Mozzarella Stuffed Soft Pretzels (Printable)
Chewy golden pretzels with gooey mozzarella center, perfect for parties and snacking.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
03 - 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Filling
07 - 8 sticks mozzarella cheese (string cheese or block cut into sticks)
→ Poaching
08 - 8 cups water
09 - ½ cup baking soda
→ Topping
10 - 1 large egg, beaten
11 - Coarse salt for sprinkling
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Dissolve sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add melted butter and salt to the yeast mixture. Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer with dough hook.
03 - Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm location for approximately 1 hour until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
05 - Divide risen dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into an 18-inch rope and flatten slightly. Position a mozzarella stick in the center and pinch dough edges tightly to seal completely. Form each into a classic pretzel shape, ensuring no cheese is exposed.
06 - Bring 8 cups water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer.
07 - Gently lower each pretzel into the baking soda bath individually for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
08 - Brush each pretzel with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
09 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until deep golden brown.
10 - Optional: Brush hot pretzels with melted butter for enhanced flavor. Serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These pretzels transform simple ingredients into something that feels like restaurant quality comfort food but comes together faster than you would expect
- The combination of that classic pretzel exterior with surprise gooey cheese inside creates the most incredible texture contrast that keeps everyone coming back for more
02 -
- Sealing the dough around the cheese completely is non negotiable because any gap means melted cheese escaping into your baking soda bath and creating a mess
- The baking soda bath might seem like an extra step, but skipping it means you end up with bread sticks instead of genuine pretzels with that distinct chewy crust
03 -
- Letting the dough rest for 10 minutes after the initial rise makes it much easier to roll into long ropes without snapping back
- Room temperature cheese sticks are easier to wrap tightly than cold ones straight from the refrigerator