Go Back
Cinnamon sugar coated pretzel on a white plate
Emily

Soft Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Soft, golden, and chewy, these homemade pretzels are brushed with butter and rolled in sweet cinnamon sugar. With simple ingredients and easy step-by-step instructions, you’ll have warm, bakery-style pretzels right from your own oven. Perfect for family baking nights, game day snacks, or anytime you’re craving a cozy treat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups warm milk 110 to 115°F, warmed in microwave 1 to 1 ½ minutes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 to 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • Oil for greasing the bowl
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • Optional for baking soda bath 6 cups water
  • Optional for baking soda bath ¼ cup baking soda

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 cups of milk in the microwave for about a minute to a minute and a half. You want it warm to the touch, between 110 and 115°F. If it is too hot, it can kill your yeast.
  2. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl and stir in 1 ½ tablespoons of yeast. Let it sit until it looks bubbly and foamy.
  3. Add in ¼ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined. Slowly add the rest of the flour (about 3 more cups) until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough.
  4. Grease a clean bowl with a little oil. Place your dough inside and turn it until it is coated. Cover with a towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, or until it is doubled in size.
  5. Punch down the dough and place it on a floured surface. Knead lightly for a minute or two. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. To shape, make a U, cross the ends, twist once, then fold the ends down and pinch to seal. If the dough resists, let it rest 5 minutes, then try again.
  6. Place pretzels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
  7. Mix together 1 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon. While the pretzels are warm, brush generously with melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  8. Optional for extra chew: Dunk each shaped pretzel in a quick baking soda bath (6 cups water with ¼ cup baking soda simmered together) before baking. It gives them a classic pretzel texture and color.

Notes

  • Milk temperature matters: Aim for 110 to 115°F. If it is too hot, the yeast will not rise.
  • If your dough does not rise: Check your yeast. Expired yeast will not activate. You can also move the bowl to a warmer spot (like inside an oven with the light on).
  • Shaping pretzels: If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest a few minutes. The gluten just needs time to relax.
  • For the best texture: The optional baking soda bath gives that chewy outside, but skipping it makes the recipe quicker and still delicious.
  • Storage: Pretzels are best the day they are baked. To store, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes to refresh.
  • Freezing: Bake the pretzels, let them cool completely, and freeze in a sealed bag. To reheat, warm them in the oven until soft again, then brush with butter and dip in cinnamon sugar.