Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites
These same-day sourdough discard pretzel bites are chewy, glossy, and deeply golden — a Philly-style classic made practical for the home baker.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Rising, Rolling, Cutting and Lye Bath3 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 120 bites
For the Dough
- 475 grams bread flour
- 125 grams sourdough discard 100% hydration, unfed
- 235 grams water
- 12 grams sugar
- 7 grams salt
- 4 grams instant yeast
- 20 grams unsalted butter melted
Option 1: For the Lye or Baking Soda Bath (choose one)
- 4 teaspoons food grade lye
- 1/2 cup baking soda 1/4 cup for unbaked baking soda
Option 2: "Baked" Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup baking soda baked at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour
- 4 cups boiling water
Option 3: Regular Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 4 cups boiling water
Combine all dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until no dry flour remains. Turn out and knead by hand for a few minutes until mostly smooth. Rest 10 minutes, then knead briefly again until supple.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rest 30 minutes (up to 1 hour if your kitchen is cool), until slightly puffy.
Turn the dough out and divide into 4 pieces. Cut each in half to make 8 portions. Working one at a time and keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth, roll into ropes about cigar thickness (12–13 inches long). Cut each rope into 12 to 15 small bite-sized pieces. Keep the shaped dough covered.
Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Proceed for the lye bath or baking soda methods below (choose one)
Lye Bath Method (Preferred)
Wearing gloves, prepare the lye bath in the sink using a non-aluminum bowl: carefully add 4 teaspoons food-grade lye to 4 cups boiling water (always add lye to water). Stir gently to dissolve.
Working in small batches, dip the chilled bites in the lye solution for 20–30 seconds. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon, drain well, and place on prepared sheets without overcrowding. Sprinkle with pretzel salt.
Bake about 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown and glossy. Cool slightly before serving.
Baking Soda Bath (Alternative Method - Choose Baked or Unbaked Baking Soda)
For Better Results (Bake the Baking Soda):
Spread ½ cup (120g) baking soda on a foil-lined sheet and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour. Let cool completely before using. (This converts it to sodium carbonate for improved browning.)
Bring 4 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil and carefully whisk in the baked baking soda. Reduce to a gentle simmer.
Dip chilled pretzel bites for 20–30 seconds, remove, drain well, and place on parchment-lined sheets. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes, until deeply golden.
Lye produces the deepest color and most traditional pretzel flavor; baked baking soda is the closest substitute, while regular baking soda yields a lighter crust.
When measuring flour in cups, lightly spoon it into the cup and level it off without packing or scooping directly from the bag, which can add too much flour. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale.
Note that gram measurements are converted to volume (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons) for convenience, then rounded—because measuring something like 1.12 cups isn’t practical in a home kitchen.
- Total flour (including flour from discard): 537.5g = 100%
- Water (including water from discard): 55% hydration
- Sugar: 2.2%
- Salt: 1.3%
- Instant yeast: 0.7%
- Unsalted butter: 3.7%
Dough Notes
This is a moderately firm, low-hydration dough designed for clean shaping and a tight, chewy crumb. It should feel smooth and supple after kneading — soft but not sticky. The relatively low hydration helps the pretzel bites hold their shape during the alkaline bath and bake up with a classic, dense chew. 