If you live in the Midwest, you probably are familiar with Dot’s Seasoned Pretzels. They are a butter braid pretzel that is seasoned with so many good flavors and are incredibly addicting.
Well…back in the 80’s, my family used to make seasoned pretzels before Dot’s came to be.
Obviously, we missed an opportunity but I’m here to tell you that our Original Seasoned Pretzel Recipe will not only save you a little money but will also become a new favorite at graduation parties, game day gatherings and daily noshings!
And if you love these, I’m pretty sure you’ll love the spicy Southwest pretzels and honey mustard pretzel flavors. And the cinnamon sugar version is a great sweet snack. And each one is so easy to shake and make and beyond good!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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Homemade seasoned pretzels. That reason enough? If not, there’s more:
- Bold flavor. A little salty, a little spice and a little citrusy zing. These easy snacking pretzels have got flavor galore!
- Easy to make. If you can open a few bags of pretzels, toss some herbs and spices together in a bowl and shimmy and shake, you can make this snack.
- Unlimited serving ideas. Your partner invited some friends over at the last minute for cocktails? Meet the best bar snack! Got a group of teens hanging in the basement watching a movie? Popcorn step aside…
Ingredients You’ll Need
Get ready for one of the easiest snack recipes ever! Here’s all you’ll need:
- Butter braid pretzels. If you have Meijer in your area, their brand works perfect.
- Can’t find a butter braid pretzel? A butter snap pretzel (which is a little like a waffle) is a great substitute.
- Seasoning blend. A surprising combo of ingredients come together to make the best seasoned pretzels…lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, ranch dressing mix and dill.
Beyond good.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED
2 brown paper bags from the grocery store
How to Make Seasoned Pretzels
Start with those 2 grocery bags (TIP: ask them to double bag your groceries the next time you go to the store use the outside ones for this recipe. Or buy a couple at Aldi.)
Pour the pretzels into the clean double-lined grocery bag.
In a small bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients together [1]. Pour the ingredients right over the pretzels [2].
Hint: You can also put the seasoning blend in the bag first, gently shake the pretzels before the next step [1].
- Slowly drizzle the oil over the seasoned pretzels [2].
- Fold the bag closed and gently shake the pretzels to evenly coat them with the seasoning and oil. Trust me….it works!
- Set the bag on a counter with a little plastic wrap underneath to catch any residual oil.
From Our Original Recipe
Break up large salted sourdough pretzels into pieces to substitute for butter braids. Adds such great texture!
Seasoned pro pretzel tips
- Do start with a less oil at first, shake the bag and then add more oil to coat the pretzels.
- Don’t substitute for the brown paper bags. They offer absorbency allowing the seasoning to coat the pretzels perfectly.
Made this recipe?
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The Original Seasoned Pretzels Recipe (Dot’s Copycat)
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Equipment
- 2 brown paper grocery bags
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 oz package buttermilk ranch dressing mix, or 2 Tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, garlic powder
- ¼ teaspooon cayenne pepper
- 2 bags butter braid pretzels, each 10 oz bags
- ½ cup canola oil, or unsalted butter
Instructions
- Open the grocery bags and place one inside the other.
- Pour the pretzels into the doubled up grocery bag2 bags butter braid pretzels
- Mix all the herbs, seasoning and dressing pack in a small bowl and sprinkle over pretzels in bag.½ teaspoon lemon pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 oz package buttermilk ranch dressing mix, ½ teaspoon dried dill weed, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspooon cayenne pepper, ½ cup canola oil
- Pour oil over top of pretzels in bag.
- Shake bag to toss the seasonings over the pretzels.
- Allow to sit for a couple of hours or overnight in the brown bag. Stir or shake gently so as to mix the seasoning from the bottom of the bag.
Notes
- Store in ziploc bag for up to 5 days.
- This recipe is best made either the day before or the morning of the day you plan to serve it making it such an easy party snack recipe!
- Either a buttermilk ranch dressing packet or “regular” ranch packet work equally well. I like the extra tang from the buttermilk product but totally up to you!
Can these pretzels be baked?
Hi Tara — great question! You can bake them if you’d like, but what I love about this method is that you don’t have to. Even though it feels a little counterintuitive, skipping the oven doesn’t affect the texture at all, and the pretzels still turn out perfectly seasoned.
This is so good! Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Yay, Bri! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pretzels. If you try out the other flavors too, I’d love to hear…Buffalo on the way too!
I’m a bit confused.
