Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites take everything you love about a regular pretzel and shrink it down into chewy, addictive, bite-sized pieces. Naturally leavened and poached in a classic baking soda water bath, they've got that golden exterior and soft middle you expect - only better. Rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar while still warm, they're basically impossible to stop eating.

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Homemade Sourdough Snack

Homemade snacks are just better - fresher, tastier, and you know exactly what's in them. These bites are based on our Soft Sourdough Pretzels recipe, but made into bite-sized pieces and turned into a sweet treat that's even more snackable - especially for those of us with a sweet tooth. 

But if you fancy something savoury, try our Sourdough Pretzel Bites With Coarse Sea Salt!

Looking for another perfect snack with sourdough? Here are some of our favourite recipes:

Ingredient Notes

Here are all the basic ingredients you will need to make these soft sourdough pretzel bites with cinnamon sugar:

• strong bread flour: white flour with a protein content of at least 12%. Pretzel bites made with all-purpose flour will not be as irresistibly chewy. 
• granulated sugar: or caster sugar, but coarser sugar works better for coating the pretzel bites.  
• salt. 
• water: use slightly warm water to kickstart the bulk fermentation process.  
• active sourdough starter: 100% hydration. 
• you will also need plenty of water and some baking soda (a.k.a. bicarbonate of soda), which is used for poaching the pretzel bites, not as a leavening agent. 
• unsalted butter: melted
• ground cinnamon.

Find ingredient quantities (hint: you will need a kitchen scale), detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Step-By-Step Method

These cinnamon sugar pretzel bites use no commercial yeast, so the recipe is made over two days. 

Before you begin, don't forget to feed your sourdough starter ahead of time. You need it at its peak!

DAY 1

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar and mix to combine.

2. Pour in the water and bubbly sourdough starter.

3. Fitted with a dough hook attachment, run your stand mixer for 12-15 minutes on medium speed, until smooth and elastic, and the dough passes the windowpane test.

4. Scoop the dough onto a work surface and shape it into a ball. Place it into a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with cling film (plastic wrap) or a damp tea towel and let the dough rise for 3-5 hours in a warm place, until doubled in volume.

5. At the end of bulk fermentation, cover the bowl well to prevent the dough from drying out, and place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

DAY 2

1. Next day, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Scoop the chilled pretzel dough onto a lightly floured work surface, divide it into 8 pieces and shape them into tight balls. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 20-30 minutes - this helps to roll them out as they will contract less.

3. With the palms of your hands, roll each ball of dough into a long rope about 2cm (just under 1 inch) in diameter.

4. Cut each rope into equal pieces around 1.5-2cm wide, arranging them on a lightly floured board or work surface.

5. Dissolve the baking soda in a large pot of boiling water.

6. At this point, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).

7. This part will move quickly. Drop handfuls (8-10) of sourdough pretzel bites into the baking soda bath. Using a slotted spoon, take them out of the water as soon as they float, and arrange them onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a little (3cm/ 1 inch) space in between. Make sure to drain excess water well. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of each pretzel.

8. Continue poaching the rest of the dough until you're finished.

9. Place the pretzel bites in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1. In the meantime, melt the butter in a small saucepan.

2. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.

3. As soon as the pretzel bites are baked, tip them into a large pot with a matching lid (you may want to do this in two batches). Pour the melted butter all over them, and, covered with a lid, shake and swirl the pan to coat the pretzel bites in butter.

4. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture all over and shake again to coat.

Serving Suggestions

These soft pretzels are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven (or at least the same day), when the cinnamon sugar coating is still warm and fragrant.

Pair them with a cup of tea or coffee for an afternoon treat, or serve alongside sweet cream cheese dip or vanilla yoghurt for something a little extra.

Storage

These are best served the same day - by the next, the sugar starts to melt into the pretzel bites, turning them soggy. If you plan to have leftovers, don't coat all of them in butter and sugar. Instead, let the uncoated pretzels cool to room temperature, store them in an airtight container, and reheat in the oven for 2-3 minutes before coating in butter and cinnamon sugar in small batches.

Uncoated pretzels also freeze well-just thaw and reheat before finishing with the coating.

More Sweet Sourdough Treats

Loved our Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites? Please let us know in the comments below! Looking for your next sourdough recipe to try? Try our Apple Sourdough Focaccia! Or maybe we can tempt you with one of the following sourdough desserts:

Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites take everything you love about a regular pretzel and shrink it down into chewy, addictive, bite-sized pieces. Naturally leavened and poached in a classic baking soda water bath, they've got that golden exterior and soft middle you expect - only better. Rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar while still warm, they're basically impossible to stop eating.

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Fermenting and Proofing 19 hours hrs

Total Time 20 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Sourdough, Worldwide

Servings 85 bites

Calories 27 kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with a Dough Hook Attachment
• Large Baking Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Large Pot With a Matching Lid

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 450 g strong bread flour with a protein level of at least 12%
• 1 tablespoon white sugar granulated or caster
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 230 g water
• 160 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration

For Water Bath:

• 2 l water
• 3 tablespoon baking soda

For Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 50 g unsalted butter melted
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

DAY 1:

• To a bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar and mix to combine.
• Pour in the water and active sourdough starter.
• Fitted with a dough hook attachment, run your stand mixer for 12-15 minutes on medium speed, until smooth and elastic, and the dough passes the windowpane test.
• Scoop the dough onto a work surface and shape it into a ball. Place it into a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and let the dough rise for 3-5 hours, until doubled in volume.
• At the end of bulk fermentation, cover the bowl well to prevent the dough from drying out, and place it in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

DAY 2:

• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop the chilled dough onto a lightly floured work surface, divide it into 8 pieces and shape them into tight balls. Cover them with a tea towel and let them rest for 20-30 minutes - this helps to roll them out as they will contract less.
• With the palms of your hands, roll each ball of dough into a long rope about 2cm (just under 1 inch) in diameter.
• Cut each rope into squares around 1.5-2cm wide, arranging them on a lightly floured board or work surface.
• Dissolve the baking soda in a large pot of boiling water.
• At this point, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
• This part will move quickly. Drop handfuls (8-10) of sourdough pretzel bites into the boiling water. Using a slotted spoon, take them out of the water as soon as they float, and arrange them onto the prepared baking sheets in a single layer, leaving a little (3cm/ 1 inch) space in between.
• Continue poaching the rest of the dough until you're finished.
• Place the pretzel bites in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• In the meantime, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
• In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.
• As soon as the pretzel bites are baked, tip them into a large pot with a matching lid (you may want to do this in two batches). Pour the butter all over them, and, covered with a lid, shake and swirl the pan to coat the pretzel bites in butter.
• Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over and shake again to coat.

Nutrition

Calories: 27kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 145mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 0.004mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Pretzel Bites, Sourdough Pretzel Bites With Cinnamon Sugar, Sourdough Snacks, Sweet Sourdough Pretzel Bites

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