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.
Happy to have found this! Had all the ingredients on hand. Perfect for a quarantine family party at home :) they were gone in less than 30 minutes!
yay for quarantine fun! So glad you liked it Bella, thanks for the review!
Just made these. Used some dough I had frozen in my freezer I defrosted overnight. Came up deliciously, we ended up eating them all in one sitting. Look every amazing for just how simple they are & taste even better.
Hooray, pretzel dog success! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Samantha! Thanks for reviewing!
Easy, delicious, show-stoppingly impressive for your guests. In bringing them to someones house for an appetizer I inititially under browned them then reheated them for 15 min in 350 oven and served. Can put poppy or sesame seeds on dough instead of sea salt. Brushing with butter is necessary for great presentation!
I love the idea of adding poppy seeds or sesame seeds Lisa! You’re a genius. Thanks for the tip and review!
Omg. I messed up a little and forgot to butter the tops but they were still soooo good. The bread tastes just like a soft pretzel and the crispy parts that were stuck to the pan tasted like regular pretzel sticks!!!! Thank you for this recipe
I’m so glad they turned out! Isn’t it amazing what a little baking soda can do?? Thanks for reviewing! :)
I made these a few days ago, and they were exactly what I was looking for! Delicious! I’m not sure why you boil them, and that did intimidate me, but they turned out perfect. The leftovers even heated fairly well, although the salt had absorbed off the top. I plan on making these for about 30 people for a picnic this summer.
Hey Laurie, I’m so glad you like them! You boil them to infuse the baking soda, which is what makes them “pretzel-y” :)
Wonderful recipe, I added crushed garlic and parsley to the butter I brushed on them. Turned out perfect!
Ooh ooh garlic butter! Yes please! Thanks for the idea Jonathan!
Hi Karen.
Love your recipies. I am from Danmark and here they are called pølsebrød:) and we mix mustard and ketchup and put it on the dough befour putting on the sausage and roling it. Gives it a Nice flavor and moisture.
Oh my gosh that’s genius Anne! I’m totally rolling the dough with mustard mustard next time!! Thanks for the tip!
Wow! This recipe is going on my “to do” list. My family will love it. Especially my hubby, who is crazy for hot dogs. Pinned it to my new “Hot DIggity Dog” board. :)
Enjoy Sinea! I like the name of your board :)
These look so good. I can’t wait to try them. I just have one question though. Do the hotdogs have to be cooked prior to starting with the recipe or do they get cooked in the oven?
Hi Selena! Most hot dogs are pre-cooked, but if you get your hands on uncooked ones, definitely cook them fist!
Me and my husband definitely going to try them this week for meal.
You are brilliant! My kids are going to love this. They hotdogs and always get so excited when they are on the menu. I am trying this for sure. I am so excited that its a homemade version and doesn’t use the pre-made stuff. My kids always want me to make the kind with the pre-made dough and I refuse.
Thanks again!
Carrie
THIS is like the Hong Kong style hot dog buns with a twist! It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for in my hot dog bun research!
You nailed it! Looks amazing!
BOOKMARKED!
-Kayiu :)
Thanks Kayiu! I’m so happy to hear that someone out there is doing “hot dog bun research.” Humans are awesome, especially you. :)
I don’t have a stand mixer and can’t afford one. Any suggestions?
Hi Janelle! You can totally make this (and any bread!) without a stand mixer. Just takes some elbow grease! Mix everything as directed in a large bowl. Stir it with a wooden spoon until you get most of the flour in, then start mixing it in with your hands. Turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. Knead for the directed amount of time. Then let it rise as directed! Good luck, let me know how they turn out!
Made these using a bread machine. I was surprised by how easy it was and how pretty the presentation was. I’m not really a fan of hotdogs, but I love how soft and fresh the bread was. My only note is that the baking sheet really DOES need to be greased well… the pretzel dogs stuck even after using parchment paper and some oil.
I’m so happy they worked out well for you! Good tip about greasing the pan :) Thanks for the review and have a happy Monday!
I love pretzel dogs! I don’t eat red meat, I found out last year that it disagrees with me . I would have to use turkey dogs. I wonder if you could use frozen pretzel dough? May have to try that.
Turkey dogs would work great! And I’ve never tried frozen pretzel dough, I didn’t even know they made that!! Let me know if you try it!