Beer Cheese Dip with pretzel nuggets

A small bowl of beer cheese dip served with pretzel nuggets

5 from 3 votes

Warm and creamy Beer Cheese Dip served with fresh baked soft pretzel nuggets - a great little appetizer for any occasion!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beer cheese dip, cheese dip, pretzel

Servings:

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Tricia

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.

Notes

Soft Pretzel Nuggets recipe adapted from savory online

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition