Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites

Start with a big mixing bowl. Into it goes warm water, unfed sourdough discard, a spoonful of brown sugar for just a hint of sweetness, and a packet of yeast to get things moving quickly. I whisk that together until it looks cloudy and a little frothy. Next comes the flour and salt. Stir until the dough starts coming together, and then it’s time to knead. If you like working dough by hand, go for it — about 8 to 10 minutes of pushing and folding will make it smooth and stretchy. If you’d rather let the stand mixer do the heavy lifting, 5 minutes on medium speed will get you there. Once the dough feels nice and elastic, transfer it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot. In about an hour, it should be puffed up and doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 425°F so it’s ready to go once the bites are shaped and boiled. Then punch down the dough to release the air and divide it into four pieces. Each piece gets rolled into a rope about the thickness of your thumb — somewhere around half to three-quarters of an inch. From there, use a sharp knife to cut each rope into 1-inch chunks. I usually end up with around 60 pieces, depending on how consistent I am with my cutting. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect — once baked, they’ll all look and taste delicious.

Now for the step that makes pretzels taste like pretzels: the baking soda bath. Bring a big pot of water to a boil and stir in the baking soda. The smell is distinct, but trust me, this is what gives the pretzels their golden color and chewy texture. Working in small batches (10–12 at a time), drop the dough pieces into the boiling water. After 30 seconds, they’re ready to come out — scoop them up with a slotted spoon and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Before baking, I like to brush the tops with a quick egg wash. It’s optional, but it gives the pretzel bites that shiny, bakery-style finish. Then sprinkle them with coarse salt. Into the oven they go for 12–15 minutes, until they’re deeply golden brown.

These pretzel bites are perfect on their own, but even better dipped in mustard, warm cheese sauce, or a sweet glaze if you’re in the mood for something different.