When the darling little girl who inspired my Yeast Free Paleo Pretzels wondered if I could wrap that same pretzel dough around a hot dog well, the wheels started turning immediately. Her family wanted to attend baseball games and enjoy hot dogs like everyone else at the ballpark. Families, hot dogs, baseball, and LOTS of mustard it simply had to happen.
I woke up one morning after literally dreaming about pretzel dogs. That is how much this recipe needed to exist. And exist it does! These Yeast Free Paleo Pretzel Dogs are absolutely incredible. Soft, chewy cassava flour pretzel dough spiraled around a grass fed hot dog, dunked in a baking soda bath, brushed with egg wash, sprinkled with kosher salt, and baked until deep golden brown. Get your mustard ready.
The Inspiration: Baseball, Hot Dogs, and One Sweet Little Girl
This recipe would not exist without Ashley, an Instagram friend who first inspired our Cassava Flour Paleo Pretzels recipe. Her daughter is on a restrictive diet and cannot have yeast so when she asked if I could turn those pretzels into hot dog buns so her family could enjoy the full ballpark experience, I was absolutely on it. One dreamy morning of recipe development later, the paleo pretzel dog was born.
We are HUGE baseball fans over here — go Red Sox! — and this recipe feels like the perfect tribute to lazy summer evenings at the ballpark, good food, and families making memories together.
Tips for Wrapping the Yeast free Paleo Pretzel Dogs
Dry the Hot Dogs Completely
This is the most important step! Pat each hot dog completely dry with paper towels before wrapping. Any moisture on the surface will prevent the dough from adhering properly and your pretzel dogs may unravel during baking.
Roll the Dough Long Enough
Roll each dough ball into a rope approximately 18 inches long, longer than you think you need! The length can vary depending on your hot dog brand since some are wider or longer than others. You want enough dough to spiral from one end of the dog to the other without gaps.
The Spiral Wrap for Paleo Pretzel Dogs
Starting at one end of the hot dog, begin wrapping the dough rope in a spiral shape from one end to the other — no need to overlap, just wrap evenly until you reach the end of both the dough and the dog. Set seam-side down on your prepared baking sheet.
The Baking Soda Bath – Be Careful!
Place each pretzel dog on a long flat spatula and dunk it in the hot baking soda water for 8-10 seconds only — not too long or the dough becomes smooshy and very hard to transfer to the baking sheet. Remove from the water with the spatula, then carefully grab one end of the hot dog and slide it off the spatula onto your prepared baking sheet.
Make Slider-Sized Paleo Pretzel Dogs
For a fun party option, cut each hot dog in half and create 16 smaller dough balls — they are easier to maneuver through the dunking process and make adorable bite-sized pretzel pups perfect for a crowd!
Choosing the Best Hot Dogs for This Recipe
Get the best hot dogs you can afford — there are so many wonderful options available now! Look for grass fed beef hot dogs with minimal ingredients and no added nitrates. Applegate Farms, Teton Waters Ranch, and Vital Farms all make excellent options that pair beautifully with this cassava flour pretzel dough.
Dipping Sauces for Paleo Pretzel Dogs
Yellow mustard is the classic — and honestly nothing beats it here. But if you want to get a little fancy, try the Honey Mustard Balsamic Dipping Sauce on the blog, or mix whole grain mustard with a drizzle of honey for a slightly elevated dip. For game day, set out a whole dipping station and let everyone customize!
Make the Pretzel Dough First
These pretzel dogs use the exact same dough as the Cassava Flour Paleo Pretzels recipe on the blog — head there first to make your dough. It comes together quickly and uses Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour, coconut buttermilk, honey, and a handful of pantry staples. No yeast required!
Frequently Asked Questions
These are VERY hot when they come out of the oven!
Wait patiently before biting in as the interior gets extremely hot. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating. Get the mustard ready during the wait!
Can I make these ahead?
These are best enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven. If you need to reheat, an oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes works well. They also freeze beautifully. Bake, cool completely, freeze, then reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven.
Can I add sesame seeds on top?
Absolutely! Sprinkle sesame seeds along with the kosher salt before baking for a little extra texture and visual appeal. Everything Bagel Seasoning also works wonderfully.
Yeast Free Paleo Pretzel Dogs (Cassava Flour)
Course: Appetizers + Snacks, Back Porch Entertaining, Entrees, Paleo or Whole30, Side Dishes4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
8 hot dogs, get the best you can afford, there are many really good options available now
Kosher salt and sesame seed if using
Directions
- Make sure hot dogs are completely dry, use a paper towel to dry them and then set aside.
- Follow steps 1-5 from the pretzel recipe.
- Take 1 ball and roll into a long snake like log approximately 18″ long. This length could vary depending on the size of the hot dogs you are using. Different brands are wider and some are longer.
- Starting at one end of the dough, take one hot dog and starting at one end of the hot dog, begin rolling it up in the dough until you’re at the end of the dough as well as the end of the hot dog…basically in a spiral shape, no need to overlap as you wrap the hot dog up in it. Set on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough balls. (see pics below) If you find that the dough dries out a bit by the time you get to the last few, simply add in a bit more coconut buttermilk and work it into the dough…you should be all good to continue rolling them out after that.
- If water is boiling, turn heat off and remove from heat or turn gas off underneath…carefully place one pretzel dog at a time on a long flat spatula and dunk it in the soda water for 8-10 seconds. Remove from water with spatula and then grab one end of the hot dog and carefully remove from spatula to baking sheet…repeat with remaining pretzel dogs.
- After all of them are dunked, use a pastry brush and give all of them a good egg wash, and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and/or sesame seeds if using.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, let cool slightly before eating, they are VERY hot inside. After you bake them up, if the egg wash has created a little edge around the pretzels you can simply use a sharp knife to trim it off or use kitchen shears.
If you make these Yeast Free Paleo Pretzel Dogs, please share your pictures! Tag me on Instagram @backporchpaleo — I would especially love to see them at a baseball game or a backyard BBQ. This recipe is for every family that just wants to enjoy the full game day experience together, dietary restrictions and all. This one is for you, Ashley. Play ball! 🌿 — Michelle
