In Good FlavorTurn store bought pizza dough into pretzel pockets. They are filled with ham and Swiss cheese and topped with everything bagel seasoning. These soft and chewy sandwiches are delicious for lunch or dinner.
Pretzel bread transforms ordinary ham and cheese sandwich into something deliciously fresh. It requires a little more time than sandwiching things in between two slices of bread, but the results are worth the effort. These ham and cheese pockets are fantastic alone or with condiments on the side.
I use store bought pizza dough. It’s such a great convenience item, but feel free to make your own. You will need two 16-18 ounce pizza dough rounds. This recipe makes six pockets.
Ingredients needed:
- Store bought pizza dough—two 16-18 ounce size rounds. Leave out at room temp for an hour before use.
- Deli ham—1 pound of your favorite ham.
- Cheese—I use Swiss. Choose your favorite.
- Baking soda and water bath—to boil the pockets.
- Egg—beaten and brushed onto the pockets before baking.
- Everything bagel seasoning—to sprinkle on top of the pockets.
Recipe highlights:
- Divide pizza dough in quarters. Keep covered while you work on rolling and filling the dough pieces one at a time.
- Roll one piece into a rectangular shape.
- Layer one half with ham and cheese, leaving a border around the edges.
- Cinch edges closed with tines of a fork. Flip over and repeat on the back side.
- Heat the water and baking soda solution to a gentle boil.
- Add a pocket. Boil for 30 seconds. Turn over and boil 30 seconds. Transfer to a surface lined with paper towels and parchment paper to dry out.
- Transfer boiled pockets onto a baking sheet lined with dry parchment paper.
- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake at 400° F for 15-18 minutes.
- Refer to recipe card below for detailed instructions.
View the how-to video or save for later with this Pinterest Pin.
What does boiling do ?
Boiling in a baking powder and water bath helps to develop dark color and chewy texture. The process gelatinizes the dough and in increases the alkalinity on the surface. The effect off the alkalinity further comes into play when the dough is exposed to oven heat. During baking, the alkalinity becomes the catalyst for developing the deep color, chewy texture, and pretzel flavor.
How to store:
- Refrigerate—store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze— wrap pretzel pockets individually in plastic wrap, then place in a large ziploc bag or an airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
How to reheat:
- Microwave—place in a microwave safe safe plate. Microwave for 45 to 60 seconds or until heated through.
- Oven—place the pocket in a preheat 350° F oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through.
- Frozen pockets can be reheated directly. Add a few extra seconds in the microwave or minutes in the oven.
Helpful tips:
- Use room temperature pizza dough. Cold dough tends to spring back when rolled out. I leave mine out on the counter in the packaging for at least one hour.
- It’s extremely important to seal the edges well to prevent leaking during boiling. Cinch the edges on front and back side of the pockets with the tines of a fork during assembly. Cinch again just before adding to the water. However, if the seams break, it’s not the end of the world. Just make sure to drain the water out of the pockets after boiling.
- Use the largest spatula you have to lift the boiled pockets out of the water (use two spatulas if you need to) . The boiled pockets are delicate and floppy at this stage. Transfer them carefully onto parchment lined baking sheet set over paper towels. The paper towels soak up moisture, which can cause the boiled pockets to stick.
- I don’t recommend adding condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc.) to the pockets during assembly. If the seam become unsealed during the boiling process, the condiments will be washed out. Serve pockets with condiments on the side.
Recommended supplies:
(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)
- This wide slotted spatula a great tool for lifting the boiled pockets out of the water. The wide bed helps the pockets to hold their shape.
- A 4-quart stainless steel saute pan is a great size for boiling the pretzel pockets.
- Large baking sheet. I have this baking sheet and use it all the time. It’s extra large measuring at 20. 75 x 14. 75 x 1 inches.
- Parchment paper to help prevent the pretzel pockets from sticking.
- Rolling pin for rolling out the pizza dough.
- Pizza wheel for trimming excess dough.
- Silicone pastry brush for applying beaten egg.
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Ham and Cheese Pretzel Pockets
Description
Turn store bought pizza dough into pretzel pockets. They are filled with ham and Swiss cheese and topped with everything bagel seasoning. These soft and chewy sandwiches are delicious for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Allow pizza dough to rest at room temperature in the packing for one hour before use. It rolls out better than cold dough.
- Divide ham and cheese into 6 equal portions. Set aside.
- Divide each pizza dough round into 4 equal pieces. Keep lightly covered to prevent drying out. Lightly flour work surface or LIGHTLY wipe oil on work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll one of the pieces into a rectangle (about 5 x 12-inches).
- Using one of the ham and cheese portions, layer onto one half of the rectangle. Leave the outer 1/2-inch of the outer border uncovered. Fold the empty dough half over the to cover the ham and cheese. Press along the edges to seal.
- Press the tines of a fork into the edges to cinch close. Continue cinching along all 3 open edges. Turn over the pocket. Repeat cinching on this side. Trim off excess dough with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Do not cut too close into the sealed edges. Transfer to a parchment paper lined surface. Cover loosely with another sheet of parchment.
- Continue rolling, filling, and cinching of the remaining pizza dough pieces.
- Heat water in a 4-quart skillet just until the water is just hot (not boiling). Slowly add baking soda. Stir to dissolve. Bring water to a gentle boil.
- While you waited for the cold water to heat up, set up the draining station. Place a couple layers of paper towel on a large baking sheet. Top with parchment. The boiled pockets will be transferred here.
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Cinch the edges again on one of the pockets. Gently drop one pocket into the gently boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds. Using the largest spulata you have, place on the underside of the pocket. As you start to turn the pocket over, position another spatula on the opposite side of the pocket to support it as it flips over and into the water.
- Boil for 30 seconds. Transfer to the parchment paper draining station. Note: Do not let the water come to a hard boil at any point, because it might force open the seems. If it comes to a hard boil, lower the heat or remove skillet from heat until the temperature has adjusted.
- Repeat steps cinching and boiling the remaining pockets.
- Transfer pretzel pockets onto a baking sheet lined with a dry parchment paper. Set the pocket quickly on a dry paper towel first to blot off any moisture that collected on the bottom before setting it down on the dry parchment paper.
- Brush tops and sides with beaten egg. Add a sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake for 15 -18 minutes or until the crust is an amber color.
- Makes 6 pretzel pocket.
Notes
- Don’t worry about the perfection. The pizza pockets might not turn out perfectly rectangular. They will might look rustic but will taste great.
- Don’t worry too much if the seams break during boiling. The ham and cheese should remain in tact. Drain out the water as much as you can before transferring onto the drying station. It will still bake up fine.
- Refrigerate—store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze— wrap pretzel pockets individually in plastic wrap, then place in a large ziploc bag or an airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheat in microwave—place in a microwave safe safe plate. Microwave for 45 to 60 seconds or until heated through.
- Reheat in oven—place the pocket in a preheat 350° F oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through.
- Frozen pockets can be reheated directly from the freezer. Add a few extra seconds in the microwave or minutes in the oven.
Pretzel Pockets, Ham and Cheese Pockets, Pizza Dough, Make Pretzel with Pizza Dough
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