Description
This Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels recipe delivers delightfully soft, warm pretzels coated in a buttery cinnamon sugar mixture, served perfectly with a creamy vanilla-infused cream cheese dip. Made from scratch with a simple yeast dough, these pretzels are boiled briefly in baking soda water to achieve their iconic chewy texture, then baked to a golden brown. Ideal for a cozy snack or party treat, this recipe offers a balance of sweet and rich flavors with an easy-to-follow process that yields 12 pretzels.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzels:
- 4 ¾ cups (565 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast (active dry)
- ½ cup (120 ml) lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, lukewarm
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
Cream Cheese Dip:
- ½ cup (110 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar:
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Place the lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon of the light brown sugar, and the yeast in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook, add the remaining sugar, flour, kosher salt, and room temperature butter. Mix briefly to combine the ingredients.
- Add Liquids: Pour the warm milk and yeast mixture along with the lukewarm water into the flour mixture. Beat on medium speed until the mixture comes together.
- Knead Dough: Reduce the mixer speed to low and knead the dough using the dough hook for about 5 minutes until a soft and sticky dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a smooth ball.
- First Rise: Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Divide and Shape: Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions (approximately 81 grams each). Roll each portion into a 20-inch rope. Shape each rope into a U shape, twist the ends twice, then fold down and pinch to seal to create the pretzel shape. Arrange the shaped pretzels on a parchment-lined baking tray and cover them to rest and rise for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Trays: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare Baking Soda Bath: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the boiling water, stirring until dissolved.
- Boil Pretzels: Carefully drop the pretzels one at a time into the boiling baking soda water. Boil each pretzel for 40 seconds on each side. Use a strainer or spatula to remove the pretzels and place them back onto the parchment-lined trays.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush this egg wash evenly over each pretzel to give them a shiny, golden finish when baked.
- Bake Pretzels: Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until they turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to create the cinnamon sugar mix.
- Coat Pretzels: Brush the melted unsalted butter generously over the warm pretzels. One at a time, toss each pretzel in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat it thoroughly.
- Make Cream Cheese Dip: Using an electric whisk, whip the cream cheese and softened butter together for 2 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined and creamy.
Notes
- Measurements are precise in both cups and grams; using a kitchen scale for accuracy is highly recommended.
- Ensure all ingredients, especially butter and cream cheese, are at room temperature before starting for better mixing and texture.
- European style butter (like Kerry Gold) is preferred for richer flavor and creamier texture in the frosting and coating.
- For best freshness, do not apply the cinnamon sugar coating or melted butter until just before serving if you are not eating the pretzels immediately.
- Store baked pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; reapply butter and cinnamon sugar before serving.
Keywords: soft pretzels, cinnamon sugar pretzels, homemade pretzels, cream cheese dip, sweet pretzels, baked pretzels, party snack