Description
Cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks bring warmth and comfort straight from German bakery traditions. Crisp exterior meets sweet cinnamon coating, creating an irresistible snack you cannot resist pulling apart and savoring bite by delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Ingredients:
Primary Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F / 43°C)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Binding and Leavening Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Coating and Finishing Ingredients:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Baking Preparation:
- 6 cups water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
Optional Serving:
- Cream cheese frosting or caramel sauce
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by whisking it with warm water and sugar in a spacious mixing vessel. Allow the mixture to bloom and become frothy for approximately 5 minutes.
- Incorporate salt and melted butter into the yeast mixture, creating a uniform liquid base.
- Gradually fold in flour, mixing methodically until a soft, cohesive dough develops. The texture should feel smooth and slightly tacky.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead vigorously for 5 minutes, developing gluten and creating an elastic consistency.
- Place the dough in a greased container, cover with a damp cloth, and allow it to rise in a warm environment until it doubles in volume, approximately 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 425F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Deflate the risen dough and divide it into 12-16 equal portions.
- Roll each portion into long, slender sticks measuring 6-8 inches in length.
- Prepare a baking soda bath by bringing water to a rolling boil, then quickly submerge pretzel sticks for 20-30 seconds per batch.
- Extract the boiled pretzel sticks using a slotted spoon and arrange them on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the pretzels until they transform into a rich golden brown color, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish for coating.
- Brush each baked pretzel stick generously with melted butter.
- Roll the buttered pretzels thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Serve immediately while warm, accompanied by cream cheese frosting or caramel sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Activate the yeast carefully by using water at the perfect lukewarm temperature between 100-110°F to ensure proper rising without killing the active cultures.
- Replace traditional wheat flour with gluten-free flour blend for those with gluten sensitivities, keeping the same measurement proportions for consistent texture.
- Use alternative sweeteners like coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener for a lower glycemic index version while maintaining the delightful cinnamon sugar coating.
- Prevent soggy pretzels by patting the dough sticks completely dry after the baking soda bath, which helps create a crispy exterior and golden-brown finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg