Sourdough discard soft pretzels are amazing, so what's even better? Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites! The recipe to make these pretzel bites is very similar to making full-size pretzels, but the method varies a bit so you get delicious, bite-sized pretzel morsels. I like to top them with flaky sea salt or everything bagel seasoning, but you could get creative with your toppings!

These are delicious served with Beer Cheese (for Pretzels), Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or your other favorite dipping sauces!
If you want to make a full-sized pretzel instead, check out my recipe for Sourdough Discard Pretzels. You can also try these Sourdough Discard Pretzel Buns, which are great for sandwiches or hoagies! And if you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, try these Sourdough Discard Bagels, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, and Sourdough Discard Garlic Rolls.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
- Expert Baking Tips
- Why do you need to use yeast with sourdough discard?
- How to Serve Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
- Equipment
- My Favorite Baking Pans
- Storage
- Recipe FAQ
- Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
Why you'll love this recipe
- Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites are an easy recipe that is great for beginner bakers or making with kids!
- They're fun to make and even more fun to eat. Pair these with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or your favorite dips!
- You can also make an easy variation to make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites for a sweet treat.
- These are delicious fresh (and I challenge you not to eat the whole batch!), but they also freeze well so you can keep some for later.
- You can top these pretzel bites with your favorite toppings like everything bagel seasoning or cinnamon sugar!
- This recipe is a great way to use some of your sourdough discard, but you can also use active sourdough starter if you prefer.
Ingredients
As long as you have sourdough discard, you are well on your way to making these Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites!
- Sourdough discard: This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your sourdough starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe. The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe.
- Dark brown sugar: The sugar is to feed the yeast, and using dark brown sugar gives a great deep flavor to the pretzel bites. You could also use light brown sugar instead.
- Active dry yeast: Even though we're using sourdough discard, we still need to use a leavening agent (yeast) to ensure a predictable and consistent rise with the pretzel bites.
- Warm water: Make sure the water you use is warm, as this is what will make the yeast bloom and help the dough to rise.
- All-purpose flour: Using all-purpose flour will give you light and fluffy pretzels.
- Baking soda: You will boil the pretzels in water with ⅔ cup baking soda. This starts the cooking process and also gives the pretzels their classic outer crust and color.
- Egg: This recipe uses an egg wash to help adhere the toppings to the pretzel bites. If you are not baking with eggs, you can use melted butter or even water.
- Toppings: I like to use Maldon Sea Salt as a nice, flaky sea salt to top pretzels. They're also amazing with everything bagel seasoning or cinnamon sugar!
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Just made these for the first time and they were AMAZING! First time making anything with sourdough/ discard. My kids loved them; they're great for an after school snack!! Thank you, will be making them often!
- Samantha
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - To use active sourdough starter, omit the yeast and substitute the sourdough discard for active sourdough starter (1:1 substitute). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites - After boiling, omit the egg wash and bake the pretzel bites as directed. Let them cool completely, then brush with 3 Tablespoons melted butter and roll in a cinnamon sugar mixture (I recommend using ½ cup granulated sugar + 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon).
- Substitute for eggs - If you're not eating or baking with eggs, you can use melted butter or water in place of the egg wash.
- Substitute for butter - If you're not eating or baking with butter, use a vegan butter substitute. I like to use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Miyoko's Vegan Butter.
- If you'd rather make a full-size version of this recipe, try my Sourdough Discard Pretzels or Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels.
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
There are only a few key steps to make Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites. The full recipe with ingredients and directions is at the bottom of this post.
Combine all dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
Increase speed to medium or knead by hand for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth. The dough should not be sticky.
Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a work surface, then divide into 8 equal-sized pieces. This doesn't have to be exact.
Roll each piece into a 12-14 inch rope. Then use a knife to cut into individual pieces about 1 ½-inches long. You'll get about 10 pieces from each rope.
Roll each piece into a small ball. The dough ball should be about the size of a quarter (you can make these larger if you like, also!). Cover the pretzel bites with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap while you preheat the oven and boil the water in the next step.
Boil the pretzel bites in a pot of boiling water and baking soda for about 30 seconds. They should float! Shake off excess water and transfer the boiled bites to the prepared baking sheet. Spread the bites apart so they're not touching.
Lightly brush each bite with egg wash.
If you're making Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites, you'll omit this step and move on to baking. Then, brush with butter and toss in cinnamon sugar to finish.
Sprinkle the bites with your chosen toppings (flaky sea salt or everything bagel seasoning work well!).
Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. This is the secret to getting smooth-looking final pretzel bites!
- The dough will expand as it bakes. If you make dough balls that are about the size of a quarter, the final bites will be about the size of a ping pong ball. You can make these smaller or larger if you like!
- Make sure they pass the float test! When you put the pretzel bites in the boiling water, they should float. If they do not, cover the unboiled pretzel bites with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes, then try again.
- After boiling the bites, shake off excess water. This will help prevent the bites from sticking to the parchment paper.
- Spread the bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so they're not touching. While they're wet, the bites will be easy to move and separate. If you let the water evaporate, the bites will become sticky and harder to move.
- If you're making Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites (see substitutions & variations section), let the pretzel bites cool fully before coating them with cinnamon sugar. If you don't, the cinnamon sugar mixture will melt and soak into the dough. It'll still be delicious, but may not look the way you want it to.
Why do you need to use yeast with sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is inactive (unlike active sourdough starter). When baking with discard, you can either feed it to make it active (with more water and flour), or you can use a leavening agent (like yeast) to make the dough rise predictably. Even if you use yeast, you'll still get some of the sourdough flavor, as well as additional lift from the discard!
How to Serve Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
These Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites are delicious on their own (especially with those toppings!), but you can also serve them with a dipping sauce. I like to pair these with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or with a simple mustard (they're great with Dijon mustard or a grainy mustard), a cheese dip, or even marinara sauce.
Equipment
I like to make the dough in a KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer, but this is optional. You can also make the dough in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Use a kitchen scale to measure the sourdough discard. You'll also need a large bowl for the dough to rise in.
Use a large pot to boil the pretzels, using a slotted spoon or spatula to remove them from the water. Bake the pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (such as a Silpat mat), then let them cool on a cooling rack. I also use a silicone brush for the egg wash.
kitchen essentials
My Favorite Baking Pans
My favorite baking pans for everything from pretzels to bagels, pizza night and more!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: These Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites are best fresh. If you're planning to eat them within 1-2 days, store them at room temperature in a paper bag. If they harden, you can reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them soft and warm again.
Freezer Storage: Make sure the pretzel bites are fully cooled, then store in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat them, reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until they are warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQ
These are soft pretzels, and they will not be like hard pretzel bites that you may buy at the grocery store. If you want a thicker, chewier crust on the pretzel, boil them for a longer time (perhaps 60 seconds instead of 30 seconds).
I recommend boiling the pretzels for about 30 seconds. If you want a thicker, chewier crust, let them boil for up to 60 seconds.
These are great topped with flaky sea salt (the traditional pretzel bite!). They're also delicious topped with everything bagel seasoning, or with a cinnamon sugar mixture.
If you want a stronger sourdough flavor, let your sourdough discard sit for a few days in your fridge before using it to bake. The longer the discard sits (within reason), the stronger the sourdough flavor will be.
Yes, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active sourdough starter (a 1:1 substitute). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
There are a few things that could cause this. First, make sure to shake off the excess water after the boiling step before transferring to the baking sheet. Excess water can make the bites sticky. Second, if you have excess egg wash pooling beneath the bites, this can make them sticky. You only need to use enough egg wash for the toppings to stick to the bites (you won't use the full egg).
Finally, check the type of parchment paper you're using. Some are not designed for higher baking temperatures (and we're baking at a high temperature for this recipe!). I recommend using this parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (such as a Silpat mat).
If your pretzel bites have a metallic taste, this could be from the baking soda in the boiling step (don't skip this step, you need it!). You may want to try a different kind of baking soda (I use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda).
But it could also be from your egg wash! Make sure you're using fresh eggs (eggs that have been sitting in your fridge for longer can have a more alkaline taste) and whisk your egg wash thoroughly before brushing it on the bites.
If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.
Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 Tablespoon dark or light brown sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For Boiling
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
For Topping
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water to make an egg wash
- flaky sea salt
- everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Combine the warm water (1 cup + 2 Tbsp) and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer* fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to foam. If the yeast does not foam, your yeast is dead and you'll need to start again with fresh yeast.
- Add the sourdough discard, flour, salt and mix to combine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the melted butter and mix until well-combined. Change to medium speed or knead by hand for 4-5 minutes until a smooth dough forms. The dough should be smooth and not sticky. If needed, add more flour or water (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired dough consistency.
- Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Line 2 half-sheet baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a smooth, dry work surface (no need to flour or oil, you'll want some traction). Divide into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-14 inch rope. Cut the rope into bite-size pieces about 1 ½-inches long. You'll get about 10 pieces per rope. Roll each piece of dough into a ball (roughly the size of a quarter) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel while you prepare the next step.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Bring 10 cups of water and ⅔ cup baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Make sure to add the baking soda before the water is boiling to avoid making a bubbly mess!
- Place the pretzel bites in the boiling water mixture for about 30 seconds. The pretzel bites should float (called "passing the float test," see notes below). If they don't float, cover the unboiled bites and let rest another 10 minutes, then try again. After boiling, remove the bites from the water using a slotted spatula or spoon and shake off excess water. Spread on the prepared baking sheet so they're not touching and have room to expand. The bites will be easier to spread while they're still wet; they'll become stickier as they dry.
- Lightly brush each pretzel bite with egg wash** and sprinkle with your chosen toppings (flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, etc.)
- Bake until golden brown, approximately 13-15 minutes, flipping and rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully. Serve with a mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.
Danielle says
Made these 3 times already and they are perfect. Everyone goes nuts for them. I'm stock piling them for the holidays.
Christi Pickard says
These are amazing and so simple! I doubled the recipe and it worked out just fine. 3/4 of them I made with the egg wash and salt, with honey mustard dip on the side. The other 1/4 I made cinnamon sugar. I will definitely be making these again! Thank you!
Mykell says
Made these yesterday and they came out perfectly! It worked better for us to put the toppings on just before eating (we tried both ways) otherwise they get a bit soggy overnight (yes, they were completely cooked before storing in plastic baggie). We did 5 large pretzels (salted) and the rest were pretzel bites (cinnamon sugar) and we all devoured them. This is definitely in our family cookbook now.
Jessica Vogl says
Love to hear it!
R. Sand says
Curious about if I can make this without a bread mixer or a hook? And if so would you recommend kneading it or stretching and folding the dough?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, you can. You would mix the dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand. No stretch and folds needed (just regular kneading!).
Carla Yokom says
These are absolutely delicious! I started these rather early this morning and it's freezing in here so I opted to make it easier on myself and use the bread machine for the mixing needing and proofing.
Proofing went about 1.5 cycles in the machine to double. The dough was beautiful and perfect to work with. The 450* oven took some of the chill off of the house. The pretzels browned perfectly and were the most delicious reward for early morning baking. These will definitely be made regularly with as many variations as I can think of lol. Thank you so much!
Jessica Vogl says
Nothing better than baking on a cold day 🙂 So glad you loved these!
Ro says
Can whole grain or rye flour be used in this recipe.
Jessica Vogl says
I haven't tried it, but I imagine it could work!
Nikki says
Wow, amazing! Just in case someone is wanting to make smaller toddler-sized bites, the finished product is about double what you cut them. The boiling water really expands them. But so soft! I'm used to the hard ones you buy in the grocery store, never really experienced soft ones. So good! I used active starter and no commercial yeast and proofed overnight. Definitely a keeper!
RL Sand says
I don't have a bread mixer. Could I mix it knead by hand?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, definitely!
Schyler says
I’d like to make these the evening before a work potluck. Any suggestions how to ensure their freshness? I was thinking a warm crockpot?
Jessica Vogl says
Heating them up slightly before serving is a great way to make them warm and soft again (I haven't tried the crockpot, though).
Kristen says
These were absolutely perfect!
Brittany says
Made these for the first time on yesterday and they were sooo good. Good thing I doubled the batch and made some from the freezer.
Lissa says
By far the absolute best soft pretzel recipe! They turned out too good. I rolled a few into a pretzel stick (like mini bread sticks) which are amazing for dipping in cheese sauce. I also sprinkled garlic salt, pretzel salt and parmesan cheese on a few to try. Also….. amazing! Thank you for sharing with us!
Julie says
How did you freeze and how'd it work out for you? I was going to freeze up a bunch of uncooked dough bites, then thaw and bake for Christmas. Ty!
Lauren says
These are great, so glad I tried it!
I made an oopsie though and egg washed the ones I was going to make cinnamon sugar, is it still possible to do so or am I SOL?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, you can still do it!
JeaniLyn says
Both time I've made these, the dough was far too sticky to even shape into a ball. I added 3 T flour round one, and 4 T round two. Both times, I had to refrigerate for 3-4 hours and use addition flour. Both batches baked and tastes FABULOUS, but I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong? I bake sourdough near-daily and my tricks haven't worked. Discard is 1:1:1. Are they supposed to be refrigerated after the dough doubles?
