Say hello to an all-American recipe: Mini Cheesy Pretzel Dogs.
Email Me the Recipe!
By signing up, you'll join our email list and can unsubscribe anytime. Already registered? Log in.
This recipe originally came from my friend Steph at Girl vs. Dough. She knows her way around a pretzel, and these cheeky pretzel dogs are the proof!
About This Delicious Pretzel Dog Recipe
These pretzel dogs are mini, salty, carby, cheese-and-hot-dog-stuffed goodness.
It’s no surprise that these things, when combined, are delicious.
I mean, how can you go wrong with melted American cheese oozing out of a hot dog wrapped in soft pretzel dough? That is a rhetorical question.
This recipe still makes me giddy every time I make it (which is more often that I’d care to admit considering cocktail wieners and processed cheese are involved, ahem… Food Blogger of the Year, right here).
And I think it’ll make you giddy, too, once you give it a try.
Don’t be afraid of the idea of making your own pretzel dough – I’ve been baking bread for a long, loooooong time (OK like five years, but still) and it maintains its status of being one of the easiest doughs to make and bake. Plus, homemade pretzels. Enough said.
So while Erin is probably eating her way through France with fresh baguettes, wine, fine cheeses and chocolates (at least this is what I imagine everyone eats over there), we can live it up here stateside with cheese-stuffed pretzel dogs. Try not to be too jealous of us, Erin!
What to Serve with Pretzel Dogs
- Other Appetizers. For a kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing party spread, try serving this recipe with Mozzarella Sticks, Tater Tots, and Ranch Crackers.
- Salad. Serve these pretzel dogs with a fresh side dish like this Anytime Arugula Salad.
- Veggies. For a healthy meal, pair these pretzel dogs with a side of Sautéed Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Zucchini.
More Soft Pretzel Recipes
- Chocolate Soft Pretzels with White Chocolate Chips
- Soft Whole Wheat Raisin Pretzels
Mini Cheesy Pretzel Dogs
email me the recipe!
By signing up, you’ll join our email list and can unsubscribe anytime. Already registered? Log in.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¾ cup warm water (about 115 degrees F)
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (about ½ packet)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
For the Dogs:
- 20 mini cocktail wieners or 5 regular hot dogs cut into quarters
- 3 – 4 slices cheese (preferably American, but cheddar works well too)
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup baking soda
- Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
- Coarse salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- First, make the dough: In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour, salt and melted and cooled butter. Use the dough hook attachment or a wooden spoon to stir until a dough forms. Increase mixer speed to medium and knead 4 to 5 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth, soft and elastic; OR, transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand 8 to 10 minutes until dough is smooth, soft and elastic.
- Shape dough into a ball; place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place 1 to 1 ½ hours until doubled.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dogs: Slice cocktail wieners lengthwise down the center, being careful not to cut all the way through. Divide cheese slices into small pieces and place a piece or two in each slit.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When dough is doubled, punch it down and transfer to a parchment paper-lined surface. Divide dough into 20 equal-size pieces. Roll out each piece on parchment paper into a roughly 10-inch-long rope. Coil the ropes tightly over the cheese-stuffed dogs, folding and pinching seams tightly to seal.
- In a large saucepan, bring water and baking soda to a boil. Carefully drop about 4 to 6 dogs into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon. Transfer to prepared baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining dogs.
- Brush the tops of the dogs with the egg wash, then sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Bake 15 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking, until dogs are a deep golden brown.
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
Erin continue having fun and updating us!! These pretzel dogs are to die for Steph. Love all that cheese!!
Cheese, bread, sausage… what more could a girl want!! I’ve never actually had a pretzel roll (even though I’ve seen them on the blogosphere I think they haven’t quite caught on here as yet) but you’ve totally made me want to go home and bake up a storm. These would be great for parties (if I didn’t eat them all myself first! Ooops). Thanks Steph and Erin, you girls are amazing xxx
Anything pretzel and I’m in! I can’t wait for all the French updates!! :P
Love your updates Erin and these fun pretzel dogs! They look fantastic with all that oozing cheese :)
Hi. I love pretzel dogs. Can I make these to freeze? Would you suggest freezing before or after boiling or cooking?
HI Sally! If you want to freeze, I think your best option is to freeze the dough before assembling the dogs. You could try assembling them first (but NOT boiling them) and then freezing them, but it might affect the flavor and texture of the dogs/cheese and the boiling process. In either case, make sure to let the dough (assembled or unassembled) come back to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
Hi. I would like to have the boiling process over before freezing. What do u think? Mayb cook in oven half the time then freeze?
Hi Sally! To best honest, there is not really a way to stop the process once you boil them, and generally cooking things only partially doesn’t turn out very well, especially with baking. You could bake them all the way, then let them thaw and maybe reheat gently in the microwave or in a low temp oven, but they won’t taste as fresh. I know that’s not the answer you were looking for, but those are my thoughts, for what they are worth!
Thank you. Do you have any bagel recipes you like? I enjoy making them and my kids love them!
Hi Sally! Here is a great basic NY-style bagel recipe from Steph (the blogger who wrote today’s guest post.) I’m sure you could customize these any which way! http://www.girlversusdough.com/2013/01/17/new-york-deli-style-bagels-twelveloaves/
This recipe may work well with cocktail wieners, but it doesn’t work at all with cut up hot dogs. A bit frustrating.
Hi Katherine, I’m so sorry to hear that the cut hot dogs didn’t work! Although the shape would be a little different, I’m not sure why they wouldn’t turn out. Is it something I can help you troubleshoot?
Could I do these thru the boiling step and then either refrigerate them or leave them out for another hour before baking, without any terribly ill effects? I want to take them as an appetizer for a party but want them to be able to come hot out of the oven there, not out of my oven and then be driven over… Thanks for your thoughts!
Hi Anne! That is a great question, and to be honest with you, I would be worried about waiting between the boiling and the baking, because I fear that the dough would become soggy. Would you be able to boil them at your friends house, keeping them in the refrigerator until you leave for the party, then put them in the oven? You could also bake them at home, then rewarm them in the oven at your friend’s. I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, but I definitely don’t want you to have soggy pretzel dogs!
Honesty is the reply I was hoping for, so you are spot on. :) I will plan to bake at home and rewarm there. Thank you!