Beer cheese soup with soft pretzels! There’s nothing more to say—creamy homemade comfort food.

All right, all right. Beer and cheese soup, she said.

Beer cheese soup and soft shortbread will change your dinner and lunch games this month. What about the snack game? I don’t know. It’s a soft pretzel dipped in Kessel sauce, which sounds like a pretty standard snack.

This recipe for beer cheese soup is:

1. Soft and smooth
2. Low key
3. Just the right amount of spicy
4. ultra-cozy
5. Smoky like bacon, but no bacon (thanks, paprika!)
6. It’s not devoid of nutrients because celery, bell peppers, and stuff like that, right, Mom?
7. But there’s also a fantastic splurge – beer-cheese soup, for crying out loud.

How to make beer cheese soup:

The soup itself cooks quickly. But it’s my job, to be honest with you. The truth is that if I were still a teacher and not a professional dieter if I was still coming home from work at 5 p.m., if I was still recovering from the pain of the workday, I definitely wouldn’t have the energy to make soft pretzels from scratch and casually whip up a pot of beer-cheese soup.

If you want to enjoy both pretzels and beer cheese soup but happen to have limited time, I suggest you choose one of the following:

1. Homemade pretzels (as described in the recipe).
2. Make the soup the day before.
3. Make pretzels the day before.
4. I do it on weekends. You’ll have more time. ♡
5. Resign! It’s worth it.

No, don’t quit, okay?

But do try to make pretzels from scratch. Not necessarily the first time – maybe make beer cheese soup a few times to get used to it (no one complains that beer cheese soup is homework), and then, when you’re ready, make a batch of soft pretzels as a sideline to your beer cheese soup. I fully trust you to do this, and you won’t regret spending extra time in the kitchen to do it all. To enjoy one and not the other is a borderline crime.

But is it worth talking about? Or do you want to dive into a delicious cream cheese soup? Well, that’s what I was thinking.

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot (see note) over medium heat. Add the vegetables (onion, garlic, celery, jalapeno, red pepper, smoked paprika) and fry for a few minutes until tender.
2. Add half the beer and all the broth. Bring to a simmer.
3. Melt butter in a separate pan. Stir in flour. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the butter and flour mixture to a simmering stockpot. Let the soup simmer for a few minutes. It should start to thicken. Slowly add the milk and remaining beer. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until creamy and slightly thickened.
5. Remove from the heat and wait a few minutes for the soup to cool slightly. Add cheese and stir until melted—season with salt and pepper. Grab your spoon!