Recipe: Autumn Beer Pretzels with Beer Cheese Dip

Author: Carolyn Severin, Hamama Happiness Team Member

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Makes: 8 Servings, 2 cups of beer cheese dip

The coolness of Autumn has come and so has your favorite seasonal beer. Why not take that beer and turn it into some warm and cozy pretzels with some extra cheesy dipping sauce!? This combination is the most delicious snack for you to share with your friends and family!

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup pumpkin beer or an october beer
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick of butter or vegan butter
• 4 ½ cups flour
• 1 egg for brushing over pretzels
• ¼ cup baking soda for boiling water
• Kosher salt to season the pretzels
• Garnish: butter, green onions, hamama microgreens to refresh the palate and of course the beer cheese dip!

Beer Cheese Dip:

• 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz soft cream cheese
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ - ⅔ cup pumpkin or october beer

1. Start with the pretzel dough by adding in the water, yeast and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Next, add the beer, salt, melted butter and flour and mix well with a wooden spatula until the dough begins to form into a ball and there is nothing sticking to the sides of the bowl anymore. If needed you can add in more flour if it is too wet to help. 
3. Get out a large cutting board or a nice clean flat surface, lightly cover with flour and knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
4. When your dough is nice and ready, form into a ball, lightly coat the dough with oil and stick back in the bowl covered with a towel. Let the dough rise for an hour in a warm spot.

5. While the dough is rising, you can make the beer cheese dip! :D

6. Get out your food processor and add in your cheeses and seasoning. When well combined and blended, slowly add in your beer until it is the consistency you want.

7. When your beer cheese dip is ready, pour it into a container and cover for an hour in the refrigerator.

8. Next you will start back on the pretzels when they have risen.

9. Turn the oven on to 425 degrees. Have a baking sheet ready covered in a little oil or butter so the pretzels don’t stick.

10. Add your dough to a floured surface and divide your dough into 8 pieces. You can always make the pretzels smaller or larger depending on how many you want.

11. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope and shape into a pretzel.

12. Get out a large pot and boil water for the pretzels.

13. When the water solution is boiling (water and baking soda) add in one to two pretzels at a time. They should rise up after about 30 seconds.

14 When all of your pretzels have been boiled and placed on the baking sheet, brush each one with the egg wash and season with salt.

15. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

16. While your pretzels are baking you can warm up the beer cheese dip if you want, stirring until nice and smooth.

17. When all is warm and ready, serve with some more green onions or some microgreens to refresh your palate! Yum!