These Homemade Pretzel Dogs are so easy and so delicious! Hot dogs wrapped in an easy bread dough make the perfect appetizer for parties and game day.
Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs
Pretzel dogs are the delicious combination of salty, chewy soft pretzels and juicy hot dogs – what’s not to love! Ditch the mall bought versions and rustle up this yummy appetizer at home. They make for a delicious lunch, dinner or party snack. Make up a big batch and kids and adults will flock to them!
Looking for more oven baked recipes? Why not also try my Garlic Pull Apart Rolls and my Dutch Oven Jalapeno Bread.
Why You’ll Love this Pretzel Dog Recipe:
- CRISPY: The chewy pretzel dough gets perfectly crispy when baked.
- SAVORY: Salted pretzel dough surrounding a savory beef hot dog – so good!
- EASY: The dough is easy to make and wrap around store bought hot dogs.
These pretzel wrapped hot dogs are so fun. They look great and they’re delicious! Always a hit on game day or with the kids.
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How to Make Pretzel Dogs
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- Mix your dough ingredients and allow to rise.
- Once risen, cut the dough into 8 pieces.
- Roll the pieces of dough into rope shapes and wrap each hot dog.
- Cook the pretzel dogs in a pot of boiling water.
- Brush the pretzels with egg wash, sprinkle with salt and bake for 20 mins.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Water: Gives the pretzel dough moisture. Make sure it’s warm so the yeast blooms properly.
- Brown Sugar: Acts as food for the yeast. Granulated sugar or honey could be used if you prefer.
- Yeast: I’m using active dry yeast! If you use instant yeast, skip step 1 and simply mix all of the ingredients together at once.
- Flour: Gives the pretzels structure. If your dough feels especially wet, you can add up to ¼ cup additional flour.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances the flavor of the dough. I highly recommend kosher salt, not table salt.
- Hot Dogs: I’m using classic all-beef hot dogs!
- Baking Soda: Helps create that crisp pretzel-like exterior we all love!
- Egg: Helps the salt stick to the pretzels but it also helps the pretzels brown in the oven.
Pretzel dogs and pigs in a blanket are prepared nearly the same; however, pretzel dogs are wrapped in pretzel dough, and pigs in a blanket are wrapped in plain or croissant dough.
I love all-beef hot dogs for their classic taste, but you can use beef and pork, pork, or even chicken hot dogs. I recommend using your favorite brand of hot dogs so you know you’ll love them!
You sure can! Wheat flour tends to be more dense than white, so you may need to add extra water to the dough to keep it from being too thick and heavy.
To bloom yeast means to dissolve it in warm liquid (often with a little bit of sugar) and leave it for a few minutes, or until foamy. Proofing yeast ensures that it is alive and vigorous enough to make your dough rise.
To make pretzel dogs into mini pretzel dogs, cut the hot dogs into 3 or 4 small pieces, then wrap them in smaller pieces of pretzel rope. Boil, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Yes, you can! Brush the air fryer basket with olive oil, then place the dogs a few inches apart to leave room for expansion (you may need to cook in batches). Heat the air fryer to 390°F and bake for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping halfway through if desired.
Serving Suggestions
These easy pretzel dogs are made for dipping. Here are some tasty sauce recipes!
- One of my favorite dipping sauces for pretzel dogs is a spicy honey mustard! Mix ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup grainy mustard, and a dash of hot sauce in a small bowl.
- Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- Fry Sauce
- Chick Fil A Sauce
Dip, dunk, smother – there’s so many yummy dipping sauces to try!
Make Ahead Instructions
Pretzel dogs can be made up to 1 day in advance of when you plan to serve them. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover pretzel dogs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze pretzel dogs in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid. Then, transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag and store for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Variations
- Try switching up the hot dogs for sausages, cheese-stuffed brats, or vegan hot dogs!
- Try topping the pretzels with granulated garlic or everything bagel seasoning.
Pretzel Dog Hack
For a time-saving hack, wrap the hot dogs in store-bought pizza dough. Start the recipe at step 5.
More Game Day Appetizers We Love
- Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
- Trashed Wings
- Pizza Bagels
- Bacon Cheese Fries with Ranch
Simple and delicious – these pretzel dogs are that perfect combination of crispy, juicy and savory! They’ll become a firm favorite with kids and adults. Great as part of a meal or as a party snack, use your favorite hot dogs and whip these bad boys up in no time!
More Kid-Friendly Beef Recipes to Try:
- Stovetop Burgers
- Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
- Beef Lo Mein
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Hamburger Casserole
- Instant Pot Meatloaf
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Pretzel Dogs Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup water 227 grams, warm (100-110°F)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar 13 grams
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7 grams (1 envelope)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 8 hot dogs all-beef recommended
- ¼ cup baking soda 72 grams
- 1 large egg 50 grams, beaten with a splash of water
- Flaky salt for garnish
- Sesame seeds optional, for garnish
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Add the warm water, brown sugar, and active dry yeast to a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside for the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes.1 cup water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- Add the flour and kosher salt. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and tacky, about 2-3 minutes. You’ll know the dough is ready when you poke it gently and it springs back.
- Cover the dough (with plastic wrap or a damp towel) and place it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
- When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch long rope and then wrap it around one of the hot dogs. Pinch the seams together at the ends to ensure the pretzel dough doesn’t become unwrapped.8 hot dogs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium (a gentle boil) and very slowly add the baking soda.¼ cup baking soda
- Cook the pretzels in the boiling water 1-2 at a time (making sure not to crowd the pan) for 30 seconds. Then flip the pretzel dogs and cook them for an additional 30 seconds.
- Remove the pretzels from the water bath and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush the pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with salt or sesame seeds.1 large egg, Flaky salt, Sesame seeds
- Bake the pretzel dogs for 20-22 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Try switching up the hot dogs for sausages, cheese-stuffed brats, or vegan hot dogs!
- Try topping the pretzels with granulated garlic or everything bagel seasoning.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauces!
- For a time-saving hack, use store-bought pizza dough. Begin the recipe at step 5.
Nutrition Information
