Soft & Salty Homemade Pretzel Dogs

Craving those buttery mall pretzel dogs but don’t feel like standing in line? Good news—you can make them at home with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Warm, golden, and perfectly salty, these pretzel dogs wrap juicy hot dogs in soft, pillowy dough that’s impossible to resist.

They’re perfect for game day, parties, or just a fun weekend project (bonus points if you serve them with cheese sauce).

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet (¼ oz) instant dry yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 8 cups water
• ¼ cup baking soda
• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 12 all-beef hot dogs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Coarse sea salt or kosher salt, for topping
• Cheese sauce, for dipping

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine warm water, flour, sugar, yeast, and kosher salt. Mix with a dough hook (or wooden spoon) until the dough comes together.

2. Form a ball. If using a dough hook, keep mixing until a ball forms. If using a spoon, knead by hand until slightly sticky and smooth.

3. Let it rise. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. Shape the ropes. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a long rope.

5. Wrap the hot dogs. Spiral each rope around a hot dog and place on a parchment-lined tray.

6. Boil the pretzels. In a large pot, bring 8 cups water + baking soda to a simmer. Carefully add the pretzel dogs in batches, boiling for 30 seconds each.

7. Bake. Preheat oven to 425°F. Transfer boiled pretzel dogs to a lined baking tray. Brush with egg wash and bake 13–15 minutes, until golden brown.

8. Finish with butter + salt. Brush hot pretzel dogs with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.

9. Serve. Pair with warm cheese sauce or mustard and dig in!

Tips & Variations

• Mini version: Use cocktail sausages for bite-sized pretzel dogs—perfect party food.
• Flavor twist: Sprinkle garlic powder or everything bagel seasoning instead of salt.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture.

Soft & Salty Homemade Pretzel Dogs

Juicy hot dogs wrapped in pillowy pretzel dough, baked golden brown, and finished with butter + coarse salt. These homemade pretzel dogs are fun to make, full of flavor, and perfect for parties, game day, or cozy weekends.

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet ¼ oz instant dry yeast
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 8 cups water
• ¼ cup baking soda
• 1 egg for egg wash
• 12 all-beef hot dogs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• Coarse sea salt or kosher salt for topping
• Cheese sauce for dipping

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Stir with a dough hook or spoon until combined.
2. If using a dough hook, mix until a ball forms. If using a spoon, knead by hand until smooth and slightly sticky.
3. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour (until doubled).
4. Divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope.
5. Wrap each rope around a hot dog and place on a parchment-lined tray.
6. In a pot, bring 8 cups water + baking soda to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
7. Boil pretzel dogs in batches for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to tray.
8. Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush dough with egg wash.
9. Bake 13–15 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
11. Serve warm with cheese sauce or mustard.

Notes

• Use mini sausages for bite-sized pretzel dogs.
• Try seasoning with garlic powder or everything bagel mix instead of salt.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer.

✨ These Soft & Salty Pretzel Dogs are buttery, golden, and every bit as good as the mall version. Save this recipe—you’ll want it for your next game night or movie marathon.