Christie Bayley

Happy Super Bowl! Anyone else only here for the snacks?

This is a people-pleaser and makes A LOT. Pan fry some Andouille sausage, slice up a couple crisp granny smith apples, and make some grain-free pretzels to add to this delicious Spicy Beer Cheese Dip. Now, this isn’t a thick dip like pub cheese, but is creamier like fondue. In fact, you can serve it in a fondue pan if your 70’s heart desires.

I liked this spicy, but adjust to your liking. You could skip the Tabasco entirely to cool it down or substitute jalapeno slices to kick it up a notch. I think an IPA works great, but I kinda think an apricot beer would be really good too – next time!

Spicy Beer Cheese Dip

4 tbsp Butter or ghee

2 medium shallots, minced (or ½ small yellow onion)

3 tbsp Almond flour, super fine, plus additional 3 tbsp, if needed

1 tbsp seedy mustard

1 12oz can of beer, preferably IPA, room temp – flat is best. Use a gluten-free beer if you need (yes, they exist). Basically, crack a can and leave it the day before you make this recipe.

1 C heavy whipping cream

2 C sharp white cheddar, grated

2 C sharp cheddar, grated

1-2 tsp Tabasco sauce (or preferred hot sauce)

Fresh cracked pepper

1. In a medium cast iron pan, over medium heat, sauté the shallots and butter until softened.
2. Add the flour and mustard until a bit a of roux has formed.
3. Slowly add the beer. Then comes the heavy whipping cream.
4. Keep whisking, buddy.
5. Slowly add the cheeses and get that melty goodness going.
6. If you have froth from the beer, scrape off gently with a spoon and discard.
7. Add Tabasco.
8. Still whisking this cheese gold.
9. If you’d like a thicker texture, add the other 3 tbsp of almond flour. (I did)
10. Top with some additional drops of Tabasco and cracked pepper.

Now, I didn’t add any salt to this recipe because I felt like it didn’t need it with the cheese and pretzels that were going to be dipped into it, but taste and add if you’d like. Also, regular flour would work just fine too.

This is obviously best served warm. The cast iron pan will retain the heat for a while, but if you’re going to have it sitting out for a while, put it on a hot plate.

Grain-free Pretzels

3 C Shredded mozzarella

2 tbsp cream cheese

1 tbsp heavy cream

1 ½ C Almond flour, super fine

2 tbsp Xanthum gum

2  eggs

1 satchet of dried yeast

2 tbsp warm water

4 tbsp butter, melted

Salt flakes for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a small bowl, add the yeast and warm water. Allow to sit for at least 2 mins.
3. Melt cream cheese, mozzarella, and heavy whipping cream in the microwave in 30 sec – 1 min intervals. When melted, stir with a spatula to combine well.
4. Meanwhile in a stand mixer, using the hook attachment, slowly mix the almond flour and xanthum gum.
5. Slowly add the eggs, yeast mixture, and 1 tbsp melted butter.
6. Add the hot melted cheese mixture and let the mixer do the work. Scrape the hook and side of the bowl as needed. After a few minutes, I used my hands to kneed the dough and make sure everything was well combined.
7. Working quickly, grab small handfuls of dough and roll skinny logs and twist into pretzel shapes. (No need to be perfect here.) Place on parchment lined baking tray. Depending on how big or small you make them will determine how many pretzels you get in the end. I got 15.
8. Brush with remaining 3 tbsp of butter and sprinkle with salt flakes (or pretzel salt, if you have it, fancy pants)
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

This is a recipe where you need to move quickly. It’s setting the yeast mixture, melting the cheese and running the stand mixer all at the same time. I wanted a grain-free pretzel and stumbled across this recipe from myketokitchen.com. I adapted it to my own personal preferences and experiences with the recipe. I love the taste the yeast gives them and how the cheese keeps them fluffy and soft in the center. Yes, it’s technically a “low carb/keto recipe,” and no, I don’t do diets, but I wanted a grain-free, yeasty, and fluffy pretzel and that’s what this got me. I like trying recipes regardless of titles.

In the end, if you want super simple classic pretzels, check out my recipe for wheat pretzel bites here.

I highly suggest making the pretzels before the cheese dip so once that liquid gold is ready, you’re ready – pretzels in hand.