Biscuit Dough Pretzel …Blobs?

Posted on by Standard

The algorithm wanted me to try the canned biscuit dough pretzel bites. It kept coming up. I kept clicking. I posted about it on social media asking questions. I looked at recipes online. They all had different methods! Are these people even trying their own recipes? They’re wildly different.

As far as my pretzel tastes: I like Auntie Anne’s the best, SuperPretzel is the gold standard, and Philly Pretzel Factory is passable.

A table laying out the different methods of prepping pretzel bites with egg wash, butter, boiling in baking soda, or just a baking soda bath.
Crazy Biscuit Dough Pretzel Blob Table

I decided to try some different methods, & bounce it off of AI to get a cooking time/temp. I put the following into Gemini, ChatGPT, & Perplexity:

Hello.  I have seen many recipes for pretzel bites made from pre-made canned biscuit dough online.  There are so many variations, I was wondering if you could recommend one singular method as to time and temperature.  I would like to bake them in the oven.  My oven has traditional, convection, and air fry settings.  Can you suggest a time, temperature, and setting?

Also, I am having trouble deciding if boiling in baking soda water, or just coating in baking soda water is the way to go.  Also, what is the best ratio of water to baking soda?

And, I hear egg wash and just a melted butter wash are good ways to coat them before baking.  Would you use the whole egg, or just the whites or yolks?  Can you do both?

I am tempted to bake pretzels in 4 quadrants, one quarter each of them in the following combos;

  • Boiled in baking soda water / Egg wash.
  • Boiled in baking soda water / Melted butter.
  • Coated in baking soda water / Egg wash
  • Coated in baking soda water / Melted butter

Do you think that would solve most of my questions?  Can you put together the baking time & temp, and baking soda solution measurements and boiling or coating times?

Here’s what they said:

Here's a breakdown of how to make delicious pretzel bites from biscuit dough: 1. Baking Soda Solution: Water: 8 cups Baking Soda: 1/2 cup 2. Boiling vs. Coating: Boiling: Bring the baking soda solution to a rolling boil in a large pot. Carefully drop in a few pretzel bites at a time for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Coating: In a shallow dish, combine the baking soda and water. Dip each pretzel bite into the solution to coat completely. Let excess drip off before placing them on the prepared baking sheet. 3. Egg Wash vs. Butter Wash: Egg Wash: Whisk together 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush generously over the pretzel bites. Butter Wash: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Brush evenly over the pretzel bites. 4. Baking: Oven Setting: Convection Bake is generally recommended for even cooking. Temperature: 400°F (200°C) Time: 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. 5. Your 4-Quadrant Experiment: Your idea of baking four batches with different combinations is a fantastic way to compare and find your favorite! Here's a summary: Quadrant 1: Boiled in baking soda water + Egg wash Quadrant 2: Boiled in baking soda water + Melted butter Quadrant 3: Coated in baking soda water + Egg wash Quadrant 4: Coated in baking soda water + Melted butter Tips & Considerations: Biscuit Dough: Use your favorite brand or make your own! Shape: You can shape the biscuit dough into balls, twists, or any other desired shape. Salt: Sprinkle with coarse salt immediately after brushing with the egg or butter wash. Cooling: Let the pretzel bites cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy your homemade pretzel bites! I hope this comprehensive guide helps you create the perfect batch. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Gemini’s Answer
You’ve got a great experiment in mind! Let’s break this down and get you set up for pretzel bite perfection. Here's a streamlined approach to your method and testing: Baking Instructions Preheat oven: Convection setting: 400°F (best for even browning and crispiness). Traditional oven: 425°F (slightly higher temp compensates for lack of air circulation). Baking time: 8–12 minutes. Start checking at 8 minutes. Pretzel bites should be golden brown and puffed. Baking Soda Water Solution Ratio: 4 cups water to 1/4 cup baking soda. This concentration gives the pretzel flavor and helps create a chewy, golden crust. Method: Boiling: Bring the solution to a boil. Boil the dough pieces for 20–30 seconds per batch, flipping halfway. Drain on a wire rack before coating. Coating: Dip the dough pieces in the baking soda solution for about 15–20 seconds, then place them directly on the baking sheet. Washes Egg wash: Use one whole egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon of water for a shiny and slightly firmer crust. (Egg whites alone will give more shine but less flavor; yolks alone will create a deeper color but softer finish.) Melted butter: Brush after baking for a rich, soft finish. Optionally, sprinkle with coarse salt immediately after brushing. Your Experiment: Quadrant Plan Here’s how to organize the quadrants: Pretreatment Wash Notes Boiled Egg wash Classic shiny pretzel crust. Boiled Butter Rich, soft crust with chew. Coated Egg wash Less chewy but still glossy. Coated Butter Softest, richest option. Steps for Your Test Divide the biscuit dough into even pieces (about 1 inch each). Prepare the baking soda solution. Treat the dough using your boiling and coating methods. Place the treated dough pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Apply your chosen washes to the corresponding groups. Bake on convection at 400°F for 8–12 minutes. Post-Bake Notes Once baked, taste-test the results. The differences in texture, shine, and flavor between the methods should help you decide your favorite! Let me know how the experiment goes—I’d love to hear about your results!
GhatGPT’s Answer
Answer I'll help you navigate the best method for making biscuit pretzel bites based on the search results. Recommended Baking Method Temperature: 425°F Setting: Traditional oven setting Baking Time: 8-15 minutes (until deep golden brown) Baking Soda Solution The most consistent recommendation is to fully boil the biscuit pieces in a baking soda bath, not just coat them. The recommended ratio is: 4 cups water 1/4 to 1/2 cup baking soda Boiling Process Bring water to a boil Dissolve baking soda completely Boil biscuit pieces for 15-20 seconds Use a slotted spoon to remove pieces Coating Options For the best results, I recommend using an egg wash. Here's why: Egg wash provides a more golden, glossy finish You can use the whole beaten egg Alternatively, you can use melted butter Experimental Approach Your idea of baking four quadrants with different methods is excellent. This will help you determine the best technique. Here's a structured approach: Quadrant Baking Soda Treatment Coating Expected Result 1 Boiled Egg wash Likely best traditional pretzel texture 2 Boiled Melted butter Softer, more buttery finish 3 Coated Egg wash Less authentic pretzel texture 4 Coated Melted butter Least pretzel-like Pro Tips Cut each biscuit into 4-9 pieces Sprinkle with coarse salt immediately after coating Serve immediately for best taste and texture
Perplexity’s Answer

