There's nothing quite like homemade soft cinnamon sugar pretzels freshly baked and warm from the oven! The chewy outside covered in a spiced, sweet coating contrasted with the plush interior makes them the most addicting fall baked good.
This post is sponsored by Baker's Secret. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sloane's Table possible!
For more fall recipes, try Brown Butter Snickerdoodles, Apple Cider Bundt Cake, Maple Pumpkin Hand Pies, and Salted Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip.
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Why you'll love these soft cinnamon sugar pretzels
- Chewy, Soft Texture: Just as all fresh baked pretzels should be, these are chewy on the outside & soft on the inside!
- Cozy Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Cinnamon sugar goes hand in hand with the fall season, and when paired with these soft pretzels, it's the most comforting flavor!
Ingredient Notes
- Flours: Pretzels need more gluten than other breads, so use a combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: The sugar is primarily for activating the yeast and helping the pretzels develop a deep golden color, but it also adds a slight sweetness to the dough.
- Salt: Use a high quality kosher salt to help bring out the flavors in this recipe.
- Yeast: I recommend using instant yeast, but you can also use active dry yeast. Just be sure to let it sit with the water and sugar for a few minutes in the first step and wait for it to become foamy.
- Water: Be sure to warm your water to 110 degrees so the yeast activates properly.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this soft pretzel recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
STEP 1: Activate the yeast. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar, and yeast.
STEP 2: Finish the dough. Add in the flours, melted butter, and salt. Mix on medium high speed for about 5 minutes until smooth and passes the windowpane test. Place the dough in a large lightly greased bowl, cover, and proof overnight in the fridge or in a warm environment for about one hour or until doubled in size.
STEP 3: Divide the dough. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, weighing about 80g each.
STEP 4: Shape the pretzels. To shape the pretzels, roll into a long, skinny rope (about 24" long). Take the two ends and cross them over each other two times.
STEP 5: Shape the pretzels. Then, bring the bottom U part of the dough over and pull the twist through to the top, slightly pressing the ends into the dough.
STEP 6: Proof the pretzels. Transfer the shaped pretzel to an individual parchment square, and repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover the pretzels and proof for about 30 minutes.
STEP 7: Bathe the pretzels. Bathe the pretzels (about 2 at a time) for 30 seconds on each side, then place on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
STEP 8: Bake & coat in cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until deeply golden. Brush the melted butter onto each pretzel. Sprinkle a generous amount of the cinnamon sugar onto each pretzel, and enjoy warm.
Expert Baking Tips
- Windowpane Test: The windowpane test is used to tell when the dough has developed enough gluten. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
- Shaping the Pretzels: When shaping the pretzels, do not use flour on your surface. The dough needs to be slightly sticky in order to roll into a smooth rope.
Recipe FAQs
Bread flour has a higher gluten percentage than all-purpose flour, so using a combination of the two flours will give this dough the perfect amount of gluten development to create chewy, soft pretzels.
Yes, just be sure to let it sit with the water and sugar for a few minutes in the first step and wait for it to become foamy. Then proceed with the recipe as written.
Typically, pretzels are dipped in a lye bathe to give them their classic chewy, deep golden brown exterior. However, lye can be dangerous to work with, so it's swapped with baking soda, which gives these pretzels a similar result!
These pretzels are best the day they are baked. The best way to prep this recipe is to make the dough the day before and let it proof overnight in the fridge. Then, the next day all you need to do is shape and bake them! Â
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other fall recipes to try
📖 Recipe
Soft Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Ingredients
For the soft pretzels:
- 283 g (1 ¼ cup) water, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 24 g (2 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 240 g (2 cups) bread flour
- 28 g (2 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the baking soda bath:
- 68 oz (8 cups) water
- 120 g (½ cup) baking soda
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 56 g (4 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 6 g (1 tablespoon) cinnamon
Instructions
For the soft pretzels:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, sugar, and yeast.
- Add in the flours, melted butter, and salt. Mix on medium high speed for about 5 minutes until smooth and passes the windowpane test.
- Place the dough in a large lightly greased bowl, cover, and proof overnight in the fridge or in a warm environment for about one hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has proofed, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a second baking sheet with ten 4" individual parchment squares.
- Divide the dough into 10 pieces, weighing about 80g each.
- To shape the pretzels, roll into a long, skinny rope (about 24" long). Take the two ends and cross them over each other two times, then bring the bottom U part of the dough over and pull the twist through to the top, slightly pressing the ends into the dough.
- Transfer the shaped pretzel to an individual parchment square, and repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Cover the pretzels and proof for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and bring a pot of water to a simmer.
- Once the pretzels have proofed, turn the water down to low heat and slowly add the baking soda.
- Bathe the pretzels (about 2 at a time) for 30 seconds on each side, then place on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes until deeply golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before coating them.
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- Brush the melted butter onto each pretzel.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of the cinnamon sugar onto each pretzel, and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Windowpane Test:Â The windowpane test is used to tell when the dough has developed enough gluten. To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and carefully spread it out to see if you can see the light through it without it tearing. If it tears, mix for another minute and check again.
- Shaping the Pretzels: When shaping the pretzels, do not use flour on your surface. The dough needs to be slightly sticky in order to roll into a smooth rope.Â
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