Beer Soft Pretzels Stuffed with Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• •½ cup water
• •2 Tbsp brown sugar
• •1 package active yeast
• •7 Tbsp butter
• •4 cups flour
• •1½ tsp salt
• •⅔ cup baking soda
• •1 cup lager beer
• •coarse salt
• •2 strips bacon
• •1 tsp pepper flakes
• •4 oz cream cheese
• •1 clove garlic
• •½ cup mozzarella
• •½ cup parmesan
• •½ cup spinach
• •6⅔ oz marinated artichoke hearts
• •½ cup heavy cream
• •¼ cup mayonnaise
• •1 egg

Method

Adapted from maplewoodroad.com

1. 1Combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast in a bowl, mix, and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. 2To your brown sugar-water-yeast mixture, now add the butter, flour, salt, and beer.
3. 3Mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
4. 4Form the dough into a ball.
5. 5Place in an oiled bowl.
6. 6Roll the dough around in the bowl until all sides of the dough are oiled.
7. 7Cover with a towel.
8. 8Let sit in a warm place for 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size.
9. 9In the meantime, mix together the spinach artichoke dip.
10. 10Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes, then drain and crumble.
11. 11Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
12. 12Mix. Really, that’s it!
13. 13Once the dough has doubled in size, cut it into 8 equal-sized pieces.
14. 14Roll out each piece into a rope.
15. 15Roll it out flat with a rolling pin until they measure about 3” x 12”.
16. 16Place the spinach artichoke dip along the center of each, for the entire length (except for about 1 inch on each end).
17. 17Roll up the dough to surround the dip, pinching the dough together tightly so no dip escapes.
18. 18Lightly roll it into a rope.
19. 19Form a pretzel shape by turning each of the ends toward the middle.
20. 20Gently pinch the ends of the dough to the center, so the ends stay in place.
21. 21Preheat oven to 425℉.
22. 22On the stove, boil a pot of water.
23. 23Once it has reached boiling, slowly add baking soda to the water a little bit at a time. Each time you add some baking soda, you’ll see the water fizz up (this is the reason to take it very slowly).
24. 24Once the baking soda is incorporated into the water, using a slotted spoon or strainer spoon, gently place each pretzel into the water.
25. 25Let boil for 30 seconds each, occasionally bathing the tops of the pretzels with the water.
26. 26After boiling for 30 seconds each, lift each pretzel out of the water using the slotted spoon.
27. 27Place onto a baking sheet.
28. 28Make an egg wash with 1 egg and a few drops of water.
29. 29Whisk.
30. 30Brush each pretzel with egg wash.
31. 31Sprinkle with coarse salt.
32. 32Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!