Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Just like those famous mall pretzels but BETTER!
Texture: Crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside.
Ease: Definitely more of a relaxing afternoon type of baking project, but absolutely achievable.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Nostalgia in each bite.
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These Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites will give you instant nostalgic flashbacks!
This copycat mall cinnamon sugar pretzel recipe seriously transports you back in time.
My life from the ages of 13 to 15 was spent mostly walking in circles around the mall with my friends.
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The aroma of Auntie Anne’s or Wetzel’s Pretzels was the primary scent of my early teenage years.
Of all the mall pretzels, the cinnamon sugar ones were my favorite. Especially if they came with a little tub of that sweet dipping sauce.
These are quicker and simpler to make than my Classic Pretzel Recipe, and sweeter than my more savory Soft Pretzel Bites recipe.
They’re perfect for dessert or a sweet snack!
Perfectly crisp on the outside but fluffy inside, each bite is delightful.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites:
1. Make the pretzel dough: You only need a few basic ingredients, and luckily your stand mixer will do most of the work for you. After kneading the pretzel dough in your mixer, you’ll let the dough rise until it’s just about doubled in size.
2. Shape the pretzel bites: Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, then roll each piece into about a 20-inch long log. Next, use a bench cutter to portion into about thirteen 1 1/2-inch pieces from each log.
3. Prepare the baking soda bath: This gives the pretzels their distinct pretzel taste and crust. Bring water to a boil, add baking soda, and dunk pretzel bites in for 30 seconds at a time. Then transfer the pretzel bites to parchment-lined baking sheets.
4. Bake the pretzel bites: Bake until golden brown.
5. Coat the pretzels in cinnamon sugar: A hefty pour of melted butter and a generous coating of cinnamon sugar finishes these babies off to perfection.
The Yeast
Both instant yeast and active dry yeast will work for these sweet Pretzel Bites. Just note active dry may require the dough to rise for a longer amount of time. To speed that up a little, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the warm water called for in the recipe and let sit for 5 minutes. This will activate the yeast more quickly but is optional.
If using instant yeast, just add in directly with the other dough ingredients.
Check out my full Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Yeast article here.
Can I Make Regular-Sized Cinnamon Pretzels Instead of Pretzel Bites?
Yes. Follow the shaping instructions in my classic Pretzel Recipe here and bake for about 16 minutes.
However, I will say the taste and texture of this Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel recipe is much better when made in bite form, in my opinion. When I baked these as regular pretzels, there wasn’t enough cinnamon sugar coating in each bite and they didn’t have the same contrast of textures.
Can I Use a Lye Bath with This Recipe?
Though I highly recommend using a lye bath for my Classic Pretzel Recipe, these Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites were not designed to use a lye bath. The baking soda creates a softer texture more similar to mall-style pretzels.
What to Serve with Sweet Pretzel Bites
I’ve included my super easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below, which complements the sweet Pretzel Bites perfectly. Alternatively, place some bites in a bowl and top with:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Toffee Bits
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Butterscotch Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce
- Or anything else you like!
How to Store & Freeze Cinnamon Pretzel Bites
Once the baked Pretzel Bites are tossed with the butter and cinnamon sugar, they really are best served immediately.
Alternatively, freeze the baked but uncoated Pretzel Bites in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To serve, thaw to room temperature, then refresh in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes before coating as the recipe instructs.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Classic Bavarian-Style Pretzels
- Garlic Parmesan Pretzels
- Soft Pretzel Bites
- Easy Chai Sugar Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
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Ingredients
For the pretzels:
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons (25 grams) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110°F)
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 1/4 cups (540 grams) all-purpose flour
For baking soda bath:
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, completely softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all of the dough ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Increase speed to medium and knead for 7 to 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl or your hands, adding a little more flour if needed.
- Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until about doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter.
Shape the pretzels:
- Remove the dough to a clean work surface. Divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece against the counter or between your palms into about a 20-inch long log. Keep the remaining pieces covered. Only add flour to your work surface or dough if absolutely necessary.
- Using a bench cutter, cut about thirteen 1 1/2-inch pieces from each log. Be sure to not cut these too big, they will puff up in the oven! Place on the two greased parchment-lined baking sheets.
Prepare the baking soda bath:
- Bring the water to a boil (I like to use an electric kettle). Carefully pour the water into a large bowl (I use the bowl the dough rose in) and add in the baking soda. Stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve.
- Dunk the pretzels bites in the baking soda solution, starting with the ones you shaped first, for no more than thirty seconds, before gently removing with a slotted spoon back to the greased and lined baking sheets, spacing them out at least half an inch apart.
Bake the pretzels:
- Bake both trays at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes, alternating the trays halfway through the baking time for even baking, until golden brown to your preference.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before peeling away from the parchment paper.
Coat with cinnamon sugar:
- Place the cooked pretzels in a large sealable container. Toss with the melted butter. Add the cinnamon and sugar and toss to combine.
Make the cream cheese dip:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, cream or milk, and vanilla on medium-high speed until very light, creamy, and smooth, about three minutes. On low speed, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Coated pretzels are best served soon after making. Alternatively, you can freeze the baked uncoated pretzels. Thaw to room temperature, then refresh in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes before coating as the recipe instructs.
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These are dangerously good! And way too easy! My husband and I were eating them as I was putting them on the plate. Absolutely love these!
This recipe is amazingly easy! It’s delicious! I’m so happy i tried this recipe! I’m definitely going to make these over and over. My husband loved these and will be sharing these with my best friend, she always looks forward to trying any sweet treats i make! Thank you for this amazing recipe! I also want to make the garlic parmesan pretzels! I already know they will be great!
Wonderful! So happy you both loved this recipe!
Terrific very clear recipe. They are so delicious, my kids devoured them!!
I loved these pretzel bites! The recipe was easy to follow & well written. I loved the optional dip too! I can’t wait to make these again!
Fun, easy recipe! Don’t need to head to the mall for these anymore!
Super delicious and super easy to make! It will definitely be a new favorite!
These are super addicting! AND super easy to make! It will definitely be a new favorite snack. I didn’t get a chance to make the frosting, but they were still tasty!
I absolutely love the cinnamon sugar pretzel bites. They’re not too sweet but just right and soft and chewy. Probably a bit bigger than a bite but that is my fault as I made them a bit bigger than they should have been by making 60 of them instead of 80. They really are excellent.
Super simple and super worth it! My kids loved them!
Delicious and surprisingly easy! The only drawback was that it’s such a large batch to be eaten very quickly. I may try doing just half next time or at least saving these as a party snack. Very yummy though!
Glad you enjoyed them! These freeze beautifully (perfect for weeknight cravings)! Check out more details in the pink box above the recipe 🙂
Delicious, easy snack to have on hand!
My first batch was delicious! The recipe is easy too. However subsequent batches I believe I left in the baking soda bath too long and they came out having a “metallic/bitter” taste. I will try this recipe again.