Jalapeno Popper Cheesy Pretzel Bombs
Description
These soft and chewy pretzel bombs are filled with gooey, yummy cheese, jalapenos, and crispy bacon. They are so delicious, you will be scraping up all of that wonderful cheese off of the cookie sheet and eating it yourself.
Ingredients
2¼ t. active dry yeast (1 packet)
12 oz. warm beer (110°-120°),(Blue Moon is good) **see note at bottom
2 T. granulated sugar
3 ½ c. all-purpose flour plus more for dusting countertop
1 t. kosher salt plus more for pretzel tops
2 T. baking soda
2 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar cheese)
4 oz. can diced jalapenos
12 oz. bacon, cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces
Directions
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour beer into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (see cooks note if you do not have a stand mixer), sprinkle yeast over top; add sugar; stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. When nice and foamy, it's ready, looking like the 'head' of a beer poured too quickly and smell yeasty.
Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine cheeses, bacon and jalapenos; mix using a wooden spoon to get it well mixed.
In a small bowl, beat egg; set aside. Sprinkle clean countertop with ¼ cup flour; line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Add flour and salt to stand mixer. Knead 3- 5 minutes until dough comes together in one ball. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed, if bread is too sticky to come together. Dough should be tacky when puledout of the mixer, not sticky.
Place dough on floured countertop; knead in flour until no longer tacky, just 1 minute or 2. Form dough into a ball. To cut this ball into 36 even pieces, first quarter the ball of dough using a bench scraper or a butter knife. Roll each quarter into a fat log, then cut that into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a log; cut into 3 pieces. When finished, there should be 36 pieces.
Fill a medium (4 cup) bowl with 2 cups hot water; and add baking soda. Place baking sheet, baking soda, water and cheese mixture on the countertop.
One at a time, roll each dough piece into a ball and then flatten it into a circle. Add 1 tablespoon cheese mixture in the center, using a tablespoon scooper. Carefully pull each side over the cheese to create a ‘cheese package’, pinching the edges closed. Roll dough into a ball, being careful to to not see the cheese through the dough. Dust fingers in flour, pinch any tears; roll again. Set aside and repeat until there are 3 stuffed dough balls. Transfer 3 stuffed dough balls to hot water mixture; allow to set while preparing the next 3. Prepare the next 3 dough balls. Remove dough balls from water with a slotted spoon; place on prepared baking sheet. Place 3 newly prepared balls into the water; prepare 3 more. Repeat until all dough balls are on the cookie sheet.
Arrange all pretzel balls on parchment so they are not touching. Brush egg wash onto each one; sprinkle with course salt.
Bake 8-10 minutes until the tops are browned.
****Mix the dough by hand if you do not have a stand mixer. Add water, yeast and sugar to a large bowl. When yeast has bloomed, stir in the salt and the flour; mix with a spoon. Turn dough out onto floured countertop; knead 3-5 minutes until dough is no longer sticky. Proceed with remaining instructions.
I microwaved the beer in a glass microwave safe measuring cup, 15 seconds at a time until it was 110-120 degrees.
Milk or water can be substituted for the beer.