Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels (Printable Version)

Soft, golden pretzels coated with fragrant cinnamon sugar, perfect for snacking or dessert moments.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 1 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
02 - 2 1/4 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

→ Water Bath

07 - 10 cups water
08 - 2/3 cup baking soda

→ Topping

09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add flour, salt, and melted butter. Mix until a dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - In a large pot, bring water and baking soda to a boil.
07 - Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch rope and twist into pretzel shapes.
08 - One at a time, dip each pretzel into boiling water bath for 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spatula and place on baking sheets.
09 - Bake pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
10 - While warm, brush pretzels generously with melted butter.
11 - Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish. Dredge each buttered pretzel in the mixture until fully coated.
12 - Serve pretzels warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They hit that perfect sweet spot between a pretzel's chewiness and a pastry's tenderness, so you get all the satisfaction in one bite.
  • The boiling water bath creates that authentic pretzel crust that tastes infinitely better than what you can get from the store.
  • They're done in under two hours from start to finish, and most of that is just waiting for dough to rise while you do other things.
02 -
  • Temperature matters—if your water is too cool, your yeast won't activate, but if it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast before it even starts working its magic.
  • Don't skip the boiling water bath because that's literally what separates a homemade pretzel from regular bread shaped like a pretzel.
  • The cinnamon sugar coating sticks best when you apply it to the warm, buttered pretzels, so timing is everything on that last step.
03 -
  • A stand mixer with a dough hook takes the work out of kneading if you have one, though kneading by hand gives you a real connection to what you're making.
  • Keep your water bath at a rolling boil and watch that 30-second timer closely—even 10 extra seconds can change the texture, so use a kitchen timer you can actually trust.
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