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The Best Easy Homemade Pretzel Dogs with Classic Pretzel Dip

A plate of freshly baked pretzel dogs sprinkled with coarse salt, served with a side of bright yellow mustard.
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Make soft, chewy pretzel dogs at home that taste better than the mall version. This easy recipe wraps juicy hot dogs in golden pretzel dough and includes the essential baking soda bath for authentic flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 packet (14 ounces) active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 105-115 degrees F)
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 package (8 count) all-beef hot dogs or franks
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 8 cups water (for boiling bath)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Coarse pretzel salt, for topping
  • For the Dip: 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Make the dough: Stir in the melted butter and salt into the yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  3. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  4. Prepare the hot dogs: While the dough rises, pat the hot dogs dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  5. Shape the dough: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 10 to 12 inches long. Wrap each rope around one hot dog, pinching the ends together firmly to seal the dough completely around the frank.
  6. Prepare the baking soda bath: In a large, wide pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Carefully stir in the 1/2 cup of baking soda. The water will foam up; reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
  7. Boil the dogs: Carefully place 2 or 3 dough-wrapped hot dogs into the simmering baking soda water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dogs.
  8. Bake: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the boiled pretzel dogs with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle generously with coarse pretzel salt.
  9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pretzel dogs are deep golden brown.
  10. Make the dip: While the dogs bake, whisk together the shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and water in a small saucepan over low heat until the cheese is melted and the dip is smooth.
  11. Serve immediately with the warm pretzel dip.

Notes

  • For a quicker dough, you can use store-bought pizza dough, but the texture will be slightly different from scratch.
  • If you want to make mini pretzel dogs, cut the dough into smaller pieces and wrap them around cocktail wieners. Adjust the boiling time to 20 seconds per side.
  • This recipe works well for making DIY pretzel bites; just cut the dough ropes into 1-inch pieces before boiling.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/easy-homemade-pretzel-dogs-recipe/