Whisk together warm water, sugar, and yeast, then set aside for 10-15 minutes to activate.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 cups of flour and salt.

Add the melted vegan butter and the activated yeast mixture to the flour. Stir until a ball forms, then knead for 5-7 minutes by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add more flour as needed to prevent the dough from becoming too sticky (it should remain soft).

Lightly oil a bowl, then form the dough into a ball. Place it in the bowl and roll it around to coat it with oil.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rest for about 1 hour, allowing the dough to double in size.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into pieces about 3/4" by 1".

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, carefully add the baking soda (the water will rise quickly, so do this slowly).

In small batches, add the pretzel bites to the boiling water. Boil for about 1 minute, then flip and boil for another minute. Remove the bites and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Continue boiling until all pieces are done.

Brush each pretzel bite with melted vegan butter or oil and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the flour and whisk until fully combined.

Slowly pour in the rice milk, whisking continuously to eliminate any clumps. Stir in the garlic powder and salt.

Whisk in the cheese until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in the vegetable broth until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Top with paprika, if desired. Serve and enjoy by dipping the warm pretzel bites into the sauce!