Sweet Soft Pretzels with Cinnamon

Sweet soft pretzels with cinnamon have a chewy, golden crust and a soft inside, finished with a buttery coating of cinnamon sugar. The dough is the classic yeast dough, which is dipped in a baking soda bath before baking to give the pretzels their deep brown color and chew.

After baking, you brush them with melted butter and roll them in cinnamon sugar. They taste like a mix of a mall pretzel and a cinnamon doughnut, and they are best eaten warm.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) warm water, about 110 F (43 C)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cups (500 g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

Baking soda bath

• 10 cups (2.4 liters) water
• 1/2 cup (110 g) baking soda

Cinnamon sugar coating

• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Why You’ll Love These Sweet Soft Pretzels with Cinnamon

• They have the chewy crust of a real pretzel and the sweet, buttery coating of a cinnamon sugar doughnut.
• The dough uses basic ingredients and needs only one rise, so it is simpler than most yeast recipes.
• Shaping the pretzels is fun, and the rope shape is easy to learn after the first one.
• They are best fresh from the oven, and the recipe makes a batch of eight, which is enough to share.

Ingredient Notes

Yeast: Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm water first. The water should feel warm, not hot. If it is above 120 F (49 C), it can kill the yeast. After 5 to 10 minutes, the mixture should look foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is old and the dough will not rise. Instant yeast also works, and you can mix it right into the flour.

Flour: All purpose flour gives a soft chew. Bread flour makes the pretzels chewier and slightly firmer. Start with 4 cups and add a tablespoon more only if the dough sticks to your hands. A dough that is too dry bakes up dense.

Baking soda bath: The baking soda bath is what makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel. The alkaline water sets the surface of the dough and gives it the brown crust and the classic flavor. Do not skip this step. Brief boiling is fine, and 20 to 30 seconds per pretzel is enough. Use a pot that is large and wide, and bring the water to a gentle boil.

Butter: Brush the butter on while the pretzels are still hot, so the cinnamon sugar sticks. Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt. For a vegan version, use a plant based butter with the same amount of fat. The dough itself uses no egg or milk.

Cinnamon sugar: Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a wide, shallow dish, so you can roll the pretzels easily. Use fresh cinnamon, since old cinnamon tastes flat. For a stronger flavor, increase the cinnamon to 1 tablespoon.

How to Make Sweet Soft Pretzels with Cinnamon

Stir the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar into the warm water in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface looks foamy. Add the remaining sugar, the salt and the melted butter.

Add 3 1/2 cups of flour and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes, adding the last 1/2 cup of flour a little at a time as needed. This is the first step where a mistake ruins the pretzels. If you under knead the dough, it has no structure and the pretzels come out dense. The dough is ready when it is smooth, soft and slightly tacky.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it and let it rise in a warm spot for 45 to 60 minutes, until it doubles in size. Heat the oven to 450 F (230 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 24 inches (60 cm) long, with slightly thinner ends. Shape each rope into a U, cross the ends twice and press them down onto the bottom of the U. Place the shaped pretzels on the parchment.

Bring the 10 cups of water to a gentle boil in a wide pot. Carefully stir in the baking soda, as it foams up. Lower the pretzels into the water one or two at a time and cook for 20 to 30 seconds per side. The second step that matters is the timing. If they stay in the water too long, they taste metallic and look wrinkled. Lift them out with a slotted spatula and let the water drip off.

Place the pretzels back on the parchment and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. While they bake, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.

Brush each hot pretzel generously with melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until coated on all sides. Serve warm.

Tips for Success

• Use a wide pot for the baking soda bath, so the pretzels do not touch each other or fold over.
• Pat the pretzels with a paper towel after lifting them from the bath. A dry surface browns better and holds its shape.
• Brush with butter right away. Hot pretzels absorb the butter, and the sugar stays on the surface.
• Roll the dough on an unfloured surface for the ropes. A little grip makes it easier to stretch the dough.
• Eat the pretzels the same day. The crust is crisp and chewy at first, and it softens as the pretzels sit.

Storage

Counter: Keep the cooled pretzels in a loosely covered container for up to 1 day. A tightly sealed container makes the crust soft and the sugar damp.

Reheating: Warm the pretzels in a 350 F (175 C) oven for 5 minutes. Brush with a little more butter and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if needed.

Freezer: Freeze the baked pretzels, without the coating, in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven from frozen for 10 minutes, then butter them and roll them in cinnamon sugar.

FAQ

Do I need the baking soda bath?

Yes. It gives pretzels their dark crust, chewy bite and classic flavor. Without it, you get plain bread rolls in a pretzel shape. The bath is quick, and it takes less than 5 minutes for the whole batch.

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes. After kneading, put the dough in a greased bowl, cover it and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before you shape it.

Why didn’t my pretzels brown?

The oven may not be hot enough, or the baking soda bath was too short or too weak. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer and make sure the baking soda dissolves fully in the water.

Can I make these into bites?

Yes. Cut the ropes into 1 inch pieces, boil them in the bath for 15 seconds and bake for 5 to 6 minutes. Coat them in butter and cinnamon sugar like the full pretzels.

Can I use a different coating?

Yes. For a plain pretzel, use coarse salt before baking instead of the cinnamon sugar. For a sweeter version, serve with a cream cheese dip or caramel sauce.