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Pimento Cheese Filled Pretzels Recipe

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3.8 from 35 reviews

Pimento Cheese Filled Pretzels combine soft, chewy pretzel dough with a flavorful, creamy pimento cheese center. These savory treats feature a homemade pretzel dough wrapped around a frozen ball of sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and pickled jalapeños, boiled briefly in baking soda water and baked to golden perfection. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, these pretzels are bursting with cheesy, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors.

Ingredients

Pretzel Dough

  • 1 cup warm water 110℉ (8 oz)
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet (21 g)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (13 g)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (30 g)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 – 3½ cups all-purpose flour (360-420 g)
  • 8 cups water (64 oz) – for boiling
  • ½ cup baking soda (144 g) – for boiling

Pimento Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 oz full-fat cream cheese
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise (75 g)
  • 2 oz pimentos (one small jar), drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup pickled jalapeños (35 g), drained

Instructions

  1. Pretzel Dough Preparation: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warm water, instant yeast, brown sugar, kosher salt, melted butter, and 3 cups of flour. Mix on low speed until flour is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and continue mixing until dough pulls away from bowl sides. Add remaining flour a spoonful at a time if needed until dough is slightly tacky but not sticky, coming off on fingers.
  2. Knead the Dough: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth, soft, and easy to work with. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
  3. Prepare Pimento Cheese Filling: While dough rises, drain and rinse pimentos. In a food processor, pulse pimentos and pickled jalapeños until minced. Add mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar and pulse until combined but still textured. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, form 12 mounded scoops onto a parchment-lined pan and freeze for 15-30 minutes until firm.
  4. Preheat Oven and Prepare Boiling Water: When dough is nearly doubled, preheat oven to 425℉ (218℃). Bring 8 cups of water to a simmer in a large pot and prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with silicone mats.
  5. Shape Pretzels with Cheese Filling: Divide dough into 12 pieces, keeping unused pieces covered. Flatten each piece slightly without thinning too much. Place a frozen cheese ball in the center, then gently pinch and seal dough edges completely around the cheese, ensuring no gaps. Place seam-side down and gently roll the ball clockwise to shape a round pretzel ball. Arrange on prepared baking sheets.
  6. Bake-Ready Water Bath: Add baking soda to simmering water and increase heat to high to bring to a boil. Boil pretzel balls in batches for 30 seconds, then remove with a spider or slotted spoon to the greased baking sheets.
  7. Bake the Pretzels: Optionally sprinkle pretzels with coarse sea salt. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.

Notes

  • Keep dough thickness even around cheese balls to prevent splitting during baking.
  • Take a photo of the dough before rising to track doubling in size.
  • Recipe can be halved to make 6 pretzels.
  • Store pretzels covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in microwave or oven at 350℉ for about 7 minutes.
  • For freezing, bake pretzels only until 10 minutes, cool completely, then freeze in sealed container. Reheat from frozen at 375℉ for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/pimento-cheese-filled-pretzels-recipe/