dough hooks and with two of us working together it went really fast. We had pizza sauce for those who wanted to dip them. The bites were perfect, a beautiful golden brown color and delish! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        January 02, 2019 at 12:25 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad to hear they were such a hit at your party, Jane! Yum, pizza sauce sounds like a wonderful dip for some salty bites! I'm actually working on a marinara sauce, I'll have to make some bites and try it out!

        Reply
    9. Natalie

      December 12, 2017 at 12:03 pm

      Can I substitute normal sugar for the coconut sugar?

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        December 16, 2017 at 12:49 pm

        Yes, any granulated sugar will work.

        Reply
    10. MICHELLE

      October 03, 2017 at 7:24 pm

      I was able to fix it,!! All was not lost! I needed almost 2lbs of flour. That was way beyond the called for instructions.

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        October 05, 2017 at 2:53 pm

        I'm so glad you were able to fix it, Michelle! I hope they were a hit at the Pot Luck!

        Reply
    11. Dylan

      August 23, 2017 at 3:45 pm

      would nutritional yeast work or is that not active? Have so many ingredients in the house but regular yeast is not one

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        August 23, 2017 at 4:19 pm

        Active yeast is necessary for these bites. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, therefore it won't make the dough rise. And non-rising dough means sad pretzel bites.

        Reply
      • Elise

        October 21, 2022 at 7:01 am

        I’m hoping to make this tonight so hopefully you see this in time but can I used regular oil like vegetable instead of coconut?

        Reply
        • Marlena Luna

          October 21, 2022 at 9:47 am

          Hi Elise! Yes, you can use any oil you have on hand. Enjoy!

          Reply
    12. Ashley

      March 14, 2017 at 9:37 am

      Will this recipe work with coconut or brown rice flour?

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        March 14, 2017 at 9:58 am

        Hi Ashley! I have never tried using either of those flours for this recipe. My experiences with bread making using GF flours haven't been very successful. There is more to GF baking, than regular flour, that I have yet to master.

        Reply
    13. Teanna

      December 07, 2016 at 4:34 am

      I have a question on the pink salt... Is it pink curing salt or Himalayan sea salt? Also, good to know that the oil can be omitted. My uncle just recently turned vegan due to a strict diet, including eliminating certain omega fats (his body can't break them down causing blood clots), and coconut oil is a no for him. I definitely going to try these out for our family Christmas party so he'll be able to have munchies too.

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        December 07, 2016 at 9:01 am

        Hi Teanna! The pink salt I use in the dough is Himalayan pink salt. You can use sea salt or any other salt you have on hand with no problem. I hope your uncle enjoys them! :)

        Reply
    14. Jane

      October 31, 2016 at 2:05 pm

      Can coconut oil be repaced with flaxseed, auqafaba or something elses that is not oil???

      Reply
      • Marlena Luna

        October 31, 2016 at 5:41 pm

        Hi Jane! The oil in the dough can be omitted without a problem. To top the salty bites, I'd suggest sprinkling salt on them immediately after they come out of the soda bath. That way they have a bit of moisture on them still, which will allow the salt to stick. As for sweet bites, I've never experimented with anything other than oil. I'd say try brushing the bites with either aquafaba or a non-dairy/maple syrup mix (2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk and 1 Tablespoon maple syrup) then coat in cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy! :)

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Marlena the recipe creator behind Where You Get Your Protein! I love spending time in the kitchen cookin’ up delicious vegan comfort foods! Most of the ingredients I use are easy-to-find or pantry staples. Stick around and enjoy some amazing vegan food!

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