Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels (Printable Version)

Soft pretzels baked golden and coated with fragrant cinnamon sugar for a sweet, pillowy treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 Make:

01 - Combine warm water, active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl; let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add flour, salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture; mix until a cohesive dough forms.
03 - On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 450°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Bring 10 cups water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.
07 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions; roll each into a 20-inch rope and twist into pretzel shapes.
08 - One at a time, immerse each pretzel into the boiling water bath for 30 seconds; remove with a slotted spatula and place on prepared pans.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
10 - While still warm, brush each pretzel generously with melted butter.
11 - Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish; coat each buttered pretzel thoroughly.
12 - Serve pretzels warm for optimal flavor and texture.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • They're soft inside with a chewy exterior that no store-bought pretzel quite matches.
  • The cinnamon sugar actually stays put instead of sliding off halfway through eating.
  • You can have warm pretzels ready in under two hours from cold ingredients.
02 -
  • The boiling water bath is non-negotiable—it creates the chewy exterior that makes pretzels different from ordinary bread.
  • If you skip or rush the dough rising, you'll end up with dense, tough pretzels instead of pillowy ones.
  • Coating them while warm isn't just for taste; the heat helps the cinnamon sugar adhere so it doesn't fall off on the first bite.
03 -
  • If your pretzels turn out too dense, the issue was almost certainly that the dough didn't rise long enough or your water bath wasn't at a rolling boil.
  • Measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup rather than scooping directly from the bag—this prevents packing too much flour into your dough.
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