If you are a pretzel lover, then this recipe for cheese stuffed pretzel buns is for you! Soft, chewy pretzel buns stuffed with melty habanero cheddar cheese is next level delish! The soft texture of the pretzel buns serve as the perfect base for the most flavorful, pleasantly spicy cheddar cheese filling. These cheese stuffed pretzel buns are not only so easy to make but are perfect for snacking or as a side to your favorite dish.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Cabot Creamery Co-operative. However, all expressed thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that help make Nourished Endeavors possible.
What Makes These Pretzel Buns Stuffed With Cheese So Good
I have two words for you – texture and flavor!
- Texture – the soft, chewy texture of these pretzel buns is exactly what you will expect from a classic soft pretzel but in bun form. To get this desired texture, buns are boiled in a pre-bake mixture consisting of water, baking soda and molasses (optional).
- Flavor – the fiery kick from the cheddar cheese filling makes for the most scrumptious pretzels! I particularly love Cabot Creamery’s Habanero Cheddar Cheese in these buns because it is packed with the flavor you expect from cheddar cheese but with a nice kick of spiciness that is not overwhelming.
Homemade Pretzel Buns From Scratch
To make these irresistibly delicious pretzel buns, you will need:
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Unbleached Bread Flour
- Active Dry Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Warm Water
- Unsalted Butter
- Egg
- Flaky or Coarse Sea Salt
Tips for Making Homemade Pretzel Buns
- Check If Yeast is Good to Use – before baking with yeast, you should always check if it is still good to use. To do so, simply mix yeast in warm water and a little bit of sweetener like granulated sugar. Allow yeast mixture to rest untouched for 8-10 minutes. If yeast mixture appears bubbly with a fermented aroma, then it is good to use.
- Use Bread Flour (If Possible) – bread flour is different from all-purpose due to the fact that it has a higher gluten content. The higher gluten content gives bakes made with bread flour a more chewier consistency which is desired in pretzels. I like to use a mix of all-purpose and bread flour when making pretzels. However, this recipe can be made using only bread flour. If unable to find bread flour, pretzel buns may be made using only all-purpose flour as well.
- Boil Shaped Pretzel Buns Before Baking – boiling shaped pretzel buns in a mixture of baking soda and water before baking is what gives them that quintessential golden brown exterior and soft, chewy interior. Specifically, boiling causes the inside of the shaped dough to puff up while giving the outside of the dough a head start on forming its chewy texture once baked.
How to Assemble Pretzel Buns Filled with Cheese
- Divide pretzel dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll or pat dough pieces into a circle.
- Place a 1 inch piece of Cabot Creamery’s Habanero Cheddar Cheese into the center of each dough circle.
- Enclose cheese in dough and roll into a smooth circular shape.
- Boil each pretzel bun for 20-30 seconds and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Make two slits in pretzel buns before brushing with egg wash and sprinkling the tops with flaky or coarse sea salt.
- Bake buns for 14-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
How to Store Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Buns
- Baked pretzel buns are best eaten the day it is baked. Buns stored in an airtight container will last 1-2 days in the fridge and 1-3 month in the freezer. To thaw frozen pretzel buns, place in the fridge overnight or leave at room temperature for 1-2 hours to restore soft texture.
- To heat up cold pretzel buns, I recommend doing so in a toaster or conventional oven at 350F (175C) for about 8-10 minutes. I do not recommend warming up buns in the microwave as doing so may cause them to become hard if warmed up for too long.
- Shaped unbaked pretzel buns should be placed on a parchment lined baking sheet and placed in the freezer until frozen solid. Next, transfer frozen pretzel buns into an airtight container and keep frozen for up to 1-3 months.
- Unbaked frozen pretzels buns may be baked straight from the freezer after brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sea salt (optional). Simply increase bake time by 5-6 minutes as needed.
Looking for More Scrumptious Eats, Checkout the Links Below:
If you make this recipe, please make sure to let me know by tagging me @nourishedendeavors on Instagram or by leaving a comment in the comment section down below so I can find out how this recipe turned out for you! If you have any questions, ask away! I would love to answer your questions! Happy baking!
