Soft Parmesan Pretzels with Warm Beer-Cheese Dip

Yield: 12 pretzels; 2 cups dip

Ingredients

Pretzels

• 1 (13.8 ounce) tube refrigerated pizza crust
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 ounces Stella® Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Warm Beer-Cheese Dip or prepared mustard

Warm Beer-Cheese Dip

• 6 ounces lager or amber-style beer
• 1 (8 ounce) package Crystal Farms Cream Cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12 ounces Laack Brothers Roasted Red Pepper Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
• Soft or hard pretzels

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two 15 x 10-inch baking pans with parchment paper.

Pretzels

1. Unroll pizza crust on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough widthwise into 12 strips, each about 1 inch wide. Carefully stretch each strip into a 24 inch rope. Form each rope into a U shape. Overlap ends, twisting once. Fold ends down; press ends tightly onto the bottom of U to secure pretzel shape.
2. Bring water and baking soda to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Drop pretzels, two at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds, submerging pretzels in boiling water. Remove with a slotted spatula; drain on paper towels. Transfer to prepared pans; brush with egg wash.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine parmesan and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle each pretzel with about 1 tablespoon parmesan mixture.
6. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes longer or until pretzels are golden brown.
7. Serve warm with Warm Beer-Cheese Dip or mustard.

Warm Beer-Cheese Dip

1. Bring beer just to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Whisk in cream cheese and cayenne pepper until smooth.
3. Gradually stir in roasted red pepper jack until melted.
4. Serve warm with pretzels.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin