Make easy cinnamon sugar pretzel bites from scratch! These soft and buttery pretzel bites coated in cinnamon sugar are impossible to resist.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Homemade cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are easier to make than you would think! For a special treat, dip them in Nutella. So good!
How long it takes: under 2 hours, including 1 hour rising time
Equipment you’ll need: a baking sheet and a mixing bowl
Servings: makes 60 cinnamon sugar pretzel bites
Easy Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
Once you’ve experienced the joy of freshly baked, homemade pretzel bites rolled in cozy cinnamon sugar, you’ll never look at a mall food court pretzel again. Not only are these cinnamon sugar pretzel bites perfect in terms of taste and texture, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. You can use this versatile dough for all sorts of homemade pretzel recipes, from homemade soft pretzels to pretzel knots, but especially for these deliciously sugary pretzel bites.
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
- Authentic flavor and texture. These homemade cinnamon sugar pretzel bites taste just as good, if not better than your favorite food court soft pretzels! They’re soft, chewy, and baked until golden.
- Sweet coating. This sweet variation is coated in delightfully crunchy cinnamon sugar. These bites are perfect for dipping in Nutella or chocolate sauce for a fun bite-sized dessert or sweet snack. They’re pretty irresistible, plain or dipped!
- Easy to make. This recipe is SO simple to follow and produces consistently perfect cinnamon sugar-coated pretzels! Prepare to be just as obsessed as we are.
What You’ll Need
I’ll start you off with some notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make cinnamon sugar pretzels from scratch. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post with the full recipe amounts and instructions.
- Flour – I recommend regular all-purpose flour.
- Yeast – This recipe uses instant yeast, also called rapid-rise or quick-rise yeast.
- Salt
- Sugar – I like to use brown sugar for a more caramelized flavor, but granulated sugar is also fine.
- Butter – Unsalted butter, melted in the microwave before you start.
- Baking Soda – for the alkaline bath.
- Cinnamon Sugar – This is easy to make by combining granulated white sugar with ground cinnamon.
- Nutella – Optional sauce for dipping. Chocolate sauce is great, too. Find more easy dip ideas and serving suggestions later in the post.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
You’ll start by preparing your quick and easy pretzel dough before shaping, boiling, and baking. Then, all that’s left is to dunk these babies in cinnamon sugar! Here’s a short step-by-step:
Make the dough. Start by whisking together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Next, add warm water (120°F-130°F) and melted butter, and mix until the dough forms a dry, springy ball.
Let it rise. Place the dough into an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat. Afterward, cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave the dough to rise.
Shape the dough. After about an hour, the dough should be ready to shape into pretzel bites. Punch down the dough and then turn it out onto a clean countertop, and divide it into 6 equal pieces. One at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a long rope and cut each rope into 1” bites. Place the finished bites onto a well-oiled baking sheet.
Boil the pretzel bites. Next, boil the pretzel bites in batches in a mixture of boiling water and baking soda. This baking soda water bath is the key to soft pretzels’ authentic, chewy texture. Let the pretzel bites soak for just 30 seconds (that’s it!) before promptly lifting them out with a slotted spoon.
Bake. Let the excess water drain off, and then return the pretzel bites to your prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 12-14 minutes until the bites are golden brown.
Adding the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
While your pretzel bites are baking in the oven, you’ll have plenty of time to whisk up some homemade cinnamon sugar for the coating. Here’s how to add a sweet finish to your freshly baked pretzel nuggets:
Prepare the cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, whisk sugar together with ground cinnamon.
Coat the pretzel bites. While the pretzels are warm from the oven, brush them with melted butter. Roll each pretzel bite in the bowl of cinnamon sugar until it’s well-coated.
Serve! Plate your cinnamon sugar pretzel bites with a side of Nutella spread for dunking, if you like.
Recipe Notes
Unlike certain yeasted dough recipes, pretzel dough is very forgiving and easy to shape. Here are some final tips for perfect cinnamon sugar pretzel bites, every time:
- Get the right dough consistency. Your pretzel dough should be dry to the touch and it should spring back slowly when you press it gently with your finger. If you find that the dough is a bit sticky, add more flour a little at a time until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can still make delicious homemade pretzel bites. When mixing the dough by hand, you’ll need to turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 10 to 15 minutes instead.
- Don’t skip the water bath. The baking soda water jacuzzi session is essential for an authentic-tasting pretzel! Boiling the pretzel bites before baking improves their flavor and chewy texture, and also helps them brown in the oven. Thirty seconds is all it takes – boiling for too long can lead to a slightly bitter taste.
