This Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip is the ultimate appetizer with soft, golden-brown pretzel rolls baked right alongside a rich, creamy beer cheese dip—all in one skillet! The pretzels are perfectly chewy with a hint of salt (I could eat them alone!), while the warm, melty cheese dip is loaded with sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and crispy bacon. If you love warm, melty cheese dips as much as I do, you have to try my Skillet Queso Dip next! It’s just as rich and creamy but with a bold Tex-Mex twist.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rolls: Look for a package of frozen Rhodes rolls for this recipe. There are a couple of options for thawing the rolls, and either works fine for this recipe. (Check the package instructions.) Brush the rolls with an egg wash and sprinkle them with kosher salt. I only used 9 rolls, so save the other rolls for another recipe like my Pizza Dip!
- Baking Soda: Adding baking soda to the boiling water helps create the signature soft pretzel taste, chewy texture, and deep golden-brown color.
- Beer: A lager (Budweiser, Yuengling, Sam Adams) or pilsner (Stella, Miller Lite) beer works best for this beer cheese dip. A wheat beer (like a Blue Moon) would also be delicious!
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a little tangy flavor that makes the cheese taste even better. It helps balance the rich, creamy cheese so it’s not too heavy. Mustard also goes really well with both cheese and pretzels! If you don’t have Dijon mustard, you can use yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard.
- Cream Cheese: The cream cheese brings some extra creaminess to the dip!
- Cheese: I added both sharp white cheddar and sharp yellow cheddar cheese to the dip, reserving some for the topping, too. The cheesier, the better! You can also add cheeses like Gruyère, Monterey Jack, Fontina, or Pepper Jack for extra flavor. Or, mix and match with your favorites!
- Bacon: You can cook the bacon and crumble it ahead of time. Check out how to bake bacon for perfectly crispy bacon and easy clean-up every time!
Can You Make The Pretzel Rolls Ahead Of Time?
Yes! You can make the pretzel rolls and set them up in the skillet the day before. Here’s how:
- Make the pretzel rolls and place them in the skillet, but don’t add the beer cheese dip yet. Cover the skillet with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, take the skillet out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the beer cheese dip in the center of the rolls just before baking, then follow the rest of the baking instructions.
This way, you can make it ahead of time and bake it when you’re ready!
Can You Make Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip Without Beer?
Yes, you can make this Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip without beer! If you prefer to skip the beer, you can substitute it with an equal amount of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or non-alcoholic beer (there are some really good ones out there!) for a similar flavor and texture.
What Else Can You Serve With Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip Besides Pretzels?
Besides pretzels, you can serve Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip with a variety of other dippable options! Here are some ideas:
- Crusty bread slices or baguette slices
- Vegetables like carrots, celery, or bell pepper strips
- Homemade tortilla chips or crispy pita chips
- Soft breadsticks
- Roasted potatoes or potato wedges
- Chips like kettle chips or ridged potato chips (I also have delicious homemade potato chips!)
- Cooked sausages or bite-sized meatballs
What is your favorite?
Can You Make Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip Without A Skillet?
Sure! If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can use a 9×13-inch baking dish, a 9-inch square dish, or a deep pie dish. Just arrange the pretzel dough around the edges, leaving space in the middle for the cheese dip. Different baking dishes may change the cooking time a little, so watch for the pretzels to turn golden brown.
How To Store Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip
To store leftover Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip, first, let it cool completely. Then, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or transfer everything to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat the whole dish (if in an oven-safe dish) in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until it’s heated through. You might want to cover it with foil while reheating to prevent the pretzels from getting too dry.
Pretzel Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
Pretzel Rolls
- 9 frozen Rhodes roll dough, thawed according to package instructions
- 10 cups water
- ⅔ cup (147 g) baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Beer Cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) light beer, such as lager or pilsner
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ cups (169.5 g) sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 ½ cups (169.5 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- chives, chopped for garnish
Instructions
Pretzel rolls
- Lightly spray a large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Set out a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface.
- Cut each thawed roll in half to create round dough balls (a total of 18 small dough balls). Set each onto the parchment paper.
- In a large pot over high heat, bring the water and baking soda to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully add the dough pieces, about 5–6 at a time, and boil for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove each piece and transfer it to the prepared skillet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, arranging them around the outer edge of the skillet, leaving the center open for the cheese dip.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with water to make an egg wash. Brush the top of each dough ball with the egg wash. Sprinkle with salt.
- Set aside while you prepare the beer cheese dip.
Beer Cheese Dip
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly whisk in the beer until smooth. Then, add Dijon mustard, paprika, cream cheese, and most of the crumbled bacon (reserving 2 tablespoons for topping). Stir frequently until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of white cheddar and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, reserving ½ cup of each for the topping. Continue stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the cheese mixture into the center of the skillet, surrounded by the pretzel rolls. Top the cheese dip mixture with the remaining cheese and reserved bacon.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the pretzel rolls are golden brown and cooked through, and the cheese is bubbling in the center.
- Let rest 5 minutes to allow the dip to thicken slightly.
- Serve warm, topped with chives for garnish.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This reminds me of one of my favorite stadium snacks, but better! I love the bacon in there.
Elizabeth
Pretzels and cheese…yes, please! I love this.
Stephanie
I love the bold cheddar flavor with the hint of beer. The pretzels baked right in the skillet is awesome!
Annabelle
The pretzel bites are so soft, and the cheese is super gooey. I kept dipping until it was all gone, I couldn't stop!
Bella
I wasn’t sure about the beer cheese at first, but wow—so smooth and delicious!
Thanks for this recipe! Holy Moley – looks disgustingly, decadently delicious!! This recipe is going into my Game Day pile!! Now I can’t wait for football season to resume. I’m like some in that I don’t like or drink beer, but I love to cook with it/love the flavor of it in food – in your opinion, do you think the Guinness Extra Stout I use would be good in this beer cheese, or would it make it too bitter?
I don’t know where to find or even what is Rhodes Roll Dough.
Rhodes rolls come in a bag and can be found in the frozen foods aisle. They start yummy and taste like home made rolls.
Love all your recipes