Beer Soft Pretzels with Guinness Cheese Sauce
I miss pubs. I miss dive bars in strange cities, strangers in crowded bars, crowds at beer festivals. But until the world is back to normal, and until my pint doesn’t come with a side of deadly virus threats, I’ll begrudgingly stay home. And do my best to pub-food from home.
Guinness was one of the first beers I ever had at a bar, in an Irish pub in Los Angeles. I’ve been to Ireland, back when air travel felt safe, and Guinness will always have a place in the most nostalgic part of my beer heart. Soft pretzels and beer cheese sauce are right there with it, it’s always a good day when I have Guinness, soft pretzels, and cheese sauce. Until I can bump up against strangers in a bar, making friends and asking them if they want to try my beer, I’ll be doing this from home. It’s a great way to pass the time until the day we are out of the woods.
Beer Soft Pretzels with Guinness Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
For the Pretzels:
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) rapid rise yeast
- 1 cup Guinness beer
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 10 cups water
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- ½ cup (4oz) Guinness beer
Instructions
Make the pretzels:
- Add the flour, sugar and yeast to a stand mixer. Mix until just combined. Heat the beer to 120°F (always defer to the liquid temperature listed on the package of yeast, regardless of what the recipe says. Your yeast package says 105°F? Heat the liquid to that temperature) add the beer to the stand mixer, mixing until all the flour has been moistened.
- Add the salt and 1 tablespoon softened butter, beat until the dough comes together and gathers around the blade. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
- Add the dough to a lightly floured surface, cut into 8 equal sized portions.
- Roll each portion into an 8-inch log, shape into a pretzel, add to a baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Add the water to a large pot, bring to a boil. Stir in the baking soda.
- A few at a time carefully add the pretzels to the boiling water for 30 seconds, place back onto the baking sheet.
- Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Make the cheese sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth.
- Add to a saucepan over medium heat, heat to the desired temperature.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use, heat to serve. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- Serve the pretzels with the cheese sauce.
Hi Jackie,
What kind of beer do you use for the cheese sauce?
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Jennifer
I used Guinness! If you want a really strong beer flavor, use an IPA
I only made the Guinness cheese sauce part of this recipe. I was too lazy and too afraid of dough to make my own pretzels, so I cheated and got store bought soft pretzels and cut them into bite sized pieces. This is an AMAZING app for any occasion. Small group of friends/family coming over? Family game night? Stay-In Date Night? Movie night? You really don’t need an excuse. It’s delicious! I used Guinness Extra Stout and it’s perfect for this recipe! I wouldn’t drink it, but it’s awesome in this cheese dip! I have your cookbook, Craft Beer Bites and I can’t wait to make more of your recipes! YUM!
The pretzel recipients has butter listed twice in different amounts, but I only see it used in the directions once to brush on the top. Where does the other butter go? Cheese sauce super yummy.
It goes in the dough! I updated it to make it more clear.
Thanks!