I’ll try to link to the full answers here too, as I did keep all 3 conversations going for a bit with different queries.

They looked OK for the most part. I had two cans of pre-made biscuit dough, both were Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle. One was Butter Tastin’, one was Buttermilk. Butter Tastin’ was tray 1, Buttermilk was tray 2. I tried all the things. Baked at 425° for 8 minutes. The boiled ones puffed up a bit, I only let them go for 15 seconds using Alexa as my timer, as I read that boiling too long in the baking soda can give you a metallic taste. The baking soda bath was in warm water… I only left them in for as long as it took me to boil the other ones. I did forget to put salt on until halfway through cooking. I used the coarse salt grinder.

A photo of 64 pretzel bites made form pre-made biscuit dough across two trays (& parchment paper) & a few cooking methods.
Pre-Made Biscuit Dough Pretzel Blobs by AiXeLsyD13

I broke each quadrant down & gave it a letter, & a really short summary…

8 pretzel bites on a plate, labeled A through H.
Absolute 🥨 Shenanigans
  • A | Butter Tastin’ / Boiled in Baking Soda / Egg Wash – Most pretzel-like texture. Needed baked a bit more.
  • B | Butter Tastin’ / Boiled in Baking Soda / Butter Wash – Seemed like crunchy biscuits.
  • C | Butter Tastin’ / Baking Soda Bath / Egg Wash – Tasted burnt-ish.
  • D | Butter Tastin’ / Baking Soda Bath / Butter Wash – Straight up biscuit.
  • E | Buttermilk / Boiled in Baking Soda / Egg Wash – The outside was very pretzely.
  • F | Buttermilk / Boiled in Baking Soda / Butter Wash – Close to a pretzel. -ish.
  • G | Buttermilk / Baking Soda Bath / Egg Wash – Good… but crunchy. Maybe baked less time?
  • H | Buttermilk / Baking Soda Bath / Butter Wash – Very biscuit-like.

So, that was a thing. Definitely going boiled, & egg wash next time. May seek out some coarse salt or pretzel salt. I may try it at 400° on the convection setting for 8 minutes, or a little longer on the regular setting at 425°. Also, may try cooking on a baking rack & cooling on a cooling rack. I may go got more traditional biscuit dough too, instead of what I had. At the end of the day, these all tasted great dipped in some Herlocher’s. I just wish I had some beer left, but I used my last can of Straub Amber making BBQ pulled pork sandwiches (and rocking out) today. Also, gotta try some with cheese in the middle, right?

