Cheese stuffed pretzel bombs are soft pretzels full of gooey cheddar, then baked until golden. Make this cheesy snack recipe for any party!
Homemade pretzels are much easier to make than you think, and they can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways.
If you don’t like pretzels with cheese inside, try regular Soft Pretzel Bites instead. They’re ready in just 30 minutes and make an easy, portable snack.
Homemade Pretzel Dogs are great for dinner any night of the week and can be made ahead of time and frozen.
For similar flavor without the baking, make my Strawberry Salad Pretzel Cups. Crushed pretzels and used to create a salty and sweet summertime treat that will have them begging for more!
How To Make Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Bombs
Wrap cubes of cheddar cheese inside homemade dough balls, then boil quickly in water with baking soda.
Doing so allows the pretzel balls to darken in the oven and gives them the crispy, yet chewy texture they’re known for.
Once cooled, brush the cheese filled pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt. Then, bake until browned and enjoy!
3 Ways To Make The Dough
Reheat in the microwave or oven until soft and warmed through.
Can I use different cheese?
Originally published Septermber 2013, updated and republished October 2020
- With a stand mixer - Not only does it do the hard work for you, but it also frees up your hands to prep the other ingredients.
- By hand - You can mix the dough by hand if needed. Combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Once the yeast bloom, stir in the salt and flour and mix well. Then, turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until tacky.
- Ready to use doughe - To save both time and effort, feel free to use a package of frozen dinner rolls instead. Just thaw and use in place of the dough recipe. I like to use Rhodes, but any brand will work just fine.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
- Kitchenaid Mixer - A good stand mixer makes all your recipes easier. You’ll need the dough hook attachment for this recipe.
- Small wooden dowel rolling pin - Perfect for small jobs like making TSRI’s bombs! It’s also great for noodles, dumplings, and turnovers, and it even has a ruler on the rolling pin.
- Jelly Roll Pans (baking sheets with sides) - Used for anything from cookies to roasting, a good baking pan will last for years.
- Basting Brush - I like this one over the silicone ones.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this cheesy snack recipe by itself or with your favorite dipping sauces.
Or, serve alongside a warm bowl of chili or soup as a replacement for traditional dinner rolls!
Recipe Notes + FAQ
Storage and Freezing
Pretzels with cheese inside will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if covered. Or, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Reheat in the microwave or oven until soft and warmed through.
Can I use different cheese?
Mild cheddar is less aged so it melts better than older cheddars like medium or sharp, but feel free to give it a try. Pepper Jack or jalapeno cheddar is a great choice for a little extra kick.
You could even use low moisture mozzarella and then dip the soft pretzel with cheese in marinara!
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely! This cheesy snack recipe is super versatile and can be adjusted to feed any size crowd.
You may need to make the dough in two separate batches, depending on the size of your stand mixer. But once the dough is formed, you can easily make all of the pretzel bombs at the same time.
Enjoy!
With love from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Cheese Filled Pretzels Recipe Video
To see us make the recipe from start to finish, watch the video at the top of this post!
Yield: 36

Outrageous Cheese Stuffed Pretzel Bombs
Cheese stuffed pretzel bombs are soft pretzels full of gooey cheddar, then baked until golden. Make this cheesy snack recipe for any party!
Prep time: 42 MinCook time: 8 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°-120°)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pound block mild cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg
- course salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer (see cooks note if you do not have a stand mixer), sprinkle yeast over top, add sugar and stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Once it is nice and foamy, it is ready.
- Meanwhile cut cheese into 36 even pieces, less than ½ ounce each. Fill an 8-quart pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. In a small bowl beat egg and 2 tablespoons water with a fork. Set aside. Sprinkle clean countertop with 1/4 cup flour.
- Add flour and salt to mixer. Knead for 3- 5 minutes until the dough comes together in one ball. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed, if the bread is too sticky to come together. The dough should be tacky when you pull it out of the mixer, not sticky.
- Place dough on a floured countertop and knead in flour until it is no longer tacky, just a minute or two. Form dough into a ball. We are going to cut this ball into 36 (somewhat) even pieces. First, quarter the ball of dough. Roll each quarter into a fat log. Cut that into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a log and cut it into 3 pieces. When you are done you will have 36 pieces.
- Roll each dough piece (one at a time) into a ball and then flatten it into a circle. Add a piece of cheese in the center. Carefully pull each side over the cheese to create a ‘cheese package’ then roll the dough into a ball. Be careful to make sure you can not see the cheese through the dough. Tap fingers in flour, pinch any tears and roll again. Set aside and repeat until all you have 36 stuffed dough balls.
- Carefully, a sprinkle at a time, add baking soda to boiling water. USE CAUTION: IT WILL BUBBLE UP. Place dough balls into boil water a few at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon after 30 seconds. Place on parchment paper to cool and repeat.
- Arrange all pretzel balls on parchment so they are not touching. Brush egg-wash onto each one and sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the tops are browned.
- The ooey-gooey cheese may escape some of your pretzel bombs. That is a beautiful thing! Scoop all that cheesy goodness up onto the plate and serve. Your guests will go crazy over them.
- Enjoy!
DONNA'S NOTES
- You can mix the dough by hand if you do not have a stand mixer. Add water, yeast, and sugar. Once the yeast blooms stir in the salt and the flour. Mix with a spoon. Turn dough out onto the floured countertop and knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky. Proceed with remaining instructions.
- You can use 36 frozen dinner rolls (I use Rhodes) in place of the dough recipe.
