Homemade Pretzel Dogs are just as delicious as the ones you get from the mall! And easier than you think. Make a simple bread dough, wrap the dogs, boil, then bake. Don’t forget to sprinkle tons of salt on top!
Can we just go ahead and make hot dogs their own special food group? I mean, nobody really knows what’s in them anyway, right? I personally think the mystique adds to their appeal. Maybe they’re secretly made out of celery and you actually burn more calories than you consume. We could just add them in right next to the “eat 29 servings of veggies a day,” or whatever number they’ve decided on lately. (I should look this up. But I really just don’t want to know my own vegetable deficiencies.)
I could probably eat hot dogs every day for the rest of my life and die before I’m 30 and be happy. Bring on the mustard. Now, wrap a soft pretzel around said hot dog and we’re really gettin’ goin’. I told Eric I was going to make Pretzel Dogs and he said, “What’s that?” After giving him the most incredulous face I could muster I asked him if he had ever even been to the mall. Only to find out that Eric didn’t know that soft pretzels and malls go together like carnivals and cotton candy. Who ARE you and how are you my husband? Well I set him straight. It’s really just not that hard to sell somebody on a delicious hot dog wrapped in bread. By the way, this recipe solves the hot dog vs. bun problem. I haven’t noticed the industry torturing us with this anymore (selling only 8 packs of hot dogs and only 12 packs of buns), and I think it’s entirely thanks to George Banks. Thank you Steve Martin. Come on over and I will make you a Thank-You-Pretzel-Dog.
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Homemade Pretzel Dogs
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups water, 110 to 115 degrees F
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- Vegetable oil, for pan
- 10 cups water
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 2 tablespoons butter, regular or unsalted, melted
- coarse sea salt , or kosher salt for sprinkling
- 8 hot dogs, good quality
Instructions
- Combine the water, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.
- Add the flour, salt, and butter. Combine with a spoon or the paddle until it start to come together, then switch to the dough hook. Mix with the dough hook on low speed until well combined.
- Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. You may need to add a bit more flour, but be aware that this is a pretty soft dough. You should be able to touch it without it being impossible to get off your fingers, though.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. I like to put mine in an oven that has been turned to 170? (warm) for about a minute, then turned off.
- Preheat the oven to 450. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
- In a large pot, bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, knead down the dough, turn it out onto a slightly floured work surface, and divide into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll out each piece of dough into a rope that’s about 20 to 24-inches long, depending on how big your hot dogs are. Starting at one end, wrap the dough around the hot dog, pinching each end together so that it’s sealed. Place onto the pan and repeat with the remaining dough and hot dogs.
- Place the pretzel dogs into the boiling water two at a time and boil for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat slotted spatula. Return the boiled pretzel dogs to the pan, brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the sea salt. (I forgot to do this butter and salt step until after I had baked them. It worked fine.)
- Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- If you have extra dough, you can shape them into dinner rolls, cut a slit in the top, let rise for another 20-30 minutes, boil, and bake at 450 until golden.
Can I freeze them and bake them later? If so, how do I do that? Thanks.
Hey Maribel! I’ve never tried freezing them. I think it would be better to make them start to finish and freeze and reheat, but that’s just me. If you want to freeze them while it’s still dough, just do everything the same through the wrapping the dough around the hot dog part. Don’t boil them. Then freeze, let thaw completely, boil, and bake. Let me know if it works out!
Correction: the most incredulous face I could mustard
I thought this was a spam comment and immediately deleted it. Then I read it again and died laughing. You are awesome.
These were great! My first time to ever try any type of homemade pretzel. They aren’t the prettiest but they tasted amazing!! In my opinion not too bad for a guy’s first attempt at homemade bread!!
http://tinypic.com/r/5ob6lv/8
I’m so impressed Jami! They look awesome! Thanks for including a picture, I love that! I’m glad the recipe worked out well for you. Thanks for coming back to comment!
My 15 year old son and I had a great time making these together this evening. Thank you so much for an easy recipe that tastes fabulous! I think I will use the pretzel recipe to make cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks for a sweet treat very soon.
By the way, the was my first time ever using yeast. I have no idea why I was so scared of it all of these years.
I’m so glad you guys had fun making it! This is perfect teenager food, right? :) At least it was for me way back when! Let me know how the cinnamon sugar sticks go, that sounds really good! Would you dip it in something? I’m thinking cream cheese…something? Mm.
And I was TOTALLY the same way with yeast Julie! My mom NEVER used it growing up, so to me it was scary. Then I tried it and it was just no big deal. I’m glad you and I have both seen the light! :)
WOW… these look amazing!! My boyfriend posted this to my page with the comment “kthx” so I will be making these for dinner one night soon.
Baha!! That just made me laugh out loud. Men. haha! Gotta love em. Well let me know how it goes when you make it Cassie! These babies haven’t failed me yet. I win many friends with this one :) Thanks for commenting!!
I have died and gone to heaven. Thank you!!! Pinned for future reference!
