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Spicy Pretzels Recipe with Nacho Cheese Seasoning

Spicy Pretzels are crunchy, buttery, salty, and spicy. They’re the perfect make-ahead finger food snack and impossible to pass without grabbing a handful.

Top-down view of a wooden bowl filled with pretzels that have been baked in a spicy Nacho Cheese seasoning. A second bowl of pretzels sits in the background over a wooden background.

Spicy Pretzels combined with a nacho cheese seasoning is an easy baked finger food snack perfect for any get-together. Be sure to make plenty because this spicy snack is irresistible!

Spicy Pretzels are the kind of pull up your sleeves, grab a beverage, and dig in kind of snack recipe.

Appetizers can mean so many things. They can be served as finger food snacks, or as a light starter before a beautiful meal or casual tailgating snacks.

Angled view of a wooden bowl filled with pretzels that have been baked in a spicy Nacho Cheese seasoning. A second bowl of pretzels sits in the background over a wooden background.

I probably spend more time planning appetizers when entertaining than I do the main meal.

I love dips and finger foods and always try to have something for everyone.

Something salty, sweet, dips and chips, and something new as well as the tried and true. These spicy pretzels are all of that!

Top-down view of two small wooden bowls and one red bowl filled with pretzels that have been baked in a spicy Nacho Cheese seasoning. Pretzels have been scattered about the bowls.

I was wondering why it’s so hard for me to come up with a new snack or appetizer.

Entertaining in my book always requires easy make-ahead dips and plenty of finger food snacking.

The name of the game is to serve items that your friends can help themselves too and that aren’t going to require a lot of your time while people are there.

Top-down view of a wooden bowl filled with pretzels that have been baked in a spicy Nacho Cheese seasoning. A second bowl of pretzels sits in the background over a red checked towel.

People want to visit with you, not watch you serve them. It took me a while to figure that one out until I watched my friends do what I was doing and wishing they weren’t working so hard.

Spicy Nacho Cheese Pretzels are delicious and so easy to make. Best of all, they can be made ahead of time!

Spicy Pretzel Ingredients

With only 5 ingredients, they’re quick to put together and budget friendly too.

  • Pretzels – You can use twists or sticks. I like using the smaller ones. They make the perfect finger food snack.
  • Vegetable Oil – You can use any neutral oil such as canola.
  • Garlic powder – The powder variety sticks well to the pretzels
  • Cayenne pepper – Oh yeah baby, make it as spicy as you want.
  • Nacho Cheddar Seasoning – Using seasoning mixes makes this homemade spicy pretzel recipe easy to make.

How to store Spicy Pretzels

Make them a couple of days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

How to make this Spicy Pretzel Recipe

  1. Combine the seasoning and oil in a small bowl. I like mixing mine in a 2-cup measuring cup for easy pouring.
  2. Spread the pretzels out on rimmed baking sheets. I cover mine with foil for easy clean-up.
  3. Pour the spiced oil mixture over the pretzels, using a spatula to distribute the mixture evenly.
  4. Bake

Make it a spicy snack mix

You can add a variety of ingredients to make it a spicy snack mix by adding the following:

  • Small crackers such as soup crackers or goldfish crackers
  • Cereal such as Chex or Crispix
  • Peanuts or other nut varieties

Pin these Spicy Pretzels

Side view of spicy pretzels, dotted with seasonings in a wooden bowl over a red checked napkin. The title "Spicy Pretzels Nacho Cheese Seasoning" runs across the top.

If you liked this Spicy Pretzel Recipe, here are a few you may enjoy

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Top-down view of a wooden bowl filled with spicy pretzels on a wooden background. Pretzels are scattered around the bowl.

Spicy Pretzels with Nacho Cheese Seasoning

Author: Hostess At Heart
Spicy Pretzels are buttery, salty, crunchy, and spicy. They're the perfect make-ahead finger food snack and impossible to pass without grabbing a handful.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword: Spicy Pretzels
Servings: 24

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 200°F.
  • In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for the pretzels. Whisk for a few minutes to combine.
  • Spread pretzels out on two rimmed baking sheets.
  • Pour oil/spice mixture evenly over pretzels. Use a spatula and stir the pretzels to coat.
  • Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until oil mixture is absorbed. Stir and turn trays approximately every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle additional nacho cheese powder over pretzels, stirring to combine.
  • Cool and store in airtight ziplock bags or containers until serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 24gCalories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 359mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

These pretzels will definitely be in the tried and true category for my next tailgating gathering that I’m hosting or attending. You just can’t help yourself to walk by without grabbing a handful!

Here are some great snacks from some of my favorite bloggers

Don’t forget to pin this Spicy Pretzel Recipe

Two photo collage. First photo is a top view of a closeup of a wooden bowl of spicy pretzels. Pretzels are scattered around the bowl on a red checked towel. A partial second bowl is in the background. The second photo is two wooden bowls of pretzels, more scattered pretzels on a red checked towel and a large red bowl of pretzels in the background. The title "Spicy Pretzels with Nacho Cheese Seasoning runs between the two photos.
Recipe Rating




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Sunday 12th of December 2021

[…] Spicy Nacho Cheese Pretzels by Hostess at Heart […]

Brenda

Monday 21st of December 2020

Whhhhheeeeewwwwww...

I only put in 1/2 the amount of cayenne pepper.... and quite spicy,, now it did have them “ marinate “ before baking them.... maybe that is why..... but still addictive

Julie Menghini

Tuesday 22nd of December 2020

I'm so glad that you liked them, Brenda! We make these for work functions a lot and I go easy with the spice. John would like it doubled but he has a cast-iron stomach LOL.

Michele

Sunday 29th of December 2019

Simple, fast and easy--- and did I mention DELICIOUS~ . had them while watching the game yesterday--- definitely making this again!

Julie Menghini

Sunday 29th of December 2019

Thank you Michele!

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Thursday 4th of May 2017

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