These cottage cheese pretzel bites are soft, chewy, and the perfect snack for kids and adults alike! They are easy to make with extra protein from blended cottage cheese.
This easy cottage cheese pretzel bites recipe tastes just like classic soft pretzel nuggets! It’s made with four-ingredient dough, baking soda water for dunking, and butter and pretzel salt for toppings. Serve them in little paper boats with cheese dip.
Tonia’s Notes
My family’s go-to food to purchase from malls and airports is Auntie Anne’s pretzel nuggets. We typically choose salted or cinnamon sugar. My girls like to dip the cinnamon sugar ones in cheese dip!
I decided to make a copycat version using blended cottage cheese in the dough for added protein. Now, we make them all the time and still love them! Try making them for your family…they won’t even know there is cottage cheese in them.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Pretzel Bites
Blend the Cottage Cheese
Process the cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth, then let it rest for 10 minutes.
Make the Dough
Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl. Add the blended cottage cheese and mix until a rough dough forms.
Form and Cut the Dough
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, form it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Cut the dough into four wedges. Roll each wedge of dough into a 12-inch rope, then cut each rope into 12 pieces.
Dunk and Bake
Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water. Dunk a couple of pretzel nuggets at a time in the baking soda mixture, remove with a fork, allowing the excess liquid to drip off, and then place them on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
Butter and Pretzel Salt
Bake the cottage cheese pretzel bites at 425˚F for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove them from the oven, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
Recipe Tips
- Make Ahead: You can make the cottage cheese dough for these pretzel bites ahead of time and use it later in the day or even the next day. Wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it or overnight. Let it sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before using it to make it easier to work with.
- Storage: Store the leftover cottage cheese pretzel nuggets in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to 30 days.
- Reheating: You can eat them at room temperature, but if you prefer them warm, try reheating them in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.
- Toppings: Cinnamon sugar is another popular pretzel topping. To make that version, simply coat them with cinnamon sugar and skip the pretzel salt. Another idea is to coat them with garlic butter and grated Parmesan.
- Dip Ideas: Serve them with cheese dip, queso, seasoned sour cream, spicy honey mustard, pizza sauce, or ranch dressing.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
- Cottage Cheese Focaccia
- Cottage Cheese Pizza
- Cheese Bread made with cottage cheese dough
- Cottage Cheese Bagels
Cottage Cheese Pretzel Bites
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese 4% small curd
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon pretzel salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Process the cottage cheese in a mini food processor until smooth, then let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl. Add the blended cottage cheese and mix until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, form it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Cut the dough into four wedges.
- Roll each piece of dough into a long 12-inch rope. Cut each rope into 12 pieces.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water. Dunk a couple of pretzel nuggets at a time in the baking soda mixture, remove with a fork, allowing the excess liquid to drip off, and then place them on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
- Bake at 425˚F for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Brush pretzel bites with melted butter and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
