Description
Deliciously soft beer pretzels stuffed with a creamy spinach and artichoke dip filling make for a perfect savory snack or appetizer. This recipe combines the classic pretzel dough with a rich filling of cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, spinach, and marinated artichokes, baked to a golden finish with a crisp, salty crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Soft Beer Pretzels
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup wheat beer, at room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter, melted
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt or kosher salt
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup baking soda (for boiling the pretzels)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Coarse sea salt for topping
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 (6.7 oz) jar marinated artichokes, chopped
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: Combine the warm water, light brown sugar, and active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the dough hook until everything is combined, then let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate and become foamy.
- Make the Dough: Add the wheat beer, melted butter, salt, and all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough feels too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead briefly by hand into a ball.
- Proof the Dough: Coat a large bowl with oil and place the dough inside, turning it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Prepare the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt, thawed and drained chopped spinach, and chopped marinated artichokes. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Preheat and Boil Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil for boiling the pretzels later.
- Shape Pretzels with Filling: Divide the risen dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 11×3 inch rectangle. Spread approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of the spinach and artichoke filling evenly along the length of each rectangle. Starting from the opposite side, roll the dough tightly into a log, pinching the seams to seal the filling inside. Gently roll the logs to smooth and ensure the filling is enclosed.
- Form Pretzels: Take the right side of each log and cross it over to the left side. Cross again from right to left and then flip up the dough to form the classic pretzel shape.
- Boil Pretzels: Slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water and carefully drop 2 pretzels at a time into the water. Boil for 30 seconds each, splashing the tops with the baking soda water using a spoon to help develop the pretzel crust.
- Prepare for Baking: Remove boiled pretzels with a slotted spatula or spider and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, 4 pretzels per sheet. Brush each pretzel generously with beaten egg wash and sprinkle coarse sea salt on top.
- Bake: Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the pretzels from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm. For reheating, place in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 minutes.
Notes
- Ensure the spinach is well-drained to avoid soggy pretzels.
- You can substitute wheat beer with another light beer or even sparkling water if preferred, but flavor and texture might slightly differ.
- Make sure the water for yeast activation is warm, about 100-110°F, to properly activate the yeast.
- Boiling pretzels in baking soda water is key to developing that classic pretzel crust and flavor.
- For softer pretzels, serve fresh and warm immediately after baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pretzel
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
