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Beer cheese dip with soft pretzel bites are salty soft pretzel bites. This beer cheese dip is made with Tecate Light and it’s so creamy and flavorful! This is the perfect recipe for parties and entertaining!

Need more ideas for crowd-pleasing appetizers? Try this Ranch Chex Mix or black bean and corn dip next time.

This post has been sponsored by Tecate Light. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.

beer cheese dip

You guys! I have fantastic news! I got a stand mixer! I actually cried tears of joy I was so happy to see it. It’s a gorgeous purple-ish, plum color and it looks so perfect on my kitchen counter.

Obsessed is an understatement.

It took me less than a day to start brainstorming all the recipes I could make with it. It had to be the best recipe to break it in and get all the mixing, kneading and whipping started. With the holidays approaching, I knew I wanted to make an appetizer for all my friends coming over.

Need another cheesy dip? This Boursin cheese recipe has the best herb flavor and it takes less than 10 minutes to make.

beer cheese dip recipe

I immediately thought of soft pretzels. They’re bite-sized little pieces of fluffy, salted delicious-ness. And dunked in beer cheese? Game over.

I love salt. We’re besties. We share every meal together. It’s a healthy relationship, it’s fine.

Soft pretzels are the perfect vehicle to hold the salt. The dough is so soft and the salt sticks to it perfectly and makes the pretzels look even more gorgeous when they bake up and turn golden brown.

Beer cheese dip with soft pretzel bites are salty soft pretzel bites. This beer cheese dip is made with Tecate Light and it's so creamy and flavorful! This is the perfect recipe for parties and entertaining!
Beer cheese dip with soft pretzel bites are salty soft pretzel bites. This beer cheese dip is made with Tecate Light and it's so creamy and flavorful! This is the perfect recipe for parties and entertaining!

Please don’t be intimidated by making your own soft pretzels. It sounds really difficult, but it hardly takes any time or effort. Warm water, a little sugar, active yeast, flour, butter, baking soda and a dough hook and you’re well on your way.

A few tips for making soft pretzels:

  • Heat the water to about 100°F before you add the yeast. I use a meat or candy thermometer to tell if it’s done. If it bubbles and foams you know you have good yeast.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place. I like to turn my oven on to 200°F then turn it off. Once it’s off put the dough in there to rise.
  • Add an egg wash to the soft pretzels before baking so they turn a gorgeous golden brown color.
beer cheese pretzel dip

Because there’s only one hour of rise time for the pretzel you can wait a bit then make the beer cheese while you wait.

You start the beer cheese by making a roux (butter and flour mixed together). It’s what gives the cheese it’s thick texture.

The very first time I made a roux was when I was about 15 and I made homemade mac n’ cheese. The recipe came from my very first cookbook I ever received.  My first from scratch mac n’ cheese, chocolate chip scones and banana bread all came from that baby! I think it was called Teens Cook!

how to make beer cheese pretzel dip

Back to the beer cheese….It’s thick and cheesy and has the perfect amount of bite to it from the sharp cheddar. It reminds me of the beer cheese I’ve got at the German Restaurant  across the street from my apartment.

Tecate Light adds so much depth of flavor to the cheese. The combo of cheddar, paprika and the beer makes this a standout cheese dip.

hot beer cheese dip

It makes a delicious combination perfect for dunking and serving to crowds. It’s the best for parties! My friends gobbled these up within an hour.

How to Make Beer Cheese Dip

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3.31 from 52 votes

Soft Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip

Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Bests and Bites

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Bests and Bites
Servings: 75

Ingredients

  • For the pretzel bites:
  • teaspoons active dry yeast 1 pack
  • cup warm water 110-115 degrees
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • cups flour
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 7 cups water
  • 10 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • coarse sea salt
  • For the beer cheese dip:
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk divided
  • ½ cup beer a lager, like Tecate Light
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated

Instructions 

  • For the pretzels, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for approximately 5 minutes or until it starts to foam
  • Add the hook attachment to the mixer. Add the flour and butter to the bowl and mix on low until combined. Increase to medium and knead until dough pulls away from the side of bowl, about 4 minutes.
  • Remove dough from bowl and spray bowl with cooking spray. Return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 1 hour until doubles in size. I like to preheat oven to 170 degrees, place dough inside, turn the oven off and let is rest there.
  • While the dough is resting make the beer cheese. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour.
  • Take mixture off heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Whisk in rest of milk and whisk until smooth.
  • Add beer, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and papika. Return pan to medium heat and stir until thick and bubbling, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Add grated cheese one cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Return to medium heat to melt cheese if needed.
  • When the dough has doubled, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Bring water and baking soda to a rolling boil. While it heats, turn dough out onto smooth surface and divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece evenly into a 20-22 inch rope. Cut dough in one inch pieces.
  • When water is boiling, drop dough into baking soda bath about 15 pieces at a time for 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all pretzel bites are complete. Dough will rise and become slightly cooked.
  • Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon water. Spread dough bites 1 inch apart and spread egg wash on top. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
  • Serve immediately!
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

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9 Comments

  1. Kathy Schultz says:

    3 stars
    I do not have a stand mixer, is there any other way I can make these?

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hi Kathy! Yes, you can need by hand, it just might take a little bit longer:)

  2. Kara says:

    2 stars
    Mine came out tasting very baking softish. Maybe I let them stay in the water too long???

    1. Kara says:

      2 stars
      I meant very baking soda tasting

      1. Jenny says:

        How long did you leave it in for?

  3. Molly Leonard says:

    Hi Hannah!! So glad you want to make them. This recipe makes quite a bit of pretzel bites, around 5 dozen. I made them recently for a party and there were 6 of us and we ate the majority of them. If you end up having some left over you can always freeze them in an air tight bag/container and the next time you need a party recipe just heat them back up in the oven at 300 for 10-15 minutes or until warm. Hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions. Happy Holidays!!?

    ❤️Molly

  4. Hannah Larsen says:

    This recipe looks amazing! I want to make this for my family’s Christmas gathering, but I can’t tell how much this makes. Approximately how many bites does this make? I don’t want to end up with 500 pretzel bites 🙂 Thanks!

  5. Paige Miller says:

    I would love to make the pretzel bites for a big birthday party I am helping to throw. Can you make the pretzel dough a day ahead of time?

    1. Molly Leonard says:

      Hi Paige! So glad you’re making them. There are a few options for you:

      1. The prepared dough can be refrigerated for up to one day or frozen in an airtight container for three months. Just thaw the dough in the fridge overnight. Or refrigerated dough can be shaped into the pretzel bites while still cold, but I’d recommend allowing some extra time for them to puff up before the baking soda bath and baking.

      2. Completely baked pretzel bites freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just thaw them in advance and reheat them in the oven at 300 (F) until warm.

      Let me know if you have any more questions!

      Thanks
      ❤️Molly