⏳ Yield & Time

Yield: 12 servings

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

🍽 Ingredients

• 1 cup Warm Water (105-115°F)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Beer
• 4 slices Bacon
• ½ cup, grated Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cup Butter, softened

📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This is crucial for perfectly baked sliders—trust me on this one!
2. In a large bowl, prepare the pretzel dough. Mix 1 cup warm water (105-115°F), 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until foamy. It's like magic, I swear!
3. Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ cup of your favorite beer. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Now, it's kneading time.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it seems too sticky, add a little more flour. If it's too dry, add a tiny bit of water.
5. Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.Patience, young padawan!
6. While the dough rises, prepare the bacon-cheddar filling. Cook bacon until crispy then crumble. Grate the cheddar cheese. Simple as that.
7. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball and flatten them with your hands or a rolling pin to about ¼ inch thick. These will be your slider bases.
8. Place the slider bases on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure there's some space between them; you don't want them sticking together!
9. In a small saucepan, gently heat up the remaining ½ cup of beer. Add ¼ cup of softened butter and mix well for a nice shiny glaze.
10. Bake the sliders in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep an eye on them, to avoid them from burning!
11. Remove them from the oven and immediately brush the tops with the beer-butter glaze. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and grated cheddar cheese. Oh, the aroma!
12. Bake again for another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts beautifully and starts to bubble. This is where things get really exciting.
13. Let the sliders cool slightly before serving. I usually can't wait that long, but hey...

📝 Notes

• Make sure your yeast is fresh for the best rise!
• For extra flavor, try adding some caraway seeds to the dough.
• Don’t overbake the pretzels—they should be golden brown, not burnt!