These cinnamon sugar pretzel bites are fun for the entire family! Easy to make with only 5 simple ingredients, they taste just like your favorite mall soft pretzels, only better!
There’s only one good thing about the mall and it’s those cinnamon sugar pretzel bites at Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. I can’t leave without getting a warm bag of those finger-licking treats!
Now you can make them at home in the easiest way possible!
I said easy, right? Well, I really meant it. We are using refrigerated pizza dough to make these super easy cinnamon sugar pretzels.
That’s right – no pretzel dough from scratch! While I love a classic pretzel recipe, I’ve been amazed by this shortcut and now I use it all the time.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this sweet soft pretzel recipe:
- Refrigerated pizza dough
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Baking Soda
And whatever you do, don’t skip the cream cheese dipping sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Portion out the Dough
Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal portions. Then, roll each portion into a long, thin rope.
Now, cut each rope into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Baking Soda Bath
Grab a shallow bowl and dissolve the baking soda in boiling water. If you prefer to do this on the stove, you certainly can.
I have an instant hot faucet in my kitchen, so I just pour the warm water and baking soda into a bowl and do it that way.
Now, dunk the dough pieces into the baking soda solution using a slotted spoon and remove them onto a baking sheet.
Bake the Pretzel Bites
It will only take 10 minutes in the oven for these yummy pretzel bites to reach a beautiful golden brown color.
Coat the Pretzel Bites in Deliciousness
While the pretzels are still hot, coat them in melted butter.
Let them sit on a cooling rack for a minute or so before tossing them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. This will prevent the cinnamon sugar from clumping.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your homemade pretzels as a snack, sweet treat or dessert.
Although they can be enjoyed alone, the cream cheese dipping sauce takes the experience to the next level. So don’t skip it!
Variations
Now that you’re a pro at pretzel making, here are some variations to try:
1. Make it savory. For those who crave a salty snack, swap out the cinnamon sugar for a light dusting of pretzel salt or everything bagel seasoning. Dip them in mustard or cheese sauce for ultimate yumminess.
2. Experiment with shapes. Form your pretzel dough into full size pretzels or other shapes for a fun variation.
3. Make it cheesy. For all you cheese lovers, swap out the cinnamon sugar for a Parmesan cheese coating instead. Yum!
Storage
Store leftover pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature.
The next time you want to enjoy them, warm them for a few seconds in the microwave to help revive their chewy texture.
All of this said, these snacks taste much better when they’re fresh. So don’t plan to keep them beyond the next day.
Can you make full size pretzels with this recipe?
You can totally make fully shaped pretzels using this recipe!
When you form the dough into long ropes, instead of cutting the ropes into small pieces, simply form them into whatever pretzel shape you want.
Don’t forget the baking soda bath!
Can you freeze these cinnamon sugar soft pretzels?
Freeze your uncoated pretzel bites, either baked or unbaked, in a freezer bag or airtight container. When you’re ready for a pretzel snack, thaw them at room temperature first.
If they are unbaked, follow the instructions in the recipe card to complete the process.
If they are already baked, simply reheat them in a warm oven and coat them with the butter and cinnamon sugar mixture.
Why do you give pretzels a baking soda bath?
The baking soda bath is the key step in pretzel making!
It creates an alkaline environment in the dough, which yields the classic golden brown color and chewy texture that we love about soft pretzels. And yes, it even works with pizza dough!
When you make these delicious cinnamon sugar pretzels, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more easy recipes, try these:
Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 12 oz. refrigerated pizza dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 Tbsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dipping Sauce
- 4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place refrigerated pizza dough in a buttered bowl covered with plastic wrap and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the dough onto a cutting board and divide it into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long, thin rope.
- Cut each dough rope into equal pieces, about 1 inch long.
- In a shallow bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 2 cups of boiling water. Dunk the dough bites into the water. Remove them and place them in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Melt butter in a microwave save dish. Coat the warm pretzel bites in melted butter and rest them on a wire rack for 2 minutes.
- Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Toss the pretzel bites in the cinnamon sugar coating.
- To make the dipping sauce, beat the cream cheese and butter together using an electric hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat on low speed to combine.
Thank you!
Aaden Bryce Bennett
abbenne4@stu.k12.wv.us