Spicy Ranch Pretzels (Dot’s Homestyle Copycat)

Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels are flying off the shelves and now you can create your own spicy pretzel snack mix recipe to have that same flavor! All you need is a bag of Snyder’s pretzel, some popcorn oil, a half sachet of ranch dressing mix, some dill, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can have a Dot’s-style mix. All you need to do is mix everything together, eat it, and then wait an hour.

And that's the easy recipe! No baking. Other than a bowl and empty bag clean up is simple!

The Snack That Always Goes First at the Party

I’ve been bringing these for the past five years to all card nights, summer cookouts, and potlucks. They’re the first thing to go, even before the dips!

The taste seems to be pretty accurate, I’ve even had people at parties inquired if I was a bag of Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels.

My husband discovered the freezer trick by accident. One fall, he made a double batch of something and put half of it in the freezer. Three months later, he took them out for an unexpected visit and gave them to the neighbor.

Great news, I now have another one in the freezer. No more scrambling to get something out when someone comes to the door.

This is for when there is a new baby in the house or when someone has died; that type of house where there are guests coming and going all day and there isn’t time to make food. A big bowl and a few paper plates will do for snacks for two days.

Start by mixing the pretzel seasoning and some oil in a bowl. After that, pour the pretzels into a gallon-size zip-top bag. Then, pour the oil mixture into the bag, seal it, and shake it until all the pretzels are covered. Finally, let the pretzels sit for at least an hour. If you can hold off, they’re best left for the whole night.

What Makes These Taste Like Dot’s (Not Just Ranch Pretzels)

What makes these different from other ranch pretzels is the oil used to create them. Oil made specifically for popcorn has a buttery flavor, and a little toasted flavor, that regular vegetable oil does not have.

You might spot Snappy and Orville Redenbacher’s as you approach the aisle’s end near the microwaveable bags and popcorn kernels.

Don’t have popcorn oil? No problem—mix about 3 tablespoons of melted butter and vegetable oil. For best results, find popcorn oil as it is cheap and lets you make real popcorn with the rest later.

Dill is an important part of the recipe and important to Dot’s. While a full tablespoon of dill may seem like a lot to some people, we would ask you to trust us on this. Many customers say Dill is the number one, overpowering flavor in the bag.

For your first attempt, I advise trying a full tablespoon. If you really don’t like dill, you can start with 1.5 teaspoons.

Spicy Ranch Pretzel Ingredients

You should have all the ingredients besides the dill weed and popcorn oil in your pantry.

Snyder’s Pretzels — 16 oz.

At my Aldi I get two 9 oz bags if I can only find those. One full 16 oz. bag of mini pretzel twists, a bag of sourdough pretzel nibbler, or a bag of pretzel pieces.

Since I like the sourdough nibblers, I enjoy the more evident acidic bite and more surface coverage sourdough. Plus, they are better than thin twists (which I also dislike) in staying in the bag. Pretzel rods are too big to get uniformly coated so stay away from them, and thin sticks will break if you do the bag squeeze so avoid those too.

Popcorn Oil — 5 oz. (about 2/3 cup)

The difference between ranch pretzels and the other pretzels is the buttery flavor. Buttery flavor is the most important component, and plain vegetable oil is not a good substitute. You will just have pretzels that taste flat.

If you absolutely can’t find it, another option is to mix three tablespoons of melted butter with three tablespoons of a vegetable oil of your choice.

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix — half packet (about 1 tablespoon)

It’s slightly more than half of a standard 1-ounce packet. I say the whole packet is a little too much because I did that once and all I could taste was ranch powder, and not snack mix.

Using half of the packet gives a good amount of flavor, ranching it but not overwhelming everything else

Dried Dill Weed — 1 tablespoon

Intentionally strong dill is one of the two main flavors here (the other is ranch). If you omit seasoning, you’ll get just plain seasoned pretzels rather than the flavor you expect from the bag.

Garlic Powder and Onion Powder — 1/2 teaspoon each

Have the savory base give you an even bigger boost! So, don’t skip them! They are both pantry staples. Without them, the pretzels will taste like oil and ranch, and not like a fully flavored snack!

Cayenne Pepper — 1/2 teaspoon

This level has a low background warmth which is noticeable but not super aggressive. Most people who say they don’t like spicy food will have no problem with this at 1/2 tsp.

You can increase the heat level by adding 1 tsp more if you would prefer more heat. You can also make this version kid friendly by adding 1/4 tsp or omitting it entirely. The ranch and dill have lots of flavor by themselves.

How to Make Spicy Ranch Pretzels

In another small bowl, combine the popcorn oil with the ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, cayenne, and check to see the oil has blended with all the seasonings.

At this point, you should be able to smell the ranch dip.

Put the pretzels in a one-gallon zip-top bag and drizzle the oil seasoning on top of the pretzels.

After sealing the bag, try to remove as much air as you can. Then, for 1 to 2 minutes, gently squeeze the bag and turn it so that the pretzels get nice and shiny. When you’re done, check to see if there are any pretzels that don’t look shiny. If you see any, those pretzels might need some more time!

It is best to let pretzels sit at room temperature for no longer than 1-2 hours, but you can let them sit for 4 hours, or even overnight. If you want to let them sit for those long periods of time, make sure to flip the bag every 30 minutes, this way the pretzels will not soak up oil from the top.

