Budweiser came out with a zero-carb beer called Next. When I saw it in the store I had to buy it. It was a total impulse buy. It is a super light and crisp beer just as the packaging indicates. I would even say that it was almost like a seltzer. With my beer in hand, I started dreaming of Keto beer bread, beer brats, beer can chicken and beer cheese. What would be better than pretzels and beer cheese? It was my first attempt at both, and I had no idea how they would turn out, but they ended up turning out beautifully!
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Bites:
2 cups almond flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 cups shredded mozzarella
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. xanthum gum
For the Beer Cheese:
12 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Dash of hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can Next Beer made by Bud Light
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray generously with cooking spray. Whisk together almond flour and baking powder.
Microwave mozzarella and cream cheese in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the mixture is smooth.
Add dry ingredients to the cheese mixture and stir. Add eggs and mix until smooth.
Divide dough into 16 portions. Roll into balls. and place on the baking sheet. Using a knife, cut an X on the top of the dough ball.
In a small bowl, combine the egg and some water to form an egg wash. Brush the pretzel balls with the egg wash using a basting brush.
Sprinkle the tops of the pretzel balls with coarse salt.
Bake for 12 minutes. Then, broil at 200 degrees for 2 minutes, watching carefully, so they do not burn.
While the pretzel bites are in the oven, prepare the beer cheese. In a saucepan, heat the cheese and milk until the cheese is melted and smooth. You can add more cheese if you want a thicker consistency.
Add all the spices, Worcestershire, hot sauce and Dijon mustard. Stir until combined.
Add the beer and stir until the foam dissipates and all ingredients are heated through. You want the beer cheese to be smooth, but not really thick so that it is dippable.
Serve the beer cheese with the pretzel bites. Break the pretzel bites in half to dip in the cheese for the BEST KETO APPETIZER EVER!! I say that all the time, so you can take that with a grain of salt.
Keto Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese
Equipment
- 1 large baking sheet
- 1 Medium sauce pan
- 1 Large spoon
- 1 Set of tongs
- Mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- For the Pretzel Bites:
- 2 cups Almond flour
- 1 Tbsp Baking powder
- 3 cups Mozzarella, shredded
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp. Xanthum gum
- For the Beer Cheese:
- 12 Tbsp. Butter
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. 1/2 tsp. Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
- Dash of hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 can Next Beer made by Bud Light
- 2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray generously with cooking spray.
- Whisk together almond flour and baking powder in a bowl.
- Microwave mozzarella and cream cheese in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the mixture is smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to the cheese mixture and stir.
- Add eggs and mix until smooth.
- Divide dough into 16 portions. Roll into balls. and place on the baking sheet. Using a knife, cut an X on the top of the dough ball.
- Combine the egg and some water in a small bowl to form an egg wash. Brush the pretzel balls with the egg wash using a basting brush.
- Sprinkle the tops of the pretzel balls with coarse salt.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Then, broil at 200 degrees for 2 minutes, watching carefully, so they do not burn.
- In a saucepan, heat the cheese and milk until the cheese is melted and smooth. You can add more cheese if you want a thicker consistency.
- Add all the spices, Worcestershire, hot sauce and Dijon mustard. Stir until combined.
- Add the beer and stir until the foam dissipates and all ingredients are heated through. You want the beer cheese to be smooth, but not really thick so that it is dippable.
- Serve the beer cheese with the pretzel bites. Break the pretzel bites in half to dip in the cheese.
