Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels (Printable Version)
Soft, golden pretzels tossed in warm cinnamon sugar for a delightful sweet snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1 ½ cups warm water (about 110°F)
02 - 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Baking Soda Bath
07 - ⅔ cup baking soda
08 - 10 cups water
→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping
09 - ½ cup granulated sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy, indicating yeast activation.
02 - Add melted butter, flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and all flour is incorporated.
03 - Knead by hand on a floured surface or use a stand mixer with dough hook for 5–7 minutes until dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed.
04 - Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large pot, bring 10 cups water and baking soda to a rolling boil.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch rope, then shape into traditional pretzel form by crossing ends and twisting them down.
07 - Carefully lower each pretzel into the boiling baking soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula, allowing excess liquid to drain, and place on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until pretzels are deeply golden brown with a shiny, crackled crust.
09 - Immediately brush each hot pretzel generously with melted butter, ensuring full coverage for sugar adherence.
10 - Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Toss each buttered pretzel in the mixture until thoroughly coated on all sides.
11 - Serve immediately while warm for optimal texture and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That magical moment when you pull them from the oven, all golden and smelling like pure comfort
- The texture is somehow both chewy and pillowy, especially fresh from the baking soda bath
02 -
- The baking soda bath will foam up like crazy when you add the pretzels, so use your biggest pot to avoid overflow
- Work quickly when shaping because the dough gets harder to handle as it warms up and relaxes
03 -
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers if the dough starts feeling dry or sticky while shaping
- Room temperature butter melts into the warm pretzels better than cold butter, creating that perfect coating surface