Recipe developed by Donna Elick forThe Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
Originally published Septermber 2013, updated and republished October 2020
I have just died and gone to heaven. I'm obsessed with pretzels. I love to get the cheese dip for the bites they sell at the mall. These is like the perfect pretzel cheesy bite with not little cup to worry about spilling. Brilliant my friends!
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie!
DeleteSo much ooey gooey cheese. Sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteI love love love my ooey gooey cheese. Let us know if you make it.
DeleteOMG!!!! these look amazing i was just talking to my mom about doing something like this yesterday but not having a recipe for em this just answered my wishes lol soo gonna try these
ReplyDeleteso you don't need to let the balls rise at all?
ReplyDeleteSo you don't need to let the dough rise at all?
ReplyDeleteNo, no rise time at all. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
DeleteWe made these earlier today and they were incredible. I did struggle with keeping the cheese inside the pretzel after cooking it in the oven but they were so good, we didn't care!
ReplyDeleteThese looked so good I had to make them and they were amazing! I was a little skeptical about adding 1/2 a cup baking soda to the boiling water and that it would give them a baking soda taste but they just tasted like a pretzel.
ReplyDeleteTurned out great!! I don't have a stand mixer so followed the directions for by hand. So easy. I decided to make these as black olive & cheese poppers, b/c I love black olives - having the whole pitted olive in the center made it so easy to roll into little balls (I used shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese). When I got tired of stuffing (b/c I am impatient) I simply tore the rest of the dough off and tossed in the water and made plain pretzel bites. Sprinkled parmesan and salt over tops towards end of baking. Great with red dipping sauce too. Thanks so much, will share.
ReplyDeleteI'm so gonna make these! I just have to clarify one thing, I think the recipe reads to drop pretzel balls into boiling water twice, is that correct? I would also like to know if I can make them with whole wheat flour...
ReplyDeleteI substitute Whole Wheat flour for some things and have made Bagels and Pretzels with it before
DeleteAlthough these tasted good, most of the cheese oozed out.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. My husband will love these. I've been seeing some recipes for making pretzels, but this is the one that will be my first.
ReplyDeleteThese were Aaamazingly delicious. I couldn't stop eating them. And my son loved them too.
ReplyDeleteThese look so yummy! Just a fyi, if you're in a hurry, refrigerated pizza dough works great! I use the canned kind, and proceed w the boiling process. :)
ReplyDeleteGluten sensitvities suuuuck! Jus sayin...
ReplyDeleteThese were fantastic!!!! I've been itching to find a homemade version of this favorite comfort food. Thanks so much for posting. I created a blog post with images on my experience with these. Feel free to check it out, I made sure to link back to give credit where credit is due! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://hullcha.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/cheddar-pretzel-bites/
These were Aaamazingly delicious. I couldn't stop eating them i will try soon
ReplyDeleteThat picture is so freakin' good. I'm staring at it since the last 15 mins. Seriously.
ReplyDeletein the event that not all of them are eaten, should they be refrigerated or will they be ok in a bag sitting on the counter?
ReplyDeleteI have not left them on the counter. I have refrigerated them or froze them and then reheated. I can not think of any reason that they could not be left on the counter if you would leave bread on the counter. They would last longer in the fridge though.
DeleteEnjoy and let us know how it goes.
thanks! i wasnt sure if the cheese would spoil if they were left out..i'll just be safe and pop them in the fridge.
Deleteis there anyway of making these ahead of time and freeze and at what point would you do it.
ReplyDeleteSo far I have made them completely and then frozen and reheated from that point. I think it is possible to freeze them after assembled, but I have not tried it yet. As soon as I do I will update the post with the info or if you get a chance to try it, let me know.
DeleteEnjoy!
Wondering the same thing as far as making them ahead of time and reheating. How do you go about reheating them? Just putting them in microwave for a few seconds? Or can I put them in oven for an amount of time to keep them warmer longer? I have made the plain pretzel bites and shared with my family and they enjoyed them. Want to make them for Christmas gathering but would like to save time and make them ahead of time. If you have some insight to this it would be great.
DeleteI also want to make them ahead of time for a work pot-luck. Has anyone reheated and then kept them on low or warm in a crock-pot?
DeleteJust made the, and they are by far the best pretzels Ive made at home! They taste amazing and look exactly like they do on the website (Im literally eating them right now) This is definitely a recipe I will re use.....
ReplyDeleteI followed the recipe exactly, except I did half cheese and half cut up hotdogs inside the pretzels. Both turned out well and were identical outside (I covered the cheese bits in sea salt, and the hot dogs in Pink Himalyan sea salt to tell the two apart) I did cook them a bit longer than suggested, but I believe that this is because I made them in a toaster oven. (Its really hot in TX still and I didn't want to heat up the whole house)
I just want to make sure I am reading instructions right when you put the dough balls in the baking soda water for 30 seconds it says take them out put on parchment paper to cool and repeat to me sounds like let them cool and put them back in for another 30 seconds but I think when saying repeat you repeat step with remaining balls until get all done just want to make sure repeat means repeat with rest and not redo after cooling thanx
ReplyDeleteYes, repeat means to take another dough ball and dip it... Etc.
DeleteEnjoy!
Oh, I boiled them all and then boiled them all a second time. They still turned out great, but you are telling me they don't have to be boiled twice? Yes, that is confusing in the recipe. Repeate made me think, to boil them all twice.
DeleteWhere have these been all my life? We make countless soft pretzels each year. WOW--add the cheese and you have another tier in taste!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great recipe! I've made these multiple times for my daughter! Although I've kept the dough recipe the same, I switched to mozzarella cheese and added in pizza sauce and mini pepperoni slices. They taste just as great! Thanks for sharing this recipe! It has become a family favorite :)
ReplyDeleteNice
ReplyDelete