These gluten free pretzel bites are the snackable, bite-sized version of my homemade soft pretzels. They’re made from the same easy dough, but cut into small pieces before being boiled and baked. Serve them sweet or savory, plain or with your favorite dip. They make a great party-food to share with a crowd – you’d never know they’re gluten free!
🥨Gluten Free Pretzel Bites Highlights🥨
- Easy to make: No shaping & folding – just cut, boil & bake.
- Great for sharing: This makes about 8 dozen pretzel bites, more or less depending on how big you make them. Make a big batch and bring to share at parties & gatherings.
- Super versatile: Enjoy them plain, with salt, seedy toppings or even sweet with a cinnamon-sugar coating!
↳ Looking for more party snacks & dips to try? Try Gluten Free Cheesy Breadsticks, Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings or Panisses (Chickpea Fries) next!
Key Ingredients
- Wet Ingredients: water + psyllium husk, apple cider vinegar, butter
- whole psyllium husk, not powdered psyllium
- dairy free butter works too!
- Dry Ingredients: flour blend, brown sugar, salt, yeast, xanthan gum
- use instant/quick yeast
- use your favorite, basic all purpose GF flour blend OR use the flour combo I tested for this recipe (tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour).
Make the Pretzel Dough
- Psyllium gel: Mix whole psyllium husk + water together. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk well in a large mixing bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Stir vinegar and butter into psyllium mixture.
- Combine: Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
- Make dough: Mix together until a thick, sticky bread dough forms.
- Knead: Knead on a floured surface until dough is soft & a bit tacky.
Make Bites
Divide the dough in smaller portions so it’s easier to roll and work with. I aim for about 6-8 portions, but it doesn’t really matter.
Roll each piece of dough out into long ropes that are about 3/4-inch wide then cut into 1 1/2-2 inch pieces.
Baking Soda Bath
Before baking, boil the pretzel bites for about 20-30 second in a baking soda bath.
Don’t skip this step! A quick dip in a baking soda solution is essential to giving homemade pretzels their distinctive flavor, color and texture.
Brush the pretzels with an egg wash then sprinkle salt over the top.
After boiling, spread the pretzel bits to your prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops with an egg wash for extra shine & color and sprinkle with salt.
Egg Wash Alternatives
- Aquafaba: Save the goopy bean-water found in cans of white beans to use as a vegan egg wash! It doesn’t add much browning, but it will add a glossiness & help the salt stick to the pretzel dough.
- See more aquafaba recipes.
- Maple Syrup + Dairy Free Milk: Mix 1-2 tablespoons of each. This combo is good for browning more than gloss.
- No egg wash: You can also skip the egg wash altogether – just keep in mind that the pretzels won’t brown much and and salt or seedy toppings won’t stick easily to the dough before baking.
- If you want to make cinnamon sugar pretzels you should skip the egg wash.
Flavor Variations
Seedy Toppings
- Sesame seeds, za’atar seasoning, everything bagel seasoning: Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons over the top of the pretzels after the egg wash for extra crunch & flavor.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Skip the egg wash and coarse salt topping, then bake as directed.
While the pretzels bake, melt butter and make the cinnamon sugar topping.
- 1/4 cup butter (56g) – salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup white sugar (150g)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Brush pretzels with butter while still warm, then toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
FYI: Cinnamon sugar pretzels are best enjoyed on the same day as the melted butter can make them a bit too soft over time. If you want to enjoy them past day 1, leave them plain then reheat and add the butter + sugar topping as and when you want them.
Herby Dough
- Add fresh or dried herbs to the dough like, oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, etc.
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try these Gluten Free Pretzels Bites! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Gluten Free Pretzel Bites Recipe
Think soft pretzel, but bite-sized & gluten free! These pretzel bites are easy to make, super versatile & fun to eat!
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp whole psyllium husk (25g)
- 2 1/4 cups warm water (540ml)
- 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp tapioca starch (225g)
- 1 1/2 cup millet flour (180g)
- 3/4 cup sorghum flour (90g)
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar (28g)
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (8g)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp xanthan gum
- 2 tbsp melted butter (28g) - dairy free if needed
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (10ml)
Baking Soda Bath
- 4 cups water (940 ml)
- 1/4 cup baking soda (60g)
- 1 egg, whisked + 1 tbsp water - see notes for vegan alternatives
- coarse salt or pretzel salt - optional
Instructions
- Psyllium Gel: Mix water & psyllium husk in a medium bowl. Set aside to thicken up as you prep the other ingredients.
- Flour Mixture: Whisk flour, sugar, yeast, xanthan gum and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir melted butter & vinegar into the psyllium mixture.
- Add Wet to Dry Ingredients: Pour the psyllium gel into the flour mixture and combine. Make sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to get all the floury bits. Mix together until you end up with a thick, sticky dough. You can do this by hand, but I recommend you mix this in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or dough hook for speed & ease.
- Knead: Knead the dough on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth and only slightly tacky.
- Baking Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Divided & Shape: Divide dough into 6-8 portions. Roll each portion out into long ropes that are about ¾-inch thick. Use a knife to cut the rope into each rope into individual pretzel-bites, each about 1 ½-2 inches long.
- Baking Soda Bath: Add baking soda & water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Carefully drop pretzel bites into the water - you can boil 5-10 pretzel bites at a time (more or less depending on the pot size). Boil 20-30 seconds. Use a large slotted spoon or metal sieve to lift the pretzel bites out of the water. Let the excess water drip back into the pot. Transfer the boiled pretzels on to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels bites. Tip: Don't fill the pot more than halfway full. As you boil the pretzels, the baking soda might bubble up. If it does, take the pot off the burner for a moment and lower the temperature.
- Egg Wash: Whisk 1 egg + 1 tbsp water in a small cup then brush the outsides of the pretzels with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Bake: Bake in the middle of the oven for 12-14 minutes or until the outsides are dark, golden brown.
- Cool & Enjoy: Let cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store: Cover and store at room temperature up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up again. Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw for a few hours at room temp or reheat in the oven (from frozen). Brush with water to hydrate and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes
- Use a kitchen scale: For best results, I recommend you measure ingredients by weight with a kitchen scale.
- Flour: Feel free to use your favorite all purpose gluten free flour blend instead. You'll need 500g or 3 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp.
Egg Wash Alternatives
- 1/4 cup aquafaba
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup + dairy free milk, each
- no egg wash - a good option if you don't plan on adding salt or other toppings before baking. Also good if you plan on making cinnamon sugar bites.
Flavor Variations
- Seedy Topping: Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons over the top of the pretzels after the egg wash for extra crunch & flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar: Skip the egg wash. While the pretzels bake, melt 1/4 cup butter (56g). Whisk 3/4 cup white sugar (150g) and 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a large bowl. After baking, brush the warm pretzels with butter then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat. Eat within a day.
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