Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs
Soft, yummy Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs are the ultimate kid-friendly, adult-approved, handheld dinner for busy nights!
Two classic ballpark favorites come together in one simple summer recipe – Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs! This grab-and-go meal is perfect anytime your kids need to eat “on the go”! Just make the easy bread dough (yeast, flour, milk, sugar, and butter), wrap the weiners, bathe them in baking soda water and bake with an egg wash and a sprinkle of sea salt! Spectacular!
Don’t be Scared of the Yeast!
Some people are intimidated when they see a yeast dough recipe—but don’t be! Just follow the steps. It’s really not complicated, and the result is spectacular!
This 6-ingredient homemade yeast dough turns a basic hot dog into an incredible, delicious, and FUN recipe for kids and grown-ups alike! Make up a big batch for poolside parties, picnics, soccer sidelines, Oktoberfest, trick-or-treating—whenever a handheld meal is called for! Then, make it even better with your favorite dipping sauce, from ketchup or mustard to honey mustard or cheese. YUM!
Other Recipes to Serve with Pretzel Dogs
- Beer Cheese Dip is super easy to whip up as an appetizer or cheese sauce for Pretzel Dog dipping!
- Everything But the Bagel Pigs in a Blanket are another handheld meal that’s a fun twist on a nostalgic favorite!
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough: The dough is an easy combination of all-purpose flour, yeast, milk, water, sugar, and butter.
Wash: The Pretzel Dogs “take a bath” in baking soda water before cooking. Without this wash, your Pretzel Dogs would just be Pigs in a Blanket.
Hot Dogs: Frozen weiners, hot dogs, frankfurters…whatever you call them. I like to use all-beef hot dogs for this recipe.
Pretzel Finish: For the egg wash, you’ll need an egg and some water, and coarse sea salt for that genuine pretzel look and taste.
How to Make Pretzel-Wrapped Hot Dogs
STEP ONE: Make the dough by combining the milk, 1/4 cup of water, and sugar in a saucepan on low heat until the temperature reaches 110-115 degrees F Then pour it into the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate. Combine the flour, salt, and softened butter in a separate bowl.
STEP TWO: Using the hook attachment, slowly add the flour to the yeast mixture while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix on low until everything is combined, then turn up the mixer to medium speed and mix for about 8 minutes. It’s ready when the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
STEP THREE: Transfer the dough to a clean, dry counter. Knead a few times (it will be a little sticky) and form it into a large ball. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl and roll it around so it’s coated in the oil. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm space for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.
STEP FOUR: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 even balls. Roll the dough into long strands – like a breadstick or Play-Doh snake. Spiral-wrap each dough strand around a frozen hot dog.
STEP FIVE: Mix 3 cups of hot water and the baking soda in a bowl or baking dish deep enough to submerge the wrapped hot dogs. Dip each hot dog into the baking soda bath for 15 seconds, then place them on a paper towel.
STEP SIX: Place the hot dogs on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each hot dog. In a small bowl, beat the egg and one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash onto the pretzels and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt (if desired).
STEP SEVEN: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the pretzels are deep, golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the hot dogs to a wire cooling rack until cool enough to handle. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- You MUST dip the wrapped dogs in the baking soda water before baking them. That’s what turns the dough into pretzels!
- Try brats or Polish sausage instead of hot dogs for a more grown-up version, perfect for game day!
- These Pretzel Dogs are delicious dipped in mustard, ketchup, cheese sauce, ranch dressing, honey mustard, buffalo dip, etc. Get creative!
- After dipping the dough, turn these hot dogs into a fun Halloween dinner by placing two candy eyes between one of the pretzel spiral spaces toward one end of each hot dog. Bake as directed, and you’ll have mummy dogs!
So What Makes a Pretzel a Pretzel?
Pretzels start out as plain ol’ bread dough – so what is it that makes them different? An alkaline bath. Before the pretzels are baked, they are dipped in water that contains baking soda or food-grade lye. Some recipes even call for them to be boiled in this solution. This step caramelizes the outer layer of the dough and gives pretzels their signature chewy crust, unique taste, and deep, shiny golden-brown color.
Can You Freeze Pretzel Dogs?
Absolutely! Once they are fully baked, allow them to cool. Seal them in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Date them with a marker – they will keep for 3-4 months. When you’re desperate for a quick “we need to eat on the way” meal and don’t want to deal with fast food, simply pop these in the microwave or toaster oven just long enough to warm through. Your kids will beg for these again and again!
Other Pretzel Perfection Recipes
- Soft Pretzels
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Pretzels
- Bacon Jalapeno Popper Pretzel Bites
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Salted Caramel Peanut Pretzel Bars
- Gruyere, Jalapeno & Ham Sandwiches on Pretzel Bread
*This post originally posted on 10/31/2013.
Pretzel Wrapped Hot Dogs
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (see note)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ ounce active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 8 hot dogs frozen
- 3 cups hot water
- ½ cup baking soda
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- Coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Combine the milk, 1/4 cup of water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat, stir occasionally, and cook until it reaches 110 to 115 degrees F.
- Pour the milk mixture into a stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and butter.
- Using the hook attachment, turn your stand mixer to low speed and slowly add the flour into the yeast mixture with the mixer running. Continue to mix on low until all ingredients are combined. Then crank up the speed to medium and mix for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a clean and dry counter dusted with a little flour. Knead the dough a few times (the dough should be slightly sticky) and form it into a ball. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Roll the dough around so it's oiled on all sides.
- Cover the bowl and place it in a warm space until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Punch down the pretzel dough and divide it into 8 even balls. Roll out the dough balls into a long snake shape. Remove the hot dogs from the freezer and dust off any ice that may have formed. Wrap one dough snake around each hot dog in a spiral.
- Mix 3 cups of hot water and the baking soda into a deep dish big enough to submerge the hot dogs. Dip the hot dogs in the water for 15 seconds and then place them on a paper towel. Place hot dogs on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Beat together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the pretzel dough. Sprinkle with a little bit of coarse sea salt, if desired.
- Bake until dark golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the hot dogs from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack until they're cool enough to touch. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, prepare the yeast for the dough as directed. Then use a hand mixer on low speed to incorporate the flour. Once the ingredients are combined, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough by hand for 8 minutes. Then continue as directed.
- Turn these hot dogs into a fun Halloween dinner by placing two candy eyes between one of the pretzel spiral spaces toward one end of each hot dog after dipping the dough. Bake as directed and you’ll have mummy dogs!
Can the pretzel dough for pretzel dogs be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. It sounds so good but a very lengthy process. Is there someway to do it faster?
They look wonderful but how much milk is it?
Thanks!
Minicat
Thanks! It is 3/4 c milk. 🙂
It should be in this order otherwise they don’t understand as you asked us to soak the hot dog after made the rolls !!
10.• cover and place in a warm space until it doubles in size (1 hour)
11• preheat oven to 450 degrees
12• removed hot dogs from freezer and remove any ice build up if any 13. mix water and baking soda into a deep dish big enough to submerge the hot dogs
14. dip hot dogs for 15 sec and place onto a paper towel 15. punch down pretzel dough and divide into 8 even balls
16. roll out dough into a long snake, like you do with play dough
17• wrap each dough piece around each hot dog
18. • place hot dogs on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper 2 inches apart
No Rebecca, you DO dip the dough wrapped hot dogs in the baking soda. The baking soda dip is for the pretzels not the hot dogs.
hi thank you for the recipe i wanted to know can you make the dough in a food processor i do pizza dough all the time i dont have a stand mixer with hook …thanks again
kathy
I would say that you could, you may just have to knead it a little more.