Pretzel cheese sauce is the perfect companion to everyone’s favorite snack. Warm and gooey with a hint of spice, our cheese dip will have everyone begging for more. And since it is so easy to make, you really won’t have an issue making anytime you are in the mood for soft pretzels or any other dippable food.

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What is cheese sauce?

Cheese sauce combines milk or cream, some flour, and cheese to create a delicious, gooey dip.

With just a hint of heat, which makes it the perfect companion to soft pretzels and other dippable treats.

One of our favorite things to dip in cheese sauce (beside pretzels) are yummy air fryer snacks. Here are a few of our favorites for dipping:

Ingredients for Easy cheese sauce

When you make easy cheese sauce, you will need:

Unsalted butter - Don’t use salted butter in this sauce, it will make it a bit too salty.
All-purpose flour - You could sub in a gluten-free flour, but we have not tested this variation.
Milk - When we make this, we recommend using whole milk. You could use light cream, but it may make it too thick. Also, lower fat milks may make it too runny.
Extra sharp cheddar cheese - When we make the dip, we prefer extra sharp, but you could use sharp cheddar or even mild.
Ground cayenne or red pepper - This gives the dip a bit of heat, but you could skip if you prefer a milder sauce.
Kosher salt - You don’t need to add much and you could skip it if you follow a lower sodium diet.

How to make homemade cheese sauce for pretzels

When you are ready to make homemade cheese sauce for pretzels or your favorite finger foods, follow these easy instructions:

First, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter until it becomes bubbly. Once bubbles form, whisk in the flour for about 1 minute or until it has a pasty consistency. Make sure you don’t let it change color, so keep an eye on it as you whisk.

When the butter forms a paste, slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps of flour remain. Stirring constantly, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, which will be about 3 to 5 minutes.
Next, remove the pan from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese until all the cheese has melted.
Finally, add a pinch of salt, if needed, and a pinch ground cayenne or red pepper. You can skip this step if you prefer less salt or no heat.
Last but not least, serve warm and enjoy!

Can I make beer cheese dip?

Yes! You can easily make this a beer cheese dip.

To make the conversion, all you need to do is sub in your favorite beer for half of the milk in the recipe. You can use your favorite beer or lager, which means there is almost no limit to how many different beer cheese varieties you can make.

How to use this Cheese Dip

The most obvious use for cheese dip is to dunk your favorite foods into it. If you think of a food you might dip into a sauce or dressing, chances are good you can use the cheese dip instead for these favorites:

But, you don’t have to limit yourself to just dipping things. This cheese dip makes a great topping for veggies, a great substitute for the cheese in mac and cheese, or as a spread on top of bread or toast.

Can I use different types of cheese with this recipe

Yes! You can absolutely use different types of cheese with this recipe such as:

Mild or sharp cheddars
Monterey jack cheese
Swiss cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Gruyere cheese

Seasonings and Variations

When you make pretzel cheese sauce, you can play around with the spices and cheeses you use. You can even add in some of your favorite lager or beer. Some great combinations include:

Add your favorite beer in place of half the milk
Mix and match different cheese for new flavors
Use crushed or minced garlic
Add in southwest spices or blends to make the perfect companion to tacos and other southern treats

Pro Tips to make the best cheese sauce ever

To make the best cheese sauce ever, follow these easy tips and tricks:

Don’t let the flour and butter turn brown before adding the milk. It needs about 1 minute at most.
Slowly bring the milk to a boil so that you avoid scalding it.
Use your favorite spice blends, beer, or different cheeses to make it the perfect dip for you.

Let us know what you think

If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind!

Pretzel Cheese Sauce Recipe

Pretzel cheese sauce is the perfect companion to everyone’s favorite snack. Warm and gooey with a hint of spice, our cheese dip will have everyone begging for more.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese,
Pinch of ground cayenne or red pepper
Kosher salt

Instructions

First, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter until it becomes bubbly.
Once bubbles form, whisk in the flour for about 1 minute or until it has a pasty consistency.
Make sure you don’t let it change color, so keep an eye on it as you whisk
When the butter forms a paste, slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps of flour remain. Stirring constantly, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, which will be about 3 to 5 minutes.
Next, remove the pan from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese until all the cheese has melted.
Finally, add a pinch of salt, if needed, and a pinch ground cayenne or red pepper. You can skip this step if you prefer less salt or no heat.
Last but not least, serve warm and enjoy!

About Soniya

Hello, I am Soniya, the cofounder of The Belly Rules The Mind. Originally from Mumbai, India, I am settled in Virginia US with my husband.

I am a mother of 2 energetic boys, referred to as R2 (15-year-old) and R3 (10-year-old) on the blog. In case you are wondering who is R1, well that is my husband.

My hubby and I were born in Mumbai, India, where we were spoiled by the wealth of food choices available to us. We could enjoy everything from yummy street food to multi-cuisine restaurants and we became very picky about what we like and what we don't. Read more