Super Bowl 50 is just around the corner, so it's time to start thinking about game day snacks. These little mini hot dogs wrapped in pretzel dough can be served warm with barbecue sauce, yellow mustard or cheese sauce. The adults will like them and the kids will love them.
You'll be busy on game day, but there is an easy way to get this snack out to the party.
I used Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Pretzel Baking Mix. Everything you need is in the package right down to the salt. I used Fork in the Road's Little Goodies for the hot dogs. These are so good. They are made from pasture raised beef and are uncured, so no nitrates or nitrites.
Get the pretzel dough going first because it needs to sit for 25-30 minutes. Follow the directions on the package and just let the dough rest in a warm place. Make sure you cover the bowl to keep the dough from drying out. You can move on to getting the hot dogs ready.
When you take the Little Goodies out of the package, they will be misshapen and dented from the vacuum sealing. Just heat them in a nonstick pan for a few minutes, stirring a couple of times. They get a little browned and get their shape back. I just let them sit until cool while the dough was proofing. Try not to eat them all while you wait.
When the dough is ready, tear off a piece about the size of a gold ball. Roll it on a smooth surface into a thin snake about 7 inches long. The dough will want to shrink back. Just lay the pieces of dough down and move on to the next. Roll out as many as you need. By the time you get them all rolled out, you can go back to the first ones. The gluten will have loosened up a bit and the dough won't shrink back as much. Roll them out again between your palms until they are 6-7 inches long. Pinch one end flat and lay it against one end of a mini hot dog. Wind the dough around the hot dog, overlapping the flat piece to keep it in place. Stretch the dough as you go to make it fit. When you get to the other end of the hot dog, pinch the dough to keep that end in place. Lay the wrapped hot dog on a flat surface and cover with a towel.
The next step will be to drop the wrapped hot dogs into boiling water with baking soda added. Just use the ingredients in the Fleischmann's box and follow the directions. The pretzel dogs will be blanched briefly in the boiling water, then baked in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. Don't worry if they don't all look perfect. I ended up with some longer, some shorter, and some that unravelled on one end. They all tasted good! Some were just prettier than others.
Of course, you can make your own pretzel dough if you like. Either way, these are good for game day or any day for that matter! You could make regular sized pretzel dogs too!
Disclaimer: I have not been compensated for this post nor provided any product. I just bought them and liked them enough to write about it.
My recipe for Soft Pretzel Bites is amazing.
