Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Pretzels
Spinach artichoke stuffed pretzels are extra fluffy soft pretzels stuffed with a cheesy spinach artichoke filling! This recipe makes 6 warm and buttery pretzels that make the best appetizer or snack idea for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese diced into small cubes
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed *measure first, then squeeze the water out of it*
- 1 cup marinated artichokes chopped
For the Dough
- 3 ½ cups + 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon light brown sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup water about 110 F
For the Boil & Bake
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- lightly beaten egg for washing
- flaky sea salt
- melted butter for brushing after they are baked
Instructions
Make the Spinach Artichoke Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, spinach, and artichokes together until creamy. Set aside.
Make the Soft Pretzel Dough
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast together. Then pour in the warm water.
- Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 5 minutes until a ball of dough forms and cleans the sides of the bowl. It should feel soft and tacky but not sticky. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Rest for 10 minutes
- Portion the dough into 6 equal pieces. This is best done with a kitchen scale. Each portion should weigh 127 g each.
- Working to complete one portion of dough at a time, roll each dough ball into a 12-inch rope. Keep the other portions of dough loosely covered with plastic wrap or a towel to keep them from drying out.
- Then use a rolling pin to roll the rope width-wise, so that it is now at least 4 inches wide.
- Spoon 4 tablespoon of the artichoke filling along the length of the center of the dough, leaving at least a ½ inch border clean on top and bottom. *see process shots in the post for a visual*
- Stretch the bottom length of the dough up and over the filling. Press your fingers to seal the edge. Then fold the top of the dough down to the center of the rope and pinch the edge into the dough to completely seal in the filling.
- Gently roll and stretch the rope out to make it longer so that it is now 24 inches long.
- Make a U-shape with the rope then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other twice and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.
- Place the formed pretzel on a lined tray. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Each tray should have 3 pretzels on them. Once all of them are shaped, let them rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C.
- When you have about 5 minutes left in the rise, start boiling 4 cups of water. When the water is boiling, mix in the baking soda and mix to dissolve.
- Carefully drop one pretzel at a time and boil for 30 seconds. Splash some of the water onto the center of the pretzel. Then use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer it back to the baking tray.
- Lightly brush the pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt. Bake one tray at a time for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are a dark golden brown.
- Right after baking, brush the tops with melted butter and serve warm!
Video
Notes
Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
recipe tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Don't use extra flour. This dough should feel dense and soft but not sticky. Dusting the dough with extra flour or sprinkling it on your surface will make the dough too dry and make it difficult to roll them out.
- Let the dough rest. If you notice your dough is shrinking and resisting being rolled or stretched, let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
- Don't overfill them. I know it can be tempting to add more filling to the pretzels than indicated but the dough will burst entirely if over-stuffed.
- Keep your hands clean. When filling the pretzels, keep a damp paper towel nearby to wipe your hands after filling the center. If you spread the cream cheese on the dough when sealing it, the dough won't seal properly!
- Baking times may vary: All ovens are different, and your pretzels may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend always checking on them occasionally and looking for a brown color to know when they are done baking.
- Reheating: If needed, reheat the pretzels in a 350 F/180 C oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Fridge: Due to the cream cheese filling, any leftovers are best stored in the fridge for 1 day. You can reheat them from the fridge as instructed above.
- Freezer: Store any leftovers in a freezer bag or airtight container. To reheat from frozen, bake them at 325 F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.