Description
Cheeseburger Pretzel Bombs are a creative and delicious snack combining soft pretzel dough with melted cheese and savory meatballs inside. Perfect for parties or casual gatherings, these bites feature a golden brown pretzel exterior with a cheesy, meaty center, served optionally with mustard for an added zing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Filling
- 1 lb pizza dough (455 g), left out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes
- 7 slices American cheese, cut in half
- 14 frozen mini meatballs, thawed
Boiling Solution
- 1/4 cup baking soda (45 g)
- 5 cups water (1.2 L)
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- Coarse sea salt
Serving
- Yellow mustard, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set the oven temperature to 425˚F (220˚C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the pretzel bombs.
- Prepare the dough pieces. Cut the pizza dough into 14 evenly sized pieces. Stretch each piece into an 8-inch (20 cm) long strip to create the pretzel bomb shape.
- Assemble bombs. Place a half slice of American cheese at the top of each dough strip, followed by one thawed mini meatball. Roll the dough tightly around the cheese and meatball, sealing the edges to form a ball, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for all pieces.
- Prepare boiling water bath. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1/4 cup baking soda and stir until dissolved to create the pretzel boiling solution.
- Boil pretzel bombs. Carefully drop the dough balls into the boiling baking soda water in batches, boiling each for 30 seconds. Remove and gently dab dry with a towel to prevent sogginess.
- Apply egg wash and salt. Brush each pretzel bomb with the beaten egg to achieve a shiny crust, then sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt for authentic pretzel flavor.
- Bake until golden. Bake the pretzel bombs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until they are browned and cooked through.
- Serve. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm, optionally accompanied by yellow mustard as a dipping sauce.
Notes
- Make sure the pizza dough is at room temperature before shaping to ensure it's easy to stretch and roll.
- Boiling the pretzel bombs in baking soda water is essential for that signature pretzel crust texture and flavor.
- If you prefer spicier snacks, substitute American cheese with pepper jack or add some chili flakes inside the dough.
- These pretzel bombs can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven for a few minutes when ready to serve.
- Use coarse sea salt for the best pretzel crust flavor and texture; avoid fine table salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bomb
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
