+SF
There’s this place in Chicago that has the most amazing pretzel bites with beer cheese … at least that’s what I’ve heard. Unfortunately, this place is not vegan-friendly, so I’ve decided to make my own. And I think that ours are even better! The dough is so soft and the crunch of the salt adds just enough to keep you wanting more. —LM + AM
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN BITES
1¼ cups (295 ml) plain unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp (16 g) vegan honey (we suggest Bee Free Honee)
2 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
3¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup (112 g) baking soda
1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 g) coarse sea salt
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
Heat the almond milk and “honey” together in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Once the almond milk is heated through, pour the milk into a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir to combine. Let the yeast activate for 5 minutes. It should appear foamy when the 5 minutes are up.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
Pour the yeast, milk and “honey” mixture into a stand mixer. Slowly begin to add the flour ½ cup (60 g) at a time. The dough should stick to your hand, but when it is ready it should release easily when touched. Add more flour if necessary. Now add in the salt and mix until incorporated.
Lightly dust a countertop with flour and put the dough on the floured surface. Roll out the dough and cut it into 20 even-size balls of dough.
Now you’re going to add the baking soda to the boiling water. Be very careful; the water should bubble up, so add the baking soda slowly.
Boil 10 of the pieces of dough at a time for about 25 seconds.
Remove the pieces of dough from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Once all the pieces of dough are done boiling, brush the balls with the olive oil using a pastry brush and sprinkle with the salt.
Bake the bites for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.