Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
This Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel recipe first appeared on Savory Experiments, where I am a contributor.
These easy Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels are the perfect sweet and salty snack for parties, dessert and more! Ready in 45 minutes, this quick cinnamon pretzel recipe is loved by both adults and kids. Makes 15 servings… or less if you’re in a snacky mood!
If you’re in the market for a wonderfully easy, wildly delicious sweet/salty snack or dessert recipe, these pretzels are for you.
My entire family is into cinnamon—and these pretzels highlight that favorite ingredient while stepping it up a notch with sugar!
These Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels cook up in a flash, smell AMAZING and taste delicious, too!
They’re great for a snack at any type of gathering and would also make an excellent food gift, too. (If you love to give food gifts, check out my Gourmet Food Gift Guide.)
Why I love this recipe:
Quite honestly, when I set out to make this sweet Cinnamon Pretzels recipe, I was doubtful that the pretzels would cook up as they did.
But after tossing the mini pretzels in cinnamon sugar, I baked ‘em… and the cinnamon sugar mixture cooked onto the surface of the pretzels, making them extra crispy, sweet and delicious.
And let’s be real: These easy Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels are a whole lot easier to make than a cinnamon sugar soft pretzel recipe.
Why? Those homemade soft pretzels require a homemade dough, rise time, hand-rolling, boiling and then baking to golden brown perfection.
I love a homemade pretzel, but sometimes, you want a pretzel snack without the extra effort, right?
Our friends loved them, too. You’d better believe that I’ll be using this pretzel recipe for years to come as a snack and a homemade gift for the holiday season.
Other easy recipes for snacking or sharing: Chex Mix Puppy Chow | Pretzel Cheese Dip | Easy Snack Board | Funfetti Dip | How to Make the Best Summer Snack Sandwiches | Parmesan Pretzel Bites | Christmas Chex Mix
Need some more snack inspiration? Head on over to my Snack Recipe Index for more ideas.
What you need to make this recipe:
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Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
In addition to these tools, you’ll need the following ingredients to make these at home.
- Store-bought pretzel twists — the small ones that are bite-sized! You could also use pretzel sticks, though I haven’t tried those in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter — since the pretzels are salted, we don’t need to use salted butter.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar. Brown sugar or turbinado sugar will not work in this recipe, so please use this!
- Ground cinnamon — there’s no substitution here, either, so please use your favorite ground cinnamon!
How do you make cinnamon sugar pretzels from scratch?
These pretzels are extremely simple to make!
Before you get started, make sure to preheat your oven and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. This will ensure the pretzels don’t stick to the baking sheet.
While you’re at it, preheat the oven, too.
Pour the pretzels into a large mixing bowl, and drizzle the melted butter on top of them.
Use a rubber spatula to toss until the pretzels are coated. We don’t want any rogue butter at the bottom of the bowl because this helps the cinnamon-sugar stick to the pretzels.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. This is going to make our homemade cinnamon sugar. Stir them up and pour the mixture on top of the pretzels.
Use that same rubber spatula to toss the pretzels until they’re coated. This might take a few minutes, just depending on how large your bowl is and how easily you can move the pretzels around.
When the pretzels are coated, pour them onto the prepared baking sheet, and pop that in the preheated oven.
Pro tip!
In order for these pretzels to bake evenly, you’ve got to stir them with a heat-safe spatula every 10 minutes. To do this, I remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface. You can use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to give them a gentle stir before transferring the baking sheet back into the oven.
When the pretzels are done, the sugar-cinnamon mixture will have crystalized on the pretzels. They will look dry, as opposed to how they looked when you initially put them in the oven. (If they still look wet, you need to bake them for longer.)
Let the cool, and once cool, enjoy or store for later!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s made from a combination of sugar and ground cinnamon. For this recipe, we’re using granulated (white) sugar.Typically, there is more sugar than cinnamon since a little cinnamon goes a long way, flavor-wise.
Yes! Since it’s so simple to make, I highly recommend making your own.
If you’re hosting a gathering where you want a sweet-salty snack, make these! These would be great to set out for a housewarming party, an at-home tailgate, a holiday party, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Quick Tips and Tricks for making the best Cinnamon Pretzels
- Don’t rush them… or turn up the heat to make them cook faster! We don’t want to run the risk of these pretzels burning, so give them the time they need to do their thing.
- How to store these pretzels: Once the pretzels have cooled, transfer them to a gallon-sized plastic bag. Seal the bag tightly and push any extra air out of the bag. They will keep for more than a week if stored properly.
- How to make Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels ahead of time: Bake them on a day when you have an hour to spare. After all, you’ll need to be close to the oven to give the baking pretzels a stir. Follow the instructions for storing so they’ll keep until you are ready to use them.
Cinnamon Sugar Preztels
Ingredients
- 15 oz. 1 bag pretzel twists
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, and set aside.
- Pour the pretzel twists into a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle the butter on top of them. Use a rubber spatula to toss until all the pretzels are coated.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon, stirring until mixed.
- Pour the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the pretzels, and toss until all the pretzels are coated.
- Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the pretzels for 30 minutes, gently stirring them with a heat-safe spoon or spatula every 5-10 to ensure all parts of the pretzels bake and do not burn.
- Please keep an eye on your pretzels because if your oven is running hot, they can burn!
- When the pretzels have baked for 30 minutes and no longer appear wet, remove from the oven, and let cool completely. This will take 20-45 minutes, just depending.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Love it! I’m going to make it tonight now!
YAY! How’d they turn out?!?
Absolutely HORRIBLE!!! The sugar burned and the whole batch in the trash.
I’m so sorry to hear this, Sam. I know that can be so frustrating and disappointing to follow a recipe and have it not turn out. 🙁
Do you have a thermometer in your oven? When I got one for mine, I discovered that my oven tends to run hot in areas. I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Your comment made me think about that since sugar burns when it’s above 350F…
Making this tonight. They taste good before being baked even!
I hope you loved the final product, too, Sandy! They really are SUCH a treat!
These turned out great! Once in the oven, I ended up stirring them every 5 minutes and cooking them for 25. Next time, I think I’ll stir them every 8 minutes instead of 5. My whole family loved them and they’re so easy to make! BTW, I understand AD income but your site is so bogged down from ADs. It took me forever to get through your site and twice to leave this comment.
So glad to hear these pretzels turned out great for you, Robyn! They really are such a delicious bite!