The Absolute Best Sauces To Serve Alongside Your Soft Pretzels

Soft pretzels are synonymous with good times, whether you're munchie at the amusement park or looking for the perfect Oktoberfest food. Traditionally, these pretzels are served with cheese or mustard sauces, but these days, there are so many other options that can take them to the next level, it's hard to decide what to pick. Chowhound spoke with Marco Agustinus, the 2025 World Bread Awards by IBIE Pretzel Champion and a pastry cook at Conrad Orlando at Evermore, to get his take on the absolute best sauces to serve with soft pretzels. And it appears that when it comes to pairing pretzels and sauces, balance is key. "The pretzel already brings salt and chew, so sauces that offer contrast, whether tangy, spicy, or buttery, always work their magic," he says. "Creamy textures tend to win people over, like a smooth cheese dip or a flavorful mustard."  

But Agustinus isn't talking about the brightly colored sauces you get at baseball games. His pro tip for cheese sauce is to use sharp cheddar and melt it slowly. "Rushing it can turn your cheese into a gloopy heartbreak," he warns. He also recommends adding smoked paprika, caramelized onion, and a splash of ale to turn the humble dip into a gourmet experience. "For mustard, try swirling in a bit of honey or beer to add depth," he says. 

Cheese and mustard sauces doctored up with spices and beer are undeniable choices, but there's plenty of room to explore unexpected sauces to dip soft pretzels in. Marco Agustinus calls soft pretzels the "social butterflies of the snack world," meaning they can pair with just about anything. "Try them with maple butter, garlic or chile-lime aioli, or chocolate ganache sprinkled with sea salt," he says. 

In fact, soft pretzels, with their coarse salt, are ideal for pairing with sweeter sauces, as the saltiness enhances sweeter flavors. Agustinus recommends the sweet-toothed crowd try pretzels with a cinnamon-infused cream cheese dip, saying it's an instant crowd-pleaser. For spice lovers, there are several ways to add heat to a sauce, from hot sauce to cayenne pepper. "If you're feeling bold, Buffalo ranch or bacon jam will take you straight to flavor heaven," he says. Basically, sauces can get as creative and inventive as you like. It's hard to go wrong when you're dipping a freshly baked, buttery pretzel.