Pretzel Bites

I regret that I didn't eat 'normal' soft pretzels before I found out I need to be gluten free, I don't have a flavor in my memory to rate these off of. Gluten-y memories aside, these were amazing. I made a cinnamon roll dipping sauce and a honey mustard one. The texture was perfect, fluffy, moist, and easy to bite into.

I have attempted soft pretzels before, and things didn't go so hot. The dough won, I was left covered in flour and cursing the day I found the recipe. The wonderful blog I acquired the recipe for these from (Dine & Dish), had a neat idea! Use your bread maker's dough setting. I have had my bread maker for 5 years, my first thought was “Ha! Well that doesn't work, my bread maker doesn't have that setting!” 5 minutes later, I discovered that it does, in fact, have that setting...in bold font...on the front of the machine.

Not being the type of girl to let something like that get me down, or cause me to tell the bread maker it is 'stupid and mean', I followed the recipe with a few tweaks to make it gluten free. Enjoy!

Pretzel Bites

1 1/8 cups water (70 to 80 degrees F)

3 cups Gluten Free Flour (As always, I use Gluten Free Mama Almond Flour)

1 teaspoons Xanthan Gum

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 quarts water

1/2 cup baking soda

coarse salt

melted butter – for dipping, prior to baking. I used 1/2 a stick.

In bread machine pan, place the first four ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (*grumble*) (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or flour if needed).

When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into eight balls. Roll each into a 20-in. rope; form into pretzel shape. In a saucepan, bring water and baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels into boiling water, two at a time; boil for 10-15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

Place pretzels on greased baking sheets. Bake at 425 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt.

Now, for dipping sauce. You can be creative here! Ranch, spicy mayo, honey mustard, or sweet sauces (Like the cinnamon roll sauce).

Cinnamon Roll Dipping Sauce (Because it was just plain awesome sauce. Pun intended)

4 oz of Cream Cheese

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (most icing recipes call for more, but I dislike overly sweet sauces)

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1-3 teaspoons Milk (I used Almond milk, this is only to dilute the mix and take it from a frosting to a sauce)

Mix the cream cheese and sugar before adding cinnamon and milk.