Also, I know they’re not perfect yet, but these AI chat bots can REALLY help consolidate / create recipes pulled from so many online sources. It seems like you can search for 5 recipes, & get 7 different cooking times & temperatures at the very least. Then, like my stuff, if there’s no “Jump to Recipe” button, you gotta use Cooked.Wiki, JustTheRecipe.com, or Just The Recipe. As of now, the AI bots are not riddled with advertising and paid ad placement/rankings. They all have their strengths & weaknesses.

Here’s where you hit me up in the comments and/or on social media with your tried-and-true pretzel & pretzel bite methods. I’m not really all that super interested in making dough, so that’s why the canned dough piqued my interest. And, have you used AI prompts for cooking or anything else interesting lately?

5 thoughts on “Biscuit Dough Pretzel …Blobs?”

  2. Meta AI had this to say via the Instagram chat…

    I’d be happy to help you with your pretzel bites recipe. Here’s a comprehensive guide to answer your questions:

    Baking Time and Temperature:

    For oven baking, I recommend using the traditional setting. Convection can be used, but it might affect the texture.

    – Temperature: 400°F (200°C)

    – Time: 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

    Baking Soda Solution:

    The classic ratio for a baking soda bath is:

    – 1 cup water

    – 1 tablespoon baking soda

    You can adjust the ratio to 1.5 or 2 tablespoons of baking soda for a more intense flavor.

    Boiling vs. Coating:

    Both methods work, but boiling provides a more authentic pretzel crust. If you’re short on time, coating is a good alternative.

    – Boiling time: 30 seconds to 1 minute per side

    – Coating time: Simply brush the solution onto the pretzels

    Egg Wash vs. Melted Butter:

    Both options are delicious, and you can experiment with different combinations.

    – Egg wash:

    Beat 1 whole egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the mixture onto the pretzels.

    – Melted butter:

    Melt 2-3 tablespoons butter. Brush the melted butter onto the pretzels.

    Quadrant Experiment:

    Your idea of dividing the pretzels into four quadrants is genius! This will indeed help you determine which combination works best for you. Go for it!

    To summarize:

    1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) using the traditional setting.

    2. Prepare the baking soda solution (1 cup water, 1 tablespoon baking soda).

    3. Divide the pretzels into four quadrants:

    – Boiled in baking soda water / Egg wash

    – Boiled in baking soda water / Melted butter

    – Coated in baking soda water / Egg wash

    – Coated in baking soda water / Melted butter

    4. Bake the pretzels for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

    Have fun experimenting, and enjoy your delicious homemade pretzel bites!

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  3. This is what Meta AI had to say via Facebook:

    To provide a singular method for baking pretzel bites using canned biscuit dough, I’ll suggest a combination that yields a delicious and authentic pretzel flavor.# Baking SettingsFor baking, I recommend using the convection setting, which helps distribute heat evenly and promotes browning.# Temperature and TimePreheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the pretzel bites for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.# Baking Soda SolutionFor the baking soda solution, mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup of water. This ratio helps create a gentle alkaline environment, which aids in browning and gives pretzels their characteristic flavor.# Boiling vs. CoatingBoth boiling and coating methods can produce great results. Boiling helps create a more pronounced crust, while coating provides a lighter, more subtle flavor. For your experiment, you can try both methods to see which one you prefer.# Boiling TimeIf you choose to boil, submerge the shaped pretzel bites in the baking soda solution for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.# Coating TimeIf you choose to coat, brush the baking soda solution onto the shaped pretzel bites evenly.# Egg Wash vs. Melted ButterBoth egg wash and melted butter can enhance the flavor and appearance of your pretzels. For an egg wash, beat 1 whole egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash onto the pretzels before baking. For a melted butter wash, melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter and brush it onto the pretzels before baking.# Experimenting with QuadrantsYour idea of dividing the pretzels into four quadrants to test different combinations is an excellent approach! This will allow you to compare the results of boiling vs. coating and egg wash vs. melted butter.Here’s a summary of the baking settings, temperature, and time, as well as the baking soda solution measurements and boiling/coating times:*Baking Settings*- Convection setting- Temperature: 400°F (200°C)- Time: 12-14 minutes*Baking Soda Solution*- 1 tablespoon baking soda- 1 cup water*Boiling/Coating*- Boiling: 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side- Coating: Brush the baking soda solution evenly onto the pretzels*Egg Wash/Melted Butter*- Egg wash: Beat 1 whole egg with 1 tablespoon of water- Melted butter wash: Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butterBy following these guidelines and experimenting with different combinations, you’ll be able to find your perfect pretzel bite recipe!

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