Pretzel Buns are amazing stuff no matter the time of day. They are dinner buns filled with the signature taste and flavor traditional pretzels are known for.
I have said it time and time again, nothing beats the enticing aroma of freshly baked pretzel buns or bread rolls in your home..hmm!
I don’t know if this is just me, but some days, I find myself just wanting to bury my fingers in warm dough and bake something delicious. It was one of those days last Saturday.
I was planning to host a few friends, very unplanned. Then I got thinking about something that would have a cinnamon hint to it, and then the thought hit me.
Why not make some hot, fluffy, sweet pretzel buns topped with a dusting of cinnamon sugar? The spirit was leading me right because my oh my, was it a-m-a-z-i-n-g!
Pretzel Bun
Pretzels are known for their signature taste and aroma. These buns are sort of a dinner bun version of soft pretzels.
I wanted a pretzel flavor with a buttery and sweet finish.
Considering these were going to be topped off with cinnamon sugar, I was very modest with the sugar that went into the dough, but you can certainly adjust the sweetness to your liking.
This recipe is one you would want to keep close for a nice Saturday morning when you seem