Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels
Skip the mall food court and make these Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels at home!
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We were wandering through the mall the other day, and we happened to come within I resisted the urge to buy pretzels at the mall…but I did come home and whip up a batch. I mean, c’mon. It’s cold outside, and there’s college basketball on tv. I needed something sweet. And these Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels totally worked!
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I decided to drizzle a simple white icing on top of these pretzels and then sprinkle on some V-day decorations. I mean nothing says love quite like a homemade batch of soft pretzels, right? Haha…I kid. If I gave my wife soft pretzels for Valentine’s Day, I think I’d be in the doghouse. “But honey, I made these just for you…” I can already see the look she’d give me if I pulled that stunt.
If you’ve never tackled pretzels at home before, then you owe it to yourself to make a batch today. These Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels are perfect if you have a sweet tooth or two, or you can opt for the salted Classic Soft Pretzels instead. The process is exactly the same, and it’s surprisingly easy.
I taught one of my best friends how to make pretzels a few months back, and now he texts me photos of homemade pretzels. I think I created a monster…so I apologize in advance if you become a pretzel-making monster after reading this post.
After shaping the pretzels, you just give them a bath in water with a couple tablespoons of baking soda. This step is what gives pretzels their iconic deep brown color, so don’t skip it! Oh, and you should probably make sure to put the tray of freshly baked pretzels right in front of the air vent intake in your house. That way your entire house will smell like the mall…in a good way! Enjoy, and Happy (early) Valentine’s Day!
Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ Tbsp brown sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbsp warm water
For the Soaker
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 Tbsp baking soda
For the Icing (Optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Using a countertop mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients (flour, salt, brown sugar, yeast, and warm water). Mix on medium speed for 6 minutes.
- Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and place in a warm (85°F) location for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the soaker by combining the boiling water with the baking soda. Mix until baking soda is fully dissolved, and set aside to cool.
- Once dough has risen, divide it into 8 pieces of equal weight (~2.5 ounces each). Allow dough to rest uncovered for 5 minutes, then roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope about 24” long. Twist each rope into a pretzel shape.
- Preheat oven to 475°F.
- Place each pretzel in the Soaker mixture for 2 minutes (spoon water over the top of the pretzel if it is not fully covered by the water). Transfer the pretzels to a baking sheet; let pretzels rest for 10 minutes uncovered. (Tip: Spray the baking sheet generously with non-stick spray first. This will help keep the pretzels from sticking.)
- Bake at 475°F for 8-9 minutes, or until pretzels are golden brown in color.
- While pretzels are baking, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until well combined.
- Remove pretzels from oven and brush with melted butter. Dust tops of pretzels with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- {Optional} Whisk all ingredients for the Icing together until smooth. Drizzle icing over top of pretzels before serving.
Pretzels just sadly aren’t a thing over here. Yet another thing that you guys get right and we just miss out on. But, that means there is even more reason for me to make these, right?!
Ok, we need to fix this problem, Dannii. You guys have a lot of cool things that we need to bring over here to the States, too. Like a Queen. But for now, let’s just start with pretzels. Perhaps you could get Dave to open up a pretzel truck that drives around Manchester in the afternoon? He would make a killing! 🙂
Oh yum…. Those freshly baked soft pretzels are so tempting and I am sure they add air ducts for the entire mall. And the icing…so beautiful!
Thanks so much, Linda! I do think those sneaky people at the mall put freshly baked pretzels right into the air ducts. But hey, you can make these at home and avoid the mall traffic. That’s a win-win in my book! 🙂
You know what – I think you are right! Those mall pretzel joints probably do place their ovens straight into the air ducts for the entire mall! I gotta admit, I am impressed – my willpower is mush when I walk by those places! Lil Shashi and I usually get just one and share but I still succumb to it.
I made soft pretzels once – many moons ago – but we salted some and honey mustard-ed some – these, however sound amazing! Love the icing and cinnamon-sugar! I’ve gotta try this sweet version – Lil Shashi might just have to stop at one but that means more for me!
Yeah, I always think that I want one of those pretzels, but somehow my willpower takes over. I have no idea how. It’s probably because I get distracted by some sale ad in a store. Haha! Yes, go make a batch of these at home…and then hide them from Lil Shashi since she can’t have ’em anyways. 🙂
David!
I agree, they do that on purpose!! and the smell drives you crazy! your soft pretzels look divine!! I am already in love!
Haha…thanks, Gaila! Let’s just avoid the mall parking lot and make a batch of pretzels at home instead. Sound good? 🙂
This looks gorgeous, so delicious and very creative!
Great recipe, thanks for sharing… 🙂
Thank you so much, Puja! I’m all about some sweet treats, and these pretzels did the job. I appreciate the comment! 🙂
Hi David! Switched browers….
And it worked! I’m so glad that you’re up and running again, Dorothy! Here’s to awesome conversations with my Tennessee friend! 🙂
you make it look so easy David, they look gorgeous! And that cinnamon sugar smell gets to me every time!! Pinning this!