PrintCheese Stuffed Pretzel Buns
If you are a pretzel lover, then this recipe for cheese stuffed pretzel buns is for you! Soft, chewy pretzel buns stuffed with melty habanero cheddar cheese is next level delish. The soft texture of the pretzel buns serves as the perfect base for the most flavorful, pleasantly spicy cheddar cheese filling. These cheese stuffed pretzel buns are not only so easy to make but are perfect for snacking or as a side to your favorite dish.
- Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 Buns 1x
Ingredients
Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Dough
- 1 Cup (125 g) Unbleached Bread Flour, Spooned and Leveled
- 1 Cup (125 g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Spooned and Leveled
- 1 Teaspoon Active-Dry Yeast (may use Instant/Rapid Acting Yeast)
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 2/3 Cup (159 ml) Warm Water, 100-110F (38-43C)
- 1 Tablespoon (0.5 oz/14 g) Unsalted Butter, Melted, Room Temperature
- 1/2 Teaspoon Flavorless Oil i.e. Avocado or Vegetable Oil
- 8 (1-inch) Cubes Cabot Creamery Habanero Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Large Egg, Room Temperature
- 1/2 Tablespoon (8 ml) Water
- Flaky/Coarse Sea Salt
Pre-Bake Bath
- 6 Cups (1 1/2 Quarts) Water
- 1/4 Cup (68 g) Baking Soda
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Molasses/Honey (optional)
Instructions
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add the flours and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warmed water, sugar and yeast. Whisk to combine and cover the bowl with a large plate or clean kitchen towel.
- Allow the yeast mixture to sit untouched for 8-10 minutes. Yeast is properly activated when mixture appears foamy and takes on a fermented aroma.
- In the bowl with yeast mixture, add melted butter and all of the dry ingredients.
- With the dough hook attached on stand mixer, mix ingredients together at low speed until a shaggy looking dough starts to form around the dough hook attachment.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and knead dough for 6 minutes. You will know when dough is ready when you press into it and it bounces back. Pretzel buns dough will be soft touch but not tacky/sticky.
- Add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil to a large mixing bowl and grease the base and sides of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to the greased bowl.
- Turn and flip dough in the bowl to ensure all sides of the dough are coated in oil before covering the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Allow dough to rest and rise in a warm area of the kitchen for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and 1/2 tablespoon water. Set aside until ready to use.
- Deflate the dough by gently knocking it down with a fisted hand.
- Transfer dough to a clean work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces about 2 oz (56 g) in weight. Does not need to be precise.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten dough into a small circle either with hands or a rolling pin.
- Place a cube of cheese in the center of the dough before enclosing and pinching the ends of the dough together to form a circular shape.
- Gently roll shaped dough under cupped hands against a clean work surface until smooth. Transfer pretzel bun to parchment lined baking sheet and repeat process with remaining dough pieces.
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Bring 6 cups of water and molasses or honey (optional) to boil in a large deep bottom pot before whisking in the baking soda.
- Add the shaped pretzel buns 1-2 at a time into the boiling mixture for 30 seconds. Do not go beyond the 30 second mark.
- Using a slotted spatula, remove boiled pretzel buns from the water taking care to allow as much of the excess water to drain off before placing on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make two slit on top of each bun with a sharp knife. Take care to not cut too deep to expose the cheese in the center.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the pretzel buns with the egg wash, sprinkle with flaky or coarse sea salt (optional) and bake for 14-15 minutes.
- Cool pretzel buns on baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. May be served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Baked pretzel buns are best eaten the day it is baked. Buns stored in an airtight container will last 1-2 days in the fridge and 1-3 month in the freezer. To thaw frozen pretzel buns, place in the fridge overnight or leave at room temperature for 1-2 hours to restore soft texture.
- Shaped unbaked pretzel buns should be placed on a parchment lined baking sheet and placed in the freezer until frozen solid. Next, transfer frozen pretzel buns into an airtight container and keep frozen for up to 1-3 months.
- Unbaked frozen pretzels buns may be baked straight from the freezer after brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sea salt (optional). Simply increase bake time by 5-6 minutes as needed.
- For perfectly chewy on the outside but soft on the inside pretzel buns, do not skip pre-bake bath. I like to add a little bit of molasses or honey to boiling mixture for added flavor but this is completely optional.
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