When finished, allow to cool to room temp before transferring to a serving bowl.

How Long to Let Them Sit (and Why Overnight Is Worth It)

One hour is the minimum. Once one hour has passed, the coating has fused, and you won’t have seasoning coming off. However, the taste is still pretty surface level.

When you compare a 14 hour wait time to a 2 to 4 hour wait time, the latter option is exponentially less of a wait, and even allows the oil to seep into the pretzel and the ranch and dill to blossom.

My favorite time to eat them is right after dinner since I think they taste the best after they’ve been allowed to rest overnight. I usually mix them before dinner, leave them out overnight, and then set them out again the next afternoon. I think this makes the taste way more complex and less one-dimensional than just like, 'pretzels and oil.' I think it makes them taste like an actual bag of Dot's instead.

Pretzels stay crunchy. They won’t get soft or soggy. Oil is fully absorbed and pretzels are crunchy sitting out at room temperature for 24 hours.

Four Ways to Mix These Up

Even though the base recipe is great as is, it can be helpful to think about a few simple substitutions.

Mixed Snack Version

The pretzel bag has 2 cups Chex cereal, 1 cup oyster crackers, and 1 cup mixed nuts. For the seasoning, use the same ratio since it’ll coat everything and taste like fancy chex mix.

Buffalo Ranch

Just before you pour in the oil mixture, add in about 1 to 2 tbsp of Frank’s Red Hot. The mixture of buffalo sauce and ranch dressing is great and your teenagers will gobble up the whole batch in just one afternoon!

Extra Spicy

You will raise the amount of cayenne to 1 teaspoon and include 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. These are not mild. They will sting the back of your throat and the heat will build.

Garlic Parmesan

Rather than the ranch dip mix and dill, use 2 tablespoons of shredded (NOT grated) Parmesan, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The technique is the same, even though the flavor profile is different.

Spicy Ranch Pretzel FAQ

What’s popcorn oil and where do I find it?

The oil used to pop corn and taste buttery is called popcorn oil. Some of the popular brands include Snappy, Orville Redenbacher’s, and Boyer’s. It can be found in the section of the store where the popcorn kernels and microwaveable bags of popcorn are located.

Rather than ranch pretzels, it’s worth the trouble to go looking for this. But if you truly can’t find it, you can use as a substitute 3 tablespoons of oil and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

Can I use a different pretzel brand?

I like Snyder’s, as well as Rold Gold and Utz. Snyder’s is my favorite because they are the most available, and I enjoy their sourdough nibblers. That said, I love all types of mini pretzel twists.

For the best experience, stick with traditional pretzels and avoid honey mustard or any flavored pretzels. It can create an interesting taste experience.

Can I bake them instead of letting them sit?

You can do that. Spread them on a baking sheet, and set the timer for 30 minutes. Be sure to stir them once about halfway through. When you take them out, they will have a little more crunch, and will be a bit drier than when you put them in.

Since the sitt method is just as effective, most people opt out of the baking step. There is no surrounding, waiting, or watching involved.

How do you store them and how long do they keep?

Store in an airtight container, or in a zip-top bag, to keep flavors at their best. It is best to store them at room temperature. They’ll be fresh for two weeks, and the oil in the bag increases flavor over time.

You can store them for up to three months in a gallon freezer bag. To use them, just remove them from the bag and pour them into a bowl. You don’t even have to thaw them; they taste fresh even when frozen!

How spicy are these?

Using a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne will keep it mild to medium. Heat builds as you eat, but folks who say they don’t like spicy food tend to manage these. If you want it totally mild, just omit the cayenne – you’ll still get flavor from the ranch and dill.

What to Do With Extra Pretzels

There are rarely leftovers, but here are some ideas if you wound up with extras.

Soup Topper

Crush a few and sprinkle over tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, or even chili like crouton toppings. The ranch seasoning adds a layer of flavor.

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken

For Tuesday night dinner, crush some pretzels in a food processor so we can use them for breading on some chicken tenders. To coat the chicken, some mayonnaise is brushed on, then pretzel crumbs are added and the tenders are baked for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

Trail Mix Base

For a sweet and salty treat mix M&Ms, peanuts, and dried cranberries together. This is a lunchbox favorite of my kids after trying it once it is gone by second period.

A Few Snacks We Make Around Here

If you’re planning on making a full snack spread, consider these ideas for what to pair with these pretzels.

Microwave Caramel Chex Mix is a heavenly combination of sweet, crunchy caramel and Chex! It is super simple and quick to make, and is ready to eat in just a few minutes. Perfect for a movie night or paired with spicy pretzels for an incredible sweet and spicy combination!

Seven Layer Dip: It’s cold and has so many layers, it just flies off the table! Set it next to these and you’ve basically covered the whole snack table!

Chili’s Skillet Queso Copycat is perfect for dipping with your pretzels as it is a warm meat and cheese dip.

For something really easy to whip up at your next get together, try jalapeno popper dip. Taking cream cheese and sour cream for the dip, and topping it with cheddar and crispy jalapenos to bake, it is bubbly perfection.

What do you think of the spicy ranch pretzels? If you did an overnight rest, comment and tell me how it went!