Your recipe reads “buttermilk dressing”, but your link is to buttermilk ranch dressing. There’s a big difference between the two and I couldn’t find any clarification in the comments.
TIA, Kevin
Hi Kevin! Sorry for any confusion. The ingredient in the recipe card says “1 package buttermilk dressing mix”. Are you seeing it somewhere else as buttermilk dressing because that would need adjusting – let me know and I’ll be sure to fix it. Thanks so much!
I too am being directed to ranch dressing mix.
Hi Jessica! Thank you for reaching out and so sorry for any confusion. It is a buttermilk ranch dressing packet that I use. If all you can find is a “regular” ranch, that works too. Hope that helps and thanks again for letting me know. I am making a note in the recipe card above to help clarify 😊
How would you make white chocolate dipped pretzels?
Hi Jobeth! Assuming you mean without the pretzels being seasoned, correct? Growing up, we used to use the almond bark and melt it but now I’d go to the local chocolate shop in town where they sell white, milk and dark chocolate chips. I’d melt them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or a double boiler if available to you) and stir completely until melted. Dip the pretzels (we used pretzel rods) in the chocolate and then rolled them in a variety of nuts, coconut, sprinkles and cookie crumbs. Set on a parchment covered baking sheet to set up. Hope that helps! If not, please let me know! 🥨
I got some festive shaped pretzels for the holidays and searched up a Dot’s copycat recipe so here I am. I know this will be a great addition to our Christmas snack set-up. My only question is, do you think it will make a big difference to use the original ranch mix vs. the buttermilk version? The pretzels are not butter pretzels, so I’m planning to use butter. We all love Dot’s, and I can hardly wait to try this.
Love the festive Christmas shape idea Cindy! So so fun! 🎉 I have used both the buttermilk and the regular with great results. I have another idea for you since you aren’t using the butter pretzels. Your butter flavor might not be as “buttery” without the butter pretzels (they’ll still be really good) but if you have some butter extract, I think adding a little bit that would be a great addition with the canola oil. Can’t wait to hear how you like them and thanks for trying them!
Do you have a honey mustard recipe for these butter braid pretzels? I’ve purchased Fot’s and they are very good.
Thank you
Hi Barbara! I do…here is the recipe for the honey mustard pretzels! I also have one for the cinnamon sugar pretzels and the Southwest pretzel flavor. And the parmesan garlic is coming in the next couple of weeks. Enjoy!!
Hi is there a way to make the oil not clump with the seasoning? I’m finding it impossible to evenly distribute the seasoning without it clumping once I add oil. I was hoping the brown bag would help this, but I’m still getting clumps.
Hi Kate – are you adding the seasoning first and then pouring in oil? That is the process to best distribute the seasoning. You can use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the bag as the pretzels dry and give a little shake to redistribute. I’m happy to help troubleshoot with you if you want to email me at lori@josieandnina.com.
I made this and followed directions exactly and found them way too salty…almost too salty to eat. Any thoughts on how to fix what I have already made?
Good morning Darlene! I’m sorry to hear this and am happy to help you troubleshoot. Just so I know, can I ask what brand of pretzels you used? I have a couple of ideas. My first thought is to shake in an additional half or whole bag of pretzels if you have them on hand. It will be ok if they’re not the butter braids or even if they’re unsalted. Another idea would be to melt some unsalted butter and shake it in with the existing pretzels and seasoning. I’d start with 2 Tablespoons. My last suggestion is to add a little sugar (a teaspoon to start) to balance the salt. Please let me know if any of those work and thank you!
You don’t list the pretzel bag size- we have regular and family size bags at our store?
You are so right – thank you for letting me know. Each bag is 10 oz and you’ll need two. Again, thank you, Kim!
I am not a chef/cook. I’m lucky to find the kitchen. But, what do you think about putting the oil in a spray bottle and spreading the pretzels say half a bag at a time on a cookie sheet. Then spray the pretzels prior to putting them in the grocery bag. I’m thinking you may use less oil? May distribute the oil better? or not necessary? Also trying to avoid oily residue on the fingers for those to which that may matter. Not me by the way. If they are that good I’ll take a shower afterward. I’m making these.
Hi Jeff – interesting idea! If you try it, let me know how it works. I’ve been making these pretzels this way since the 80’s so I’m probably not changing the recipe at this point. And nope, no oil residue. That’s where the brown bag comes in. The pretzels end up drying with the seasoning on it. Give ‘em a try – you won’t need a shower 😉
I made them per your recipe. Didn’t locate a spray bottle, waffle pretzels (not butter flavor), so I used 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup canola oil.
