Pretzel Cheese Dip

5 from 6 votes

This simple cheese dip is perfect dipping sauce for soft pretzel, chips, and other snack! Make with only butter, flour, milk, and cheese, you can whip up a batch of this delicious cheese sauce in 10 minutes!

Prep Time10

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 165kcal

Author: Sophia Assunta

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch cayenne pepper optional
1 tsp hot sauce optional
2 cup freshly shredded cheese 8 oz

Instructions

Melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux.
Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture bubbles and darkens slightly.
Stir in the milk and cook a minute until it starts to thicken
Turn off the heat and slowly add the cheese. If you heat up the cheese too hot, it can separate.
Stir until the cheese is melted. If necessary, turn the heat on low to finish melting the cheese. If you melt the cheese on too high of heat, it can separate and get grainy.
Add the spices and remix. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

Make sure to use freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheeses often have additives that can alter the final texture of the dip.
Add and melt the cheese slowly. The key to a smooth cheese sauce is to melt the cheese very slowly. If the cheese get too hot, it can separate and curdle giving the sauce a gritty texture. I normally remove from heat before slowly adding the cheese, then return the pan to very low to to continue melting the cheese if necessary.
While cheddar is delicious, adding part mozzarella or jack cheese makes for an even creamier cheese dip.
If you want to add more milk to thin it out, make sure the milk is warm. This helps keep a smooth consistency.
Want commercial perfectly smooth store-bought style cheese sauce? Try Sodium Citrate. It’s what commercial food products use to ensure smooth and melty cheese, that can be heated over and over without loosing it’s texture. Typically add 1 tsp per 8 oz of cheese in place of the flour.

Nutrition