Pretzel Bites , Pizza Dough , Dijon Mustard , Sour Cream
Best for: A warm, shareable snack to bring out before the countdown.
A tray of warm pretzel bites gives New Year’s Eve guests something simple and satisfying to nibble. Refrigerated pizza dough makes the preparation manageable, while a baking-soda bath gives the bites their familiar pretzel character.
Grill: Indirect heat at 425°F, preferably with a heat deflector beneath the pan. Equipment: Covered grill, large pot, slotted spoon, rimmed grill-safe sheet pan, brush.
Ingredients
25–30 Minutes Dough warm-up: 1 hour 25–30 minutes. Cool: 1 hour 25–30 minutes. Total: 1 Hour 25–30 Minutes.
- 1 lb refrigerated plain pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for shaping
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the pan
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon coarse pretzel salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Let dough stand covered for 30 minutes, or follow its package handling instructions. Preheat the grill for indirect baking and oil the sheet pan.
On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into four pieces. Roll each into a 16-inch rope and cut each rope into eight bites, making 32 pieces.
Bring 8 cups water to a gentle boil in a large pot on the stove. Slowly add baking soda, allowing foaming to settle, then boil dough in four batches for 20–30 seconds each.
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain well, and place on the pan with space between pieces. Brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
Bake over indirect heat with the lid closed for 18–22 minutes, rotating halfway through, until deeply golden and cooked inside. Shield the underside from direct flame and extend time if the centers remain doughy.
Mix sour cream, mustard, and honey while bites bake and refrigerate until serving. Cool the bites 5 minutes, then serve with the mustard cream in a separate bowl.
Grilling tip: Drain the boiled dough well so puddles do not keep the bottoms pale and soft.
Shared safety notes: Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb cook to 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest. Ground pork and other ground red meats cook to 160°F; poultry to 165°F. Cook seafood thoroughly, using the specified temperature and opaque-flesh cues. Keep hot party food at 140°F or above and cold food at 40°F or below. Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F; use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.
