So do you know what I really love - pretzel bread! It isn’t that different from regular bread, but they just seem more fun and tasty. I did a little research and found out that there are three main differences between pretzel bread and regular bread. 1) Pretzel bread contains brown sugar whereas regular bread contains white sugar. 2) Pretzel bread boils in a baking soda bath to help give the pretzel-y color, flavor, and texture that we are accustomed to. 3) Pretzel bread only rises once instead of twice like regular bread which will cause it to be more dense.

And so what could make pretzel bread even better...making it into a grilled cheese sandwich! I thought I was being super original as I came up with this idea on my own, but when I did a search for “pretzel grilled cheese” several recipes popped up. To make one, I buy pretzel buns. These are usually found in the bakery or deli section of your grocery store where the bread that’s made in-store is found (not the sliced bread aisle). Or you can make the pretzel buns yourself by looking here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2017/08/11/easy-pretzel-rolls/ . I have not personally made them so I can’t say first-hand how the recipe turns out. But Sally’s Baking Addiction blog has been around for several years so I’m guessing they are reliable.

To make a pretzel bun grilled cheese sandwich:

Butter the outside of the top and bottom of the pretzel bun after it’s sliced in half horizontally. Shred whatever cheese you prefer. I usually have sharp cheddar on hand so I use that a lot but gruyere or American are good too. Also shredded cheese will melt faster than a slice of it, so take the time to shred it first.
Place the bottom bun in a hot non-stick pan over low heat and then add the shredded cheese on that. Add A LOT of cheese, way more than you think is necessary as it melts down to a thin layer. Then add the top bun. I also sprinkle on some kosher salt on the top of the bun as the ones I buy don’t have salt on them already. This will make it more like the soft pretzels that you buy at the mall which I happen to still enjoy. The salt will stick to the butter so it stays on the bread.
Wait for the bread to get to the brownness level you prefer keeping an eye on it so you don’t burn it (as I have done plenty of times). Resist the temptation to turn up the heat to cook it faster, as this will lead to burned bread and unmelted cheese. Carefully flip it to toast the top trying to keep the cheese on the inside. (But it’s ok if a little falls out, as the browned, crunchy cheese is my favorite.) I also usually smash it down with a spatula at this point to make it somewhat flatter so it will be easier to eat.
Brown the bread to your level of doneness. Before removing from the heat, make sure the cheese is mostly melted.
Enjoy!

How do you individualize your grilled cheese sandwiches??

Pretzel Grilled Cheese, please!