- Line or oil the baking sheet. This prevents the pretzel bites from sticking while they bake. You can drizzle oil over the pan and distribute it with your fingers, or give it a light greasing with nonstick spray. Another option is to use parchment paper, which also makes for easier cleanup.
- Serve right away. Due to the melted butter coating, these cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are best enjoyed on the day they’re made. They tend to become soggy over time. Keep reading for make ahead tips.
Make This Pretzel Bites Recipe Your Own
Get creative with your pretzel bites! There are tons of easy ways that you can adapt this basic recipe with sweet and savory variations. Try these ideas:
- Sea salt. Leave off the cinnamon sugar coating and sprinkle the boiled pretzel bites with flaked sea salt before baking. If you like, serve the pretzel bites with creamy homemade beer cheese dip.
- Pumpkin spice. In place of ground cinnamon, substitute homemade pumpkin pie spice (or apple pie spice) for a fall-inspired twist.
- Gingerbread. Instead of plain butter, substitute melted gingerbread butter for the holidays.
- Savory. Brush the baked pretzel bites with melted garlic butter for a savory variation.
- Looking for a faster option? Try my cinnamon sugar pull apart bread, an easy recipe that starts with a can of biscuits.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
Soft, chewy pretzel bites rolled in cinnamon sugar are the perfect sweet appetizer or snack to serve any time of the year. We love them dipped in Nutella, but you can easily adapt your dipping choices to seasons and holidays. Try pumpkin dip in the fall or hot fudge and caramel sauce in the wintertime. This 10-minute tiramisu dip is another favorite. For an indulgent dessert, pair cinnamon sugar-coated pretzels with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
- To Store. These cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are best eaten on the day they’re made, as the butter tends to soak in over time and make them soggy. If you absolutely must store leftovers, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freeze/Make Ahead. Freeze the baked pretzel bites after they’ve cooled and before rolling them in butter and cinnamon sugar. Keep them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months. I recommend reheating the soft pretzel bites in a 350ºF oven right from frozen. Once they’re warmed through, brush them with melted butter and roll them in sugar as directed.
More Sweet Snacks
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose white flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant (rapid rise or quick rise) yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups warm water, 120°F-130°F
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup Nutella, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Fit the dough hook to a stand mixer and put the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into the mixing bowl. Whisk together by hand until fully combined.
- Pour the water and melted butter into the mixing bowl, then turn on the stand mixer to the lowest setting. Mix with the dough hook for 8 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
- After 8 minutes, the dough will have formed a ball and should have come away from the sides of the mixing bowl. It will feel dry to the touch and when you press a finger into the dough it should spring back slowly. If the dough feels sticky when you touch it with a clean dry finger, add more flour a tablespoon at a time, with the mixer running until the flour is incorporated.
- Lightly oil a bowl and turn the dough out into it, flipping the dough so that it’s coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with clean dry towel. Set the bowl aside for 1 hour to allow the dough to rise.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR lightly oil it. Either drizzle a little oil on it and rub it in with your hands, or spray it with a light coating of oil.
- After 1 hour, the dough will have approximately doubled in size. It might double in size faster than an hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Punch the dough down and transfer it to a clean surface.
- Use a large knife or dough cutter to cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. If dough seems too elastic, let it rest 10 minutes. Roll each piece of dough into a rope of about 24 inches long. Cut each rope into sections of about 1 ½ to 2 inches. When you have cut all the dough into pretzel bites, set them aside on the oiled baking sheets.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prepare the baking soda water bath.
- Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil. When it’s boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer, then slowly add the baking soda. The baking soda will fizz and may bubble over if the pan has too much water in it.
- By now the pretzel bites will have puffed up slightly. Put 10 pretzel bites into the baking soda water bath. Let them soak for 30 seconds, then immediately remove. Note: Do not allow the pretzels to soak for longer than 30 seconds in total. Use a slotted spoon to lift the pretzel bites out of the water, allowing the water to drain off. Arrange pretzel bites on the oiled baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the pretzel bites are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. When the pretzel bites are baked, remove them from the oven. Brush with melted butter, then dip each one into the cinnamon sugar. Roll them around until they are completely coated.
- Serve pretzels while still warm, with Nutella dip, if desired.
Notes
- Makes about 60 pretzel bites, depending on how large you make them.
- Nutrition information is for pretzel bites only and does not include Nutella.
- Storage: Cool pretzels completely before storing them in a sealed container. Keep at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are best eaten on the day they are made. See the post above if you’d like to make them ahead and freeze them.
- Salted pretzel bites: If you prefer plain pretzel bites, simply sprinkle coarse salt or pretzel salt over the pretzels after you remove them from the baking soda water bath. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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