This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Warm and creamy Beer Cheese Dip with fresh baked soft pretzel nuggets – a great little appetizer for any occasion!
This delicious beer cheese dip comes together in about 5 minutes, making it perfect for impromptu get togethers. The soft pretzel nuggets are made with fresh or frozen prepared pizza dough and are very easy to make, too. The pretzel nuggets can be made ahead but are best served warm from the oven dunked in our creamy beer cheese dip. Lip smacking delicious!
Serve this silky beer cheese dip for your next football-watching extravaganza, super bowl party, casual get-together, or just because it’s the weekend.
Always perfect for game day, party-style appetizers are the best in my book. No plate is required for these dunk-and-go, one-bite savory snacks. For this reason we also love serving our homemade Mini Cheese Quiche at parties, as well as our Nuts & Bolts Party Chex Mix. Hearty snacks like these will keep the whole gang happy and satisfied, and begging for more!
How do you make homemade pretzel nuggets?
These pretzel nuggets start with a simple convenience food: fresh or frozen pizza dough. The dough is thawed, if needed, and allowed to come to room temperature for about 2 hours. You can roll the dough into 1-inch balls, or cut the dough into 1-inch square nuggets, which is very easy to do. The dough balls / nuggets are boiled for 1 minute in a large pot of water mixed with baking soda. Once boiled, the dough balls are transferred to a parchment lined baking sheet, brushed with a beaten egg, sprinkled with salt, then baked for about 15 minutes to a deep golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature with this luscious cheese sauce.
While the nuggets are baking, make the super easy, pub style beer cheese dip recipe.
This beer cheese dip recipe couldn’t be easier to make. First, mix the shredded cheeses with a little cornstarch, a pinch of cayenne and garlic powder. Next, your favorite beer and Dijon mustard are brought to a boil over high heat. After that the shredded cheese is added in handfuls while whisking constantly over medium heat. Once melted and smooth, serve beer cheese dip with pretzels, bread squares, apple slices, broccoli, crackers or chips.
What kind of cheese is good for making beer cheese dip?
Our recipe for beer cheese dip calls for a combination of mild cheddar or Colby cheese and American cheese. Both are great cheeses for melting, which is key to a great cheese dip.
Can you taste beer in this cheese sauce?
Beer cheese dip has a subtle beer flavor that is very appealing, and not at all obnoxious. We recommend using a light flavored beer, or mild lager, like Stella Artois (my personal favorite), or an American beer like Budweiser. If you find you prefer a thinner cheese sauce, more like a fondue, add a little more beer until you reach the desired consistency.
How do you keep beer cheese dip warm and creamy?
If you have a small crockpot or slow cooker, set it on warm to keep the beer cheese at a good consistency for dipping. I also find that it’s easy to serve this dip in a small, hot cast iron skillet. Cast iron retains heat better than most skillets and that residual heat keeps the dip creamy and smooth. You can make the cheese sauce in the skillet or pre-warm the cast iron in the oven.
Can you reheat beer cheese dip?
Beer cheese dip is best served fresh and hot. However, you can reheat leftovers with great success. Always reheat your beer cheese dip gently, adding more beer or milk to thin, if needed. Never boil the cheese dip on the stove top. If reheating in the microwave use 50% power for 30-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval.
For fondues and dips, we love to use these biodegradable and compostable birchwood forks.
These fun little sporks are inexpensive, eco-friendly and the perfect replacement for plastic tableware. I found these cuties on a clearance rack in our local grocery store. After a little research I also found a plain version of these sporks available on Amazon. Finally, have some fun and customize your own sporks with event appropriate phrases like ‘Super Bowl’ or ‘Welcome Baby’ etc. Check out the link below for more information or to purchase from Amazon.
Thanks for PINNING!
Let’s be cooking friends! When you try our recipe please feel free to leave a comment on this post. I’m sure your experience and insights will help all our readers, and it helps me too. Also, if you’re on Pinterest feel free to leave a comment and photo there if you have one! If you share on INSTAGRAM tag @savingroomfordessert so we can stop by and give your post some love. And we’d be very happy if you’d FOLLOW Saving Room for Dessert on FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| PINTEREST | TWITTER and subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel for all the latest recipes, videos and updates. Thank you!!!
PRINT THE RECIPE!
Beer Cheese Dip with pretzel nuggets
Ingredients
For the pretzel nuggets:
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup baking soda
- 14 - 16 ounces fresh or frozen pizza dough, room temperature
- 1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse salt
For the beer cheese dip:
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces American cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- dash granulated garlic, or garlic powder
- 1 cup beer, plus more for thinning, if needed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
To prepare the pretzel nuggets:
- Bring pizza dough to room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Line a large baking pan with parchment paper; set aside. Place folded paper towels on a plate and set near the stove.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Add the water to a large pot and stir in the baking soda until dissolved. Heat on high to a rolling boil.
- On a lightly floured work surface, press or roll the pizza dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips. Cut each of the strips into 1x1-inch nuggets. You can roll the pizza dough into balls or leave the dough in nugget form, which is easier and really works great.
- Gently place 6-7 pretzel nuggets to the boiling water and allow them to cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. Remove the nuggets with a slotted spoon and place on the paper towel lined plate. Once dried, transferthe nuggets to the prepared baking pan spaced about ½-inch apart. Repeat with the remaining nuggets.
- Brush the dough balls with the beaten egg. Sprinkle each nugget with a pinch of coarse salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
To prepare the beer cheese dip:
- While the pretzel nuggets bake, prepare the cheese dip.
- In a large bowl combine the shredded cheddar and American cheese. Add the cornstarch, cayenne powder and granulated garlic. Toss until combined.
- In a small cast iron skillet or heavy bottom saucepan, add the beer and mustard and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly whisk in the cheese mixture, 1 handful at a time. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the cheese dip is melted and smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately. Thin with additional beer if needed.
Recipe Notes
- Soft Pretzel Nuggets recipe adapted from savory online
Nutrition
No cleanup required! Use biodegradable, compostable birchwood sporks
These fun little 4″ compostable wooden sporks are sturdy, mini size alternatives to plastic dinnerware. With a well polished smooth surface, they’re made of 100% natural Birch wood, are completely biodegradable and compostable. These green products are non-toxic, made with no harmful chemicals, and are much better for our health and planet. Click on the photo for more information or to purchase from Amazon.
Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.
Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:
Greek Layered Hummus Dip
Easy Jalapeño Popper Dip
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I honestly could eat every bit of this platter in one sitting 🙂 Perfect football watching food!
Tricia Buice
It is a little dangerous Jennifer 😉 Thanks so much, and I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.
Chris Scheuer
What a wonderful, deeelicious idea! And so easy with the frozen pizza dough! Looks perfect for entertaining a crowd!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Chris! Who can resist a luscious cheese dip? Not me 🙂