One of my favorite treats whenever I go to the local fair at the fair grounds is a cinnamon sugar pretzel. The sweet taste and soft texture of it is so much fun to eat.
This recipe reproduces that feeling for me. It’s delicious and light and just the thing to take you back to the fair grounds!
Making pretzels is easier than you might think. Basically it is just a bread that you shape into the twisted pretzel form. The only extra trick is dipping it in boiling water before you bake it.
If you like warm homemade pretzels but you enjoy a sweet flavor rather than a salty one, then you will love the taste of this pretzel. Just sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar instead of salt and add some whipped cream to dip the pretzel in. It combine the flavor of bread with the sweetness of a doughnut.
If you don’t like a sweet pretzel, just make the same recipe but brush the pretzel with butter and sprinkle it with Mediterranean sea salt right after baking. (affiliate link)
Combine the water, sugar and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow this to sit for about 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam a little.
Add the butter and flour a little bit at a time. Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer, mix on low speed until everything is well combined. Change to a medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 4 or 5 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl, scrape the bowl clean and oil it well with canola oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for about 50 to 55 minutes. The dough should double in size.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the canola oil. Set aside.
Bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to boil in an 8-quart saucepan.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, and cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined sheet pan.
Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 at a time, for about 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large spatula or spoon. Return the pretzel to the sheet pan, brush the top with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture. Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes.
Brush the pretzel with melted butter and toss in a bowl of cinnamon-sugar.Transfer to a cooling rack before serving. Serve with whipped cream.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
