These Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites are soft, fluffy and highly addictive. They are perfect after-school snack for the kids or as a game-day treat.
We are baking ‘Pretzels’ for the first Bread Baker’s challenge of the year. Our lovely host Stacy (Food Lust People Love) wanted us to bake some pretzels – either traditional or get creative with them. So I made these cinnamon sugar covered pretzel bites. These little snacks are highly addictive, so make sure to make the whole batch.
Kid friendly Pretzel Bites:
My daughter loves pretzels especially the samples given out before the pretzels stalls in the mall. Those little buttery sweet bites that leave your fingers with a fresh coat of sugar. Yup, you got that right – Aunt Annie’s pretzel bites. Who doesn’t like those.
Couple of years ago, she used to keep asking me if we were going to Walmart for shopping. I didn’t know what a 3 year old had to get from Walmart. It wasn’t until I got there that I realized they have an Aunt Annie’s that opened in the store and they gave out samples.
Homemade Pretzels:
I have a couple of pretzel recipes on the blog already: Vyborg & Sourdough. But those are full scale pretzels while these mini ones are bite sized and so addictive.
Recipe is from the King Arthur flour site. This recipe is quick and easy to make. It takes less than 1½ hours from start to finish.
Ingredients needed to make Cinnamon Bites:
The recipe starts with basic bread ingredients. Here’s what you need to make the dough.
- Flour – All purpose, but I add some whole-wheat flour to make them a little less guilty to eat.
- Instant Yeast – 1 sachet (2.25tsp)
- Sugar & Salt
- Lukewarm Water
Since this is a pretzel recipe, the dough needs a baking soda bath after the first rise. You need the below to make the bath:
- 1 cup of Water
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda
Water is brought to a boil and then baking soda is added to it. This mixture is kept lukewarm or cooler. Once the dough is ready after the first rise, it is shaped into bite size dough balls. Which are then swished in this baking soda bath before baking.
So what does the baking soda bath do to the pretzels?
Pretzels have a signature chewy, brown crust and that is possible only with the baking soda bath. The brief dip in the alkaline water makes the outside of the pretzel gelatin-like and helps it to brown at lower temperatures. So, they don’t spring like breads but have a chewy texture.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites Taste Test:
These pretzel bites are soft, sweet and absolutely delicious. They were very similar in taste and texture to Aunt Annie’s bites, if I may say so myself. I made them for my kids as their after-school snack and they couldn’t be happier. My daughter said she can eat these ‘aall day’ and I take that as a complement 🙂
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1½ cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup White Wholewheat flour
- 2¼ tsp Instant Yeast
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Lukewarm Water
For the Baking Soda Bath:
- 1 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Baking soda
Other Ingredients:
- As needed Sparkling Sugar
- 6 tbsp UnsaltedButter, melted
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Combine all the dry ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl. Add 7/8 cup of lukewarm water and mix. Knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Add more water if needed. Cover and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
Make the baking soda bath:
- In the meantime, make the baking soda bath. Bring water to a boil and add the baking soda. Mix well and turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm or cooler.
Make Cinnamon Sugar:
- Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and keep ready.
Make Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12″~15″ long log. Cut the log into 12 equal size pieces.
- Pour the baking soda mixture into a large bowl and add all the dough balls. Swish them around for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the bites with the sparkling sugar and bake for 12~15 minutes or until the pretzel bites are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and roll them in melted butter. Immediately take them out and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Place them on cooling rack. Enjoy them warm or store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Don’t forget to check out the Pretzels that my fellow Bread Bakers have baked for this month’s event:
- Authentic German Pretzels from Sara’s Tasty Buds
- Ballpark Pretzels from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Beer Pretzels from Passion Kneaded
- Buttery Pretzels from Ambrosia
- Cheddar Garlic Soft Pretzels from Palatable Pastime
- Cheese Jalapeño Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Herbivore Cucina
- Double Soda Pretzels from Food Lust People Love
- German Pretzel Rolls from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs
- Honey Mustard Snack Pretzels from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pretzel Dogs from Sneha’s Recipe
- Pretzel Sticks from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Saffron Pretzel Rolls from The Schizo Chef
- Soft Whole Wheat Pretzels from What Smells So Good?
- Sourdough Soft Pretzels from Baking Sense
- Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites from I camp in my kitchen
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].
Wendy
These do sound like the perfect treat.
Sue Lau
I bet those would be fantastic with some sort of cheesecake dip.
Karen
My grand kids would love these! They sound totally delicious. What a great idea to use cinnamon sugar.
[email protected]
Wow Pavani!! These look yum! I would love to try them sometime!
Kalyani
oh ! these look so perfect, Pavani ! I had only one the original pretzel shape in mind and that was daunting , so gave up the theme ! This is such a fun idea to make and bite into 🙂 glad ur lil one liked it and eats it “aaal day” 🙂
Btw, I must say u r the best ambasssador for KAF recipes :p – I visit that often after ur baking links !
Eileen
These are the PERFECT little snack!
Namita
Loved your Pretzels bits Pavani. They look awesome!
Julie
I love your version of these pretzels! We were on the same page and I sure wish I would have gone for the bites! I love that idea.
Priya Srinivasan
Perfect nibbles pavani! I too baked bites but salty ones, my lil one too enjoyed them with his favorite labneh!
I would like to try these sugared ones, I bet they taste yumm!!
sharanya palanisshami
Wonderful pretzel bites Pavani……
Drashti Dholakia
OMG.. These look delicious.. Gonna try them soon.. Excellent clicks
Priya Suresh
Dangerously addictive cinnamon pretzel bites, they are super tempting.
Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner
Super cute. Love this bite sized pretzel. The sugar coated delicacy makes me feel like grabbing some from the screen..
Vanitha Bhat
These look so cute and scrumptious!! Have always loved anything with cinnamon and sugar; being eggless makes it more inviting!
Shobha Keshwani
Bite size pretzel snack looks so attractive and easy to munch. I love cinnamon flavour.
Sushma
Pretzel bites looks amazing Pavani. Nice pics
Vidya Narayan
Absolutely delicious and who wouldn’t go crazy behind these beauties? Bite size goodness and that cinnamon aroma would be heavenly along with the sugar dust!
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
They look amazingly addictive! I would have popped the whole plate in one sitting…
priya satheesh
Pretzel looks amazing and I am sure this is such an addictive snack.
Nivedita Thadani
I never tasted the pretzels. Seeing the photos, I feel like grabbing the whole tray. I know kids will love it. And me too as I love this cinnamon flavour. Lovely recipe.