In a small microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk and water for ~ 45 seconds.

Add the granulated sugar and instant yeast to the warm milk/water. Give it a quick mix and set that aside for ~5-8 mins. or until the yeast blooms

In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk all of the other dough ingredients (bread flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and partially melted butter).

Place the dough hook on your stand mixer. Add the bloomed yeast to the dry ingredients and begin mixing the dough on low speed until a dough ball begins to form.

Sprinkle bread flour on a clean & dry counter and then place the dough ball on top of the counter.

Continue kneading the dough by hand for ~ 3 minutes until it's just slightly sticky & soft.

Form the dough in a tight ball and place in a well-oiled bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a warm kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 400℉.

After the first rise, place the dough back onto a lightly floured counter and gently roll it out using a rolling pin.

Cut the dough into 6 equal strips and then roll each strip out to ~ 22" long.

Cut 1" pieces from those dough strips.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the warm water and baking soda for the water bath.

Dunk all of the dough pieces into the water bath for just a few seconds before taking them out, straining the excess water, and placing them on your baking sheet.

Bake at 400℉ on the center rack for 8-9 minutes until the tops are just slightly golden and the bottoms are a deeper brown. The baking time will vary depending on your oven so keep an eye on them as they bake

Allow the pretzel bites to cool

Melt 5 tbsp of butter

If you would like to make both the salted pretzels as well as the cinnamon sugar pretzels, divide the pretzel bites in half between two separate mixing bowls.

Add the melted butter to the pretzel bites and then add the coarse salt or cinnamon sugar mixture (this is just granulated sugar mixed with ground cinnamon to taste).

Toss the pretzels to incorporate the melted butter and toppings.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.

Whisk in the all-purpose flour and continue whisking it until it's well incorporated and you don't have any flour lumps

Slowly pour the milk into the saucepan as you gently whisk. Do not stop whisking as you don't want that flour to settle & burn.

Once the milk mixture thickens, take the saucepan off the heat.

Add in the freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese & all of the seasonings.

Gently fold in the cheese until it's melted & smooth

In a small bowl, combine all of the cream cheese frosting ingredients and mix very well using a rubber spatula until smooth.