Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Name: Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 packet active dry yeast; 1 cup warm milk; ¼ cup packed light brown sugar; 2 ½ cups all purpose flour ((plus more for kneading)); 1 teaspoon salt; 4-5 cups water; 3 Tablespoons baking soda; 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted ((can use salted butter))

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Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels are the perfect combination of soft, chewy dough and a sweet coating that makes every bite irresistible!

A SOFT SWEET TREAT

Whether you’re looking for a fun baking project or just a fun snack to enjoy with family, these Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels are the perfect treat to try out. Now, I know you may think of pretzels as being something that might be difficult to make from scratch. I used to think that way too but they are much easier to make than you might think and I am here to show you how to do it – step by step so you can’t mess it up! You can keep these sweet or make them savory!

A handing a single Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How much should the dough rise while it rests?

The dough will almost double in size, as long as you have good, active yeast.

How many pretzels can be placed in the baking soda bath at once?

Place one pretzel at a time in the baking soda bath, ensuring the baking soda is fully dissolved before adding each pretzel. For best results, use a timer to boil each pretzel for exactly 30 seconds.

Do you have to boil pretzel dough before baking?

Yes, this step is crucial! If you want your pretzels to have that perfect pretzel texture—soft and slightly chewy on the inside with a lightly crisp exterior—the baking soda bath is a must.

What icing would go well with homemade soft pretzels with cinnamon and sugar?

Buttercream or cream cheese icing pairs wonderfully with these pretzels! You could also try a simple icing made from powdered sugar and milk, or even spread some Nutella for an extra treat!

What’s the difference between active yeast, instant yeast and bread machine yeast and which one is right for this recipe?

Active Dry Yeast: This is the most common yeast used in baking. It consists of larger granules and needs to be dissolved in warm water before using, a process called “proofing.” It activates slower, so recipes using active yeast, like this pretzel recipe, often require longer rise times.
Instant Yeast: Also known as rapid-rise or quick-rise yeast, this type has finer granules and can be mixed directly into dry ingredients without proofing. It works more quickly than active yeast, reducing the rise time in baking.
Bread Machine Yeast: This is essentially a type of instant yeast but is specially formulated to work well in bread machines. Like instant yeast, it doesn’t need to be dissolved in water and is added directly to the dry ingredients.
In short, active dry yeast needs to be proofed first, instant yeast is faster and can be added directly to the mix, and bread machine yeast is tailored for use in bread machines but behaves similarly to instant yeast.

Do I have to use the cinnamon sugar?

This same recipe can be used for salted pretzels. Instead of the cinnamon sugar coating, just sprinkle it with pretzel salt.

Can I make these in the bread machine?

Yes, it can be mixed and risen in a bread machine but then stopped there before the bread machine goes into baking mode. Follow the directions for your personal bread machine when it comes to adding the order of ingredients.

Can I add a glaze?

Sure, you can make a quick and easy icing using powdered sugar and milk.
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions:
Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. If you’re using vanilla extract, add that now as well.
Adjust Consistency: If the icing is too thick, add more milk, a little at a time (about ½ teaspoon), until it reaches your desired consistency. For a thicker glaze, use less milk; for a thinner drizzle, use more.

Can I make these pretzels with store bought bread dough?

Yes, If you want to use bread dough, I’d suggest grabbing the bread dough in a bag. If you grab the 3 loaves from Rhodes, you’ll get about 6 pretzels from each. Once you’ve thawed the previously frozen bread loaves, you can cut the loaves into equal portions. Then roll each part out into the long ropes, form the pretzel shapes and then let the pretzels rise on a lined baking sheet before dipping in the baking soda bath and then baking according to the directions. Then once the pretzels are baked, coat with melted butter and cinnamon and sugar mixture as you did with this recipe and enjoy.

How do you store these pretzels?

For best storage results, keep these pretzels in the freezer and reheat them in the microwave in 30-second intervals. They may not taste as fresh as they did on the first day, and the cinnamon sugar coating might be a bit messier, but they’ll still be delicious!

A wire rack with a few homemade cinnamon sugar pretzels.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

active dry yeast – see my frequently asked questions above for the differences between the different types of yeast.
warm milk– Milk should be very warm but not scalding (or boiling) or it may kill the yeast. I am sure there is a perfect temperature, I just never use a thermometer. It just needs to be warm to the touch to help the yeast bloom.
light brown sugar – you can use regular sugar if you prefer.
all purpose flour– you need this for the pretzels themselves but also more for kneading. It has to be all purpose flour, it can not be self rising flour, because we are using yeast as the leavening agent.
salt
baking soda
water
butter – You can use salted butter if needed.
ground cinnamon and granulated sugar – this will be the coating for the pretzels.

Active dry yeast, warm milk, light brown sugar, all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, water, butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON SUGAR PRETZELS

To a large bowl, add yeast, light brown sugar and warm milk and stir. Let sit for about 5 minutes, it should bubble if the yeast is activating. If you don’t see it bubbling then the yeast is no good and you’ll need to try again with fresh yeast. Then, add 2 ½ cups all purpose flour and salt, mix and knead for about 10-15 minutes with the dough hook, or by hand.

A bowl of yeast and water mixture and a bowl with flour being added to it.

Add more flour, ¼ cup at a time until the dough is just slightly sticky and as needed while kneading. If the dough is sticking way too much to your hands, then you know you need to add a little more.

Pretzel dough in a bowl and some hands kneading some pretzel dough on a board.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel then let it rest for 1 hour in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 sections. Shape each piece of dough into a heart and then twist the inside pieces together to make the pretzel shape.

Proofed bread dough in a bowl and a few dough balls with one shaped pretzel.

To a large sauce pan or pot, add the baking soda and water and bring to a boil. Once all of the baking soda has dissolved, place each pretzel in it for about 30 seconds before removing. Depending on how large your pot is, you will have to work in batches. Place boiled pretzels onto prepared baking sheet.

A spatula holding an unboiled pretzel above the pan and a few boiled pretzels on a baking sheet.

Bake pretzels on the middle oven rack for about 8-10 minutes. You want the pretzels baked all the way through and just slightly golden. Allow to cool slightly. In a wide and shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Use a pastry brush to brush on the melted butter, then dip each pretzel into the cinnamon and sugar mixture to cover completely.