Haha Lin! In that case, for your sake I hope there’s still food in heaven. (Who am I kidding though. If there’s no food up there, I’m out. This is when I start singing “You Gotta Have Faith”) Let me know how you like them Lin! Thanks for commenting!
Are there any modifications that need to be made for high-altitude?
Hey Jennifer! When I made these the first time, I was living in Utah with an elevation of about 4,700 feet. I didn’t make any changes. I live at sea level now and use the same recipe. I don’t know how high up you are. If you are worried about it, I would just do a little internet research on baking yeast dough at high altitudes. Let me know how this works out for you! Thanks for commenting!
I love pretzel dogs and would love to make yhem homemade for my family.Unfortunately I do not have a stand mixer with all the wonderful attachments. I am dying for one but as I have 5 kids and a very tight budget I just cant afford it. I am however going to try the idea with the biscuit dough and see if it works the same. I love the recipes and ideas posted on her. Thank you so much.
I totally get it Jenn! I’ve only had my stand mixer for 5 or 6 years. I never would have bought it, it was a wedding gift. You can still totally make this dough without a mixer though, it just requires a little elbow grease. Use a big bowl and a wooden spoon, then knead by hand for the specified amount of time. Or…you could just try the bought biscuit dough :) I’ve never tried it, you will have to let me know how it turns out! Thanks so much for commenting Jenn!
I love pretzel dogs, but am curious if u could maybe do little smokies in the dough instead? With of course altering the cooking time in the oven, or even cut the hot dogs in half?
Am planning on making these on Super Bowl Sunday as a finger food.
Hey Deb! Yes, you could definitely use little smokies with this recipe. I’m not sure how many you would need honestly…probably a lot! Figure out a proportionate amount of dough, roll the dough into a long strip, wrap, and boil like you normally would. Keep an eye on them in the oven. I think this would work even better with halved hot dogs. They are thicker and you wouldn’t have to do so many. Just split the dough into 16. I hope you like them! Let me know what you end up doing!
Just took these out of the oven and my husband couldn’t wait… His remarks” these are really good “. He is a fussy one….. I had enough dough left over to make him his favorite pizza. Of course I couldn’t wait either to try the pretzel dog and yes everyone they were so worth the effort. The Mac and cheese is in the oven and that looks and smells like a winner also hummmmmmm!
Pretzel dogs can win over the fussiest of eaters! :)
Is the 10 cups of water correct? Just seems like lots of water.
Yes ma’am that is correct! And the full 2/3 cup of baking soda too. You need a big pot and lots of water to make sure those dogs get totally immersed. That way every edge of the dough gets a baking soda bath. That’s what makes it pretzel-y :)
You are making me crave these again. Let me know if you try them out Ruth!
I made these tonight and they definitely were a rousing success! My super picky 4 year old asked for THIRDS! And our dinner guest suggested I get a food cart and start selling them on the street, lol. Thank you for such a great recipe that has mad it into the permanent rotation! I found you through, foodgawker, and I will be coming back :)
Brandi, you are awesome! Comments like these are the fuel that keeps me going. (For real though :) I’m so glad you and your family loved this! Let me know if you set up that cart, I will totally pay you money to make these for me. Thanks for commenting! Happy New Year!
I’m glad you followed proper hot dog etiquette and left out the ketchup by picturing these with mustard. Ketchup on hot dogs is for children only! http://www.hot-dog.org/ht/d/sp/i/38617/pid/38617
Haha that is an awesome list. My favorite one is “Do…Use multi-colored toothpicks to serve cocktail wieners. Cocktail forks are in poor taste.” I still eat ketchup on regular dogs (I’m a child at heart) but ketchup + pretzel? Weird.
When I was a kid we wrapped hot dogs in refrigerated biscuit dough and then baked them. I thought they were great back then, but this looks way better. Way to go, Karen!
That’s such a great idea Maureen! I bet you could do that and then just pick up with the boiling step. Let me know if you try it out!
I, like Eric, have never heard of a Pretzel Dog either. But they look good and we’re definitely going to try them this week for dinner. Thanks!
What!!!!! Apparently I need to take you on a trip to the mall. You could pretend to be a foreign exchange student or something. Just kidding. Let me know how you like them!
Those look soooo good right now – did I mention being on a mini-diet to lose 4 pounds? Put them on the list of things we must cook when I get there!
I don’t think these will help you lose 4 pounds. But good luck with that. I’m on a hot dog diet myself, but since I’m 8 months pregnant and gaining weight like a heifer anyway, I feel like it’s okay.
Your comment completely cracked me up about gaining weight like a heifer hahaha (LOL) i came across your blog today by accident and from here on out it will be no accidental reading 😆 Love your sense of humor !! Very similar to my own. Love your recipe’s.
I hope you continue blogging ! God bless you and your’s 😊✌🏻️
Ha! Thanks Carol! Seriously though if we ate these every day we would be in trouble :) I’m so happy you are enjoying the blog! Thanks for reading!