But they ARE so easy, Manali! Pretzels are one of my favorite snacks to make when we have a crowd. They’re impressive, but they really don’t require as much work as you might think! 🙂
Awe, the vent is an evil temptress isn’t she? I know what you mean, it’s like you’ve been hypnotized and MUST have one, or a Cinnabon, they are the worst in ruining my best intentions of being good. 🙂
These look and sound pretty easy to put together and is on the list, I mean, homemade pretzels – YES!
Oh man, Cinnabons are quite possible the only thing worse than those pretzel places in the mall. Haha! Homemade pretzels: 1, 2, 3, go! 🙂
Those pretzels in the mall food court smell so good, I always smell them from far away and want to get some! Making them at home would be such a treat, I’d do it for the smell alone! Freshly baked pretzels with cinnamon – nothing can compare to the smell of that!!!
Same here, Melanie! I’m usually good and avoid getting the pretzels in the mall, but I come with a burning desire to make a batch. That’s how these cinnamon + sugar ones came about! 🙂
Didn’t I read in one of your previous posts that you have some connection to the PA Dutch area? If so, I’m sure you know a good pretzel when you see one. The stuff they pass off as soft pretzels out here in the Midwest is so boring. The real thing is absolutely delectable. I always have a hard time deciding between mustard and cinnamon; they’re both so good. I think that if you formed them into heart shapes, they’d make perfectly acceptable V-Day fare … especially if accompanied by a diamond bracelet.
Good memory, Jeff! I’m from down South, but my wife is from Central PA. The PA Dutch area isn’t far from there, and we drive through that area each summer when we go visit her aunt and uncle in Maryland. And yes, the PA Dutch know their pretzels! We always have to stop at the Dutch market to get a pretzel. Oh man, NOW you tell me that I should have made these heart-shaped. Where were you when I was making these bad boys? And don’t tell my wife about the diamond bracelet idea…she’s getting pretzels for V-Day this year. (I kid. Sorta.)
WOW! Pretzels look so beautiful and delicious!
Thank you so much, Kushi! I love making homemade pretzels…they’re impressive to serve to company, and they’re really darned tasty! 🙂
When in the mall I love to smell freshly baked pretzels, but I don’t buy it cuz the taste got nothing to do with amazing aroma that’s filling the air. Homemade pretzels smell good and tastes good too.
Your pretzels look soft and delicious 🙂
You are totally right, Muna! The actual taste of those mall pretzels never lives up to the smell. But the homemade version totally does! Thank you so much!
Nope I´ve tackled pretzels at home before but I do love them! I always buy some at Lidl, a German bakery chain that´s here in Spain too. I love how you dollied these up for V-day!! So cute 🙂
Thanks so much, Johlene! You should totally tackle pretzels at home…they’re a lot easier to make than you might think. (But then the problem is you want to eat them all…hah.)
You speak the truth my friend, they definitely do it on purpose. And it’s definitely a challenge for because I LOVE cinnamon sugar pretzels. Actually, why don’t you send a couple of those bad boys my way? I would greatly appreciate it!
#WolfpackBakers
I’ll pack some of these up and send them straight down your way, Mike. Actually, I’ll just put them next to the air intake for your apt. Then you’ll be sitting on the couch wondering why you have a serious craving for cinnamon sugar pretzels. Thanks, man!
I dunno. If my husband gave me homemade soft pretzels for Valentine’s, I’d be pretty impressed. But then, the man cannot cook.
They do go directly into air ducts. Cinnabon at the mall does that, and Aunt Annie’s, and in Ikea they do it with cinnamon buns. Evil.
These look incredible. This is the time when we need amazing pretzels to celebrate all the football!
Haha! Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right, Mir? Homemade pretzels aren’t nearly as hard as people think. But then the problem is you end up with an entire batch…and pretzels taste best when they’re fresh. So clearly you need to eat the entire batch, right? 🙂 Oh man, you had to go and mention Ikea cinnamon buns. We don’t have an Ikea in our area, and I totally miss those buns!
Genius David!! How cool is that?!! Sweet pretzels and those sprinkles – awww so cute!!
Thank you so much, Ami! I had fun making these pretzels…and then we both had fun eating them! 🙂
Yum, these looks so good. I love the cinnamon and sugar you added to the tops of these pretzels.
Thanks, Dawn! Nothing says love like a batch of homemade pretzels, right? (haha!)
Good point about putting these guys near air vent. If you do that at around 3-4 a.m., that will have even a deeper impact! Try this and then report how it works in your case:) I mean, I hope you have a good Internet coverage outside of the house, haha;)Well done, David!
Oh now I like the way you think, Ben. But here’s the thing: I don’t want to be the one up at 4:00am to put these near an air vent. Maybe you can come do that for us one day so that we can wake up to the smell of cinnamon sugar pretzels? 🙂
Antie Annie these look amazing!
Oh crap. Hi mate I got confused. I swear there are 3 things which just kill me- These, cinnabon and pizza ovens. Wait….I just had the most genius idea. We should go into business creating air fresheners of those 3 flavors.
I think you’d win any valentine over with this 😀
Oh, now you are thinking, Arman! I say we start baking pizzas, pretzels and cinnamon rolls 24 hours a day. Then you can just use jars to capture the smells. Then we can sell those jars…I think we’re onto a real something good here! Haha! Hope you have a great weekend, mate!