How do you thicken beer cheese?

While the beer heating up, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the boiling beer, whisking constantly to fully incorporate it. Bring the beer back up to a boil, at which point the cornstarch slurry will slightly thicken the beer.

What do they dip pretzels in?

Traditional Bavarian pretzels are dipped in a lye solution before they are baked. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is essentially the same stuff that's used to make soap and clean drains. It can even dissolve glass.

What makes cheese dip thicker?

For a cheese dip or sauce, the addition of cornstarch serves a similar function: Starch molecules absorb water and expand , not only thickening the liquid phase of the sauce, but also physically preventing the proteins from binding into long, tangled strands and the fats from separating out and pooling.

Why is my cheese dip watery?

Once a cheese container is opened, the product is exposed to its surroundings where various enzymes can break down the thickness or viscosity of the cheese-based sauce . Use of utensils that have come into contact with saliva (double dipping) or any other food may accelerate the loss of viscosity of the cheese sauce.

What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel?

Lye. The dough is simple; take a basic yeast-risen dough that can be readied in an afternoon. But the trick to great pretzels is dipping the pretzels in a liquid wash before baking — and not just any wash, but a combination of water and lye . That's what gives pretzels their terrific color, texture and flavor.

What is pretzel cheese dip made of?

Cheese dip is a melted cheese sauce which is usually served as an appetizer alongside pretzels, tortilla chips, bread or vegetables. What is pretzel cheese made of? It consists of butter, cheese, milk, cornstarch and seasonings . The milk helps keep the cheese sauce in a smooth consistency.

What is the secret ingredient in pretzels?

According to King Arthur Baking, lye and caustic sodas are used in the process of baking pretzels because lye's reaction to the pretzels, much like baking soda, gives them that chewy texture, light interior, and brown crust.

Are pretzels a healthy snack?

Pretzels may be better than some fatty chips, but four out of five nutrition experts surveyed by Time say if you're trying to eat healthy, pretzels shouldn't be your go-to snack . Although pretzels are low-fat, they are also pretty paltry on the protein and fiber front, and they can be quite high in sodium and carbs.

How do you fix broken beer cheese?

Adding Liquid: If your cheese sauce has started to curdle, the first thing to do is immediately take it off the heat. Adding a splash of the sauce's base liquid, such as cold milk for a milk-based sauce, can help minimize the damage . You can also try adding a splash of wine, beer, or cream.

How do you keep melted cheese liquidy?

You can keep it warm enough that it won't return to its solid state (like keeping ice cold enough that it doesn't melt into water). Unfortunately, if you keep it warm for too long, it will lose that perfect, just-melted quality.

TGI Friday's Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Dip

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

TGI Friday’s Pretzels and Beer Cheese Dip is a recipe that has been requested by so many people just like yourself. These soft pretzels served with creamy beer cheese sauce are simply irresistible.

TGI Friday's Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Dip - CopyKat Recipes (1)

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Making TGI Friday’s Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Dip

TGI Fridays is a casual restaurant I love. They have a wonderful bar and a menu that is constantly changing all of the time.

TGI Friday’s has wonderful pretzel sticks and beer cheese dip and you can make this tasty appetizer at home. Believe it or not, homemade pretzels sticks aren’t difficult to make. You will amaze your family and friends by being so talented!

The beer cheese dip is simple to put together. You just need some American cheese and your favorite beer.

The History of Pretzels

One common origin story about pretzels is that they date back to the year 610 when they were created by an Italian monk. Before baking them, this monk folded pieces of dough so that each one looked like a child crossing its arms in prayer.

He called them pretiolas which means “little rewards” in Italian. He would give out pretiolas to children who had memorized their prayers.

Recorded Evidence – While there is no way to prove the monk story, what is certain is that pretzels were featured on the crests of German bakers’ guilds in the year 1111.

Dating from 1440 is a portrait of St. Bartholomew surrounded by some pretzels in a prayer book belonging to Catherine of Cleves.

The Meaning of Pretzels

Pretzels came to represent spiritual wholeness and good luck. The three holes in the typical shape of a pretzel possibly represented the Holy Trinity.

The pretzel as good luck appeared on New Year’s Day when German children hung pretzels around their necks. In Austria in the 16th Century, pretzels were ornaments on Christmas trees.

And Swiss parents hid little pretzels on Easter for children to find – an early version of an Easter egg hunt.

Also in Switzerland, the pretzel shape represented a marriage knot – the bride and groom would each pull on one side of a pretzel. The person with the larger half brought prosperity to the marriage – kind of like a doughy wishbone tradition.

TGI Friday's Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Dip - CopyKat Recipes (2)

Pretzels in Pennsylvania

In the 1700s, pretzels voyaged across the Atlantic with German immigrants (later called the Pennsylvania Dutch). Today, around 80% of American pretzels come from Pennsylvania.

While it’s estimated that the average American eats two pounds of pretzels in one year, pretzel consumption in Philadelphia shoots up to around twelve pounds of pretzels per Philadelphian per year.

Soft and Hard Pretzels

Early pretzels were soft. There’s a popular legend that hard pretzels came about in 1600 when a baker fell asleep while tending his fire and burned his pretzels to a crisp.

While this is a good story, we do know that in 1861, Julius Sturgis established the first commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania where he developed the hard crunchy salty snacks that we enjoy today.

Beer and Cheese – It’s Better Than Wine and Cheese

Read this interesting article that explains why combining beer with cheese is better than pairing cheese up with wine. My recipe uses American cheese, but you can try other cheeses if you wish.

Homemade Pretzel Sticks and Beer Cheese Sauce

Many of you requested this recipe, and I was happy to develop a new recipe for you. Here we are combining homemade pretzel sticks and an easy to make beer cheese dip.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

Instant Yeast
Sugar
Water
All-purpose flour
Salt
Vegetable oil for oiling a bowl
Baking soda
Egg white
Coarse kosher salt
American cheese
Beer

What Beer to Use in Beer Cheese Sauce

I am using Molson for my beer cheese dip, but you can use any brand of beer that you like. I personally like a hearty beer so this was my choice for this recipe.

I have done a similar beer cheese dip with Coors Light, Spaten Oktoberfest, and a couple of others, all with good results.

If you don’t drink beer, replace the beer with milk and you will have a tasty cheese sauce.

How to Make Pretzel Sticks

Proof yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Pour the proofed yeast in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Add flour and salt. Mix while slowly streaming warm water into the flour until a ball of dough forms then another minute to knead the dough.
Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled.
Punch down and knead the dough on a floured work surface. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll them into small logs. Cut 2 or 3 slits in each.
Cover the dough logs with a towel and let them rise for another 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees while the dough is on the second rise.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add baking soda and sugar.
Drop a few pretzel sticks at a time into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, turning over halfway through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sticks to a baking sheet.
Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse kosher salt.
Bake at 375 degrees until brown, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the pretzel sticks to a wire rack and let them cool for 10 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature with beer cheese dipping sauce.

How to Make Beer Cheese Sauce

Chop the cheese into cubes and place them in a small saucepan with ½ cup of beer.
Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the cheese has melted.

Love TGI Fridays? Try these copycat recipes!

B52 Shot
Baked Potato Skins
Captain Morgan Island Rum Punch
Fried Mozzarella
Jack Daniels Sauce

Favorite Appetizer Recipes

Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
Cream Cheese Wontons
Fried Zucchini Chips
Mini Corn Dogs
Onion Blossom
Southwestern Egg Rolls
Spinach Dip Recipe
Taco Ring

Check out more of my easy bread recipes and the best appetizer recipes here on CopyKat!