Pirate's Booty Appetizer

Set sail for flavor with these Pirate’s Booth Appetizers, a fun and festive pirate party snack that combines soft, golden pretzel bites with a creamy, gooey pot-of-gold cheese sauce. Perfect for Pirates of the Caribbean-themed parties, movie nights, or any treasure hunt-inspired celebration, these pretzel nuggets with cheddar cheese dipping sauce are sure to delight kids and adults alike.

Make using refrigerated pizza dough, baking soda, and a rich cheddar sauce, this appetizer is a playful way to add a little pirate magic to your party table. Serve them warm for maximum indulgence — your guests will feel like they’ve struck gold! This recipe was featured on our Pirates of the Caribbean dinner.

Pirate's Booty Appetizer

Serves 4 (makes 32 pretzel bites)

INGREDIENTS:

14 oz. can of refrigerated pizza dough
⅓ cup baking soda
1 egg, beaten
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Unroll refrigerated pizza dough on a large cutting board dusted with flour. Cut dough into 1” wide strips. Next cut each strip into 4” lengths. Roll each 1” x 4” piece of dough into a ball gently tucking ends to form a ball.

3. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat five cups of water and baking soda until boiling. Place six dough balls in boiling water, cooking for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place the dough balls on the lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzel balls.

4. Arrange pretzel balls 1″ apart. Baste with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire baking rack.

5. In the meantime, to make cheese sauce melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until a paste forms. Slowly add milk whisking to combine. Simmer uncovered, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens. Sprinkle in cheese and whisk until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and Dijon mustard. If the cheese sauce is too thick, add in more milk gradually until it is the preferred consistency. Serve pretzel knots on a platter with warm cheese sauce.