Description
Pretzel Dogs are a delicious and fun snack featuring savory sausage franks wrapped in soft, chewy pretzel dough. These homemade treats boast a golden-brown crust sprinkled with kosher salt, making them perfect for parties, game days, or a satisfying meal. The process includes boiling the dough-wrapped sausages in a baking soda bath to achieve the iconic pretzel texture before baking to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Dough
- 15 sausage franks or hot dogs
- 1 tube (13.8 ounces) pizza dough
Baking Soda Bath
- 5 cups water
- ¼ cup (55 g) baking soda
Finishing Touches
- 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dough: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the pizza dough from its package and place it on a cutting board. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick using a rolling pin. Then cut the dough into 15 strips using a pizza cutter.
- Wrap Sausages: Take each dough strip and roll it into a rope. Tightly wrap the rope evenly around each sausage frank, ensuring complete coverage. Pinch the ends of the dough together to seal and prevent them from unraveling during cooking.
- Prepare Baking Soda Bath: In a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring 5 cups of water to a light boil. Stir in ¼ cup of baking soda until fully dissolved. This bath helps create the characteristic pretzel crust texture.
- Boil Pretzel Dogs: Working in small batches of 3 to 4, carefully place the wrapped sausages into the boiling baking soda water. Boil each batch for 20 to 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all are boiled.
- Apply Egg Wash and Salt: Use a pastry brush to coat each pretzel dog evenly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle each generously with kosher salt to enhance flavor and add crunch.
- Bake: Bake the pretzel dogs in the preheated oven for 20 to 21 minutes or until they turn a beautiful golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
- Alternative Air Fryer Method: Follow the recipe through the egg wash and salting steps. Place pretzel dogs in a single layer in the air fryer basket (in batches if necessary). Air fry at 375°F for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- For air fryer cooking, reduce baking time significantly as described in the instructions to prevent overcooking.
- Ensure the dough is rolled uniformly to ensure even cooking around the sausage.
- Use a slotted spoon when removing from the baking soda bath to avoid excess water on the pretzel dogs.
- If desired, serve with mustard or cheese sauce for dipping.
- Room temperature egg helps in even brushing and better adhesion of salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pretzel dog
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