Jessica Vogl says
Hmm, sounds like something is off, as that shouldn't be the case! Are you measuring flour in grams or with cups? The dough shouldn't be sticky, so either you're somehow not getting enough flour, or getting too much liquid into the dough. There should be no need for refrigeration.
Teresa says
I want to try these. I made some a couple days ago, but the next day they were rock hard. How do you keep them soft? Do you have to eat them all right out of the oven and how do you suggest storing them?
thank you
Jessica Vogl says
There are some directions in the storage section above! They're definitely best fresh, but I also love to freeze them if I'm not planning to eat them right away.
Jena Noel says
Hi there! I made these last night but the taste of the baking soda was crazy strong! Can I cut back on the amount of baking soda?
Jessica Vogl says
Hi there! No, I wouldn't reduce the amount of baking soda. If you're getting a metallic taste, it could actually be from your egg wash. Make sure you're using fresh eggs (eggs get more alkaline as they sit longer in your fridge), and you whisk it really well before brushing it on the bites. Also, if it's a helpful reference, I use Arm & Hammer baking soda.
Tori says
My house is super obsessed with these! They are so forgiving. The first time I forgot butter and didn’t realize it until I made another batch. They were delightful both ways!! They freeze FANTASTICALLY (without the salt- which we add like you would from the grocery store ones before airfrying)
My absolute favorite thing… the proof time is so sooooo forgiving! The first time it was like an hour over proofed the second was gosh pushing 3 hours. Still fantastic. Still baked wonderfully.
Tyanne says
super good recipe! I couldn't get mine to rise, but I continued and it still tasted good!
Victoria says
These were a HUGE hit! It was my first time ever making pretzels, so I was a bit intimidated. However, I followed the recipe exactly and everyone raved about them. I even made the honey mustard dipping sauce. YUM! I was worried because my dough didn't rise quite as much as I had hoped, but they still came out delicious.
Amy says
Hi! Really excited to try these, would it be possible to use active starter and omit the yeast?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes! There are notes on this in the substitutions section above.
Ann L says
Looks delicious, could you make these into bigger pretzels instead of bites?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes! I also have a recipe for Sourdough Discard Pretzels, for a full-size pretzel: https://www.thisjess.com/sourdough-discard-soft-pretzels/
Sol says
Made these yesterday and they were absolutely delicious! I halved the recipe and got 28 out of it and will def go this route again cause 56 would be a bit much for my needs lol and they’re definitely best enjoyed fresh 🙂 If you’re lazy like me I did melted butter on all of my pretzels and did some cinnamon sugar and some with flaky salt and it stuck just fine! Tysm for the recipe Jess yours are always so well written!
Hannah Manderson says
At what point can I fridge the dough overnight to bake in AM so they’re fresh?
After I cut them, before I boil them? Thanks!
Jessica Vogl says
Ideally you'd let the first rise happen in the fridge overnight, and then shape / boil / bake as directed the next morning.
Colleen says
Can I leave the dough in the fridge for 24 hours for a slower rise and (hopefully) tangier sourdough flavour?
Jessica Vogl says
You could let the dough rise in the fridge overnight! A full 24 hour rise might be too long.
Lisa says
I love these and couldn't stop eating them! But before I ate them all, I froze some for when my granddaughter comes to visit next weekend. Do you think reheating them in the air fryer would work to get them crispy on the outside and soft in the middle again?
Jessica Vogl says
I haven't tried it, but that might work!
Melanie Wyckoff says
We love your recipe and have made them multiple times...I would like to make them again, but need to know-if I make them until the rolled in the ball stage, and then put them in the fridge until I am ready to put into the soda bath-would that work?
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
Jessica Vogl says
You could do that to postpone a little bit, but I wouldn't wait too long (they really only need about 20 minutes of rise once they're shaped / before boiling). If you put them in the fridge at that point, you could probably leave them for about an hour, but I wouldn't go for much longer than that.
Emma says
I love these! My only complaint is that they don't store well.... in ziplock bags. The outside doesn't stay crispy - which is typical for most discard/starter recipes, I've found. My solution is usually to freeze and reheat when I like. I replaced the yeast with sourdough starter and this recipe never fails me.
Jessica Vogl says
It's true - they're really best fresh, but freezing is a great option (it's what I often do). So glad these are working out for you!