What is a party without food? The answer to that question depends on who you ask. However, when it comes to parties with kids, there are some things that are pretty much guaranteed: pizza, chips and salsa, cookies – the list goes on. One of my favorite appetizers for parties (especially in the summer) is cheezy stuffed pretzel bites. They take about 15 minutes to make if you have all of your ingredients prepped before hand and they are always a crowd pleaser!
This recipe is perfect for parties because it can be made ahead of time (or in advance) when you have a little more free time on your hands to do some cooking. You may want to make them the night before even so they are ready by game-time or whenever people start arriving for food! They also happen to be gluten-free as well which means that everyone will love these stuffed pretzels bites without any worry about allergies affecting party goers with special dietary needs.
Ingredients: Flour tortillas – 12 small ones; Grated Parmesan cheese – ¼ cup; Dry bread crumbs – ¾ cup, but feel free to increase to ½ cup if you want them to be really crunchy and flavorful; Grated mozzarella cheese – ¼ cup, but feel free to increase this amount if you like a lot of cheesy flavor as well.
Directions: If making ahead of time, break the tortillas into eighths before baking so that they can fit in your pan for baking. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together dry bread crumbs with grated Parmesan and then mix in grated mozzarella while still mixing carefully until it becomes nice and clumpy (think stuffing). Spread out flour tortilla pieces onto a large tray or on a cutting board. Take one eighth at a time, place about an inch worth of filling onto one side of the tortilla, and then top with another eighth to make a sandwich. Roll it up into little balls so that you have an even amount on each side. Make sure they are really tight rolls because the cheese will ooze out otherwise.
Line your baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up later (or just use your ovens rack) before placing them in rows across the pan/tray. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes until browned all over and slightly crisp on outside edges but still soft inside: adjust cooking time as needed based on desired texture preference! If making ahead of time, cool down completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and storing in refrigerator until ready to serve.
These are perfect for any party or holiday gathering, and you’ll never believe how easy they are to make! Kids will love them too, so if your family is hosting a themed celebration these would be great as an appetizer idea.
The recipe can also easily be doubled or tripled depending on the number of people coming over- just adjust cooking time accordingly! If you don’t have pretzel bites on hand (you really should!), regular breadsticks could work in place of those instead- one package makes around 30 which this recipe calls for 16. Another option for skipping out on carbs altogether is using tortilla chips- I typically use two bags worth but it’s up to preference. Enjoy 🙂
Additional tips:
-Can also be made with raw vegetables or fruit. Great for kids!
-Wrap the pieces of cheese and cut vegetable up in a square shape, then wrap in dough before rolling into a ball shape.
-Bake at 350F degrees until golden brown. Serve warm as an appetizer.
-These are best served freshly out of the oven while they’re still soft to the touch, but will keep well refrigerated if need be.
-These are best served warm but can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
Sides dishes!
A simple side of Caesar salad is an easy choice, or for a heartier option try our Potato Bacon Cheddar Soup. Want to really knock their socks off? Serve these Cheezy Stuffed Pretzel Bites alongside our Braised Kielbasa and Beer Cheese Mashed Potatoes; the perfect meal!
Some people even like to add the Cheezy Stuffed Pretzel Bites to their meal and serve it as a appetizer.
Need something else? Try one of these:
– Traditional Cheese with Sliced Apples and Walnuts
– Melted Cheddar & Jack Cheese with Chopped Bacon, Tomato, Avocado & Jalapeno on Sourdough Toast
Cheesy stuffing is sandwiched between two pretzels into bite size pieces that are baked until golden brown for dipping in your favorite sauces such as tomato sauce or ranch dressing! These tasty bites taste best when served warm but they also make for easy party foods because you can prepare them ahead of time. You may top them off with chopped green onions if desired; this will add a little more flavor to the bites.
-Cheese
-Pretzels
-Eggs
-Bread crumbs (optional)
-Salt & pepper (to your liking)
Mix eggs, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper in a shallow plate or bowl.
Cut pretzels into bite-sized pieces and cheese into small cubes, toss with eggs mixture until well coated.
Place on greased baking sheet; press down to form an even layer of dough.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then broil for about 30 seconds, watching closely so they don’t burn too quickly (watch carefully). Cool slightly before serving because they are hot!