I can’t stop eating these things
Thanks so much Jeff! And no need for a spray bottle. Just several shakes in the brown bags – I totally agree on the can’t stop won’t stop mentality. 😊 more flavors coming soon so come on back!
They are delicious…. I think many many people were making this or similar recipes long before Dots came around. Our family has been making them since the 70’s. I have to believe that many, including our family loved the oyster cracker version, and then one day only had pretzels on hand, and so each family discovered these on there own. We didn’t always add the heat to it. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Yes so true! Thank you for sharing – and the heat gives them that extra punch for sure!
Was so excited to find this! Dots are our favorite but we are currently living where they don’t sell them!! I’m pretty sure I’m gonna try this on homemade soft pretzels!! Thanks so much!!
Hi Holly! Please do! Can’t wait to hear what you think 😊 I’m in the process of also developing the other flavors…cinnamon sugar is next!
I can’t wait to make these! Any idea on how to make the Dots Honey Mustard flavor? They’re my favorite but now $10 a bag and I just can’t pay that.
Hi Lynn! You have inspired me to get going on creating recipes for all the flavors so look for them SOON! Totally agree and please let me know how you like my recipe for seasoned pretzels. 😊
Can you use olive oil instead of butter
Hi Tammy! I haven’t tried olive oil (which is probably surprising 😊) but am wondering if it might change the flavor a bit. Avocado oil would be another option because it has a neutral flavor. Let me know if you try it!
I made these in 2 gallon zip lock bag and they were delicious!!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Hi Cindy! So happy you enjoyed them and loved the resealable bag tip 😊
Question! I saw in the instructions that the oil can be gradually added, but is there a reason the recipe calls for half as much melted butter as it does oil, if butter is being used in place of oil? Also, which version do you prefer: oil-based or butter-based?
p.s. I love Meijer! 🙂
Hi Valerie! Because you’ll be using a butter braided pretzel, I didn’t want to go overboard on the butter flavor. You’ll be fine in terms of volume with the pretzels because the bag does soak up a lot as you shake them. Hope that helps!
I made these the other night. The only changes I made were omitting the salt and using a little less cayenne. I will definitely make these again! They were the hit of our Super Bowl party. Thank you!
So glad you all enjoyed them! Perfect game day snack, right? Thanks for taking the time to share!😊
Oh my, made these yesterday and they are so good!! Thank you!!
Thanks so much Vanessa!! I love them so much and if they’re in my house, I literally have to hide them! Appreciate your taking the time to share!😊
We love…love…love these! Made them for family when my Son had something to celebrate and everyone was around. My test batch on all of them. Then around Christmas mailed to Germany, where my Son was stationed, I added a tad more cayenne pepper. We are a bunch of ‘hot heads’. The news of how they went over? ‘Mom, they didn’t last more than 10 minutes before they were all gone.’ The troops thank you and I both! Thanks so much for this recipe, I couldn’t afford Dot’s and postage.
This might be the best comment I have ever received, Stacey! I am honored that your son and his fellow servicemen enjoyed these pretzels and that you made them for them! Please thank him and them for their service…we are forever grateful! And I’m with you…shipping costs are crazy right and recipes that save us a little at the grocery story are always welcome 😊 Thank you again, Stacey!
Very good! I subbed 1/2 tsp. Slap Yo Mama seasoning instead of cayenne and omitted the kosher salt until tasted.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Linda and thanks for trying it! I’ll have to check out Slap Yo Mama seasoning!
Lori ! You’re a genius, these are SO good, my family and friends like them better then dot’s pretzels. We liked butter version, (added less salt) any pretzel works, if you can find braided sticks the bestest, but just a small detail in this bowl of yumminess.
Thank you Lori ❤
These sound delicious! When you say, “2 bags” of pretzels, what size bags are we talking? Pound each?
Thank you so much Lorissa! They are so addictively good! Yes -just a normal size bag of pretzels – I found mine at Meijer (their store brand) in the Chicago area. These days they might be a little smaller (12-13 oz). Let me know how you like them!
My East Coast family misses Dot’s pretzels—and they flipped out about this fantastic homemade version! YUM.
Oh the Midwest misses YOU!! so glad you all liked them! Kicking myself we didn’t market these back in the day!😊
I have all the ingredients and so excited to make these. I check other recipes and they say to bake them for 20-30 minutes?
Hi Stacey! Thanks for your question! Nope – no baking…that’s one of the best parts of the recipe 😊. If you try it, pop back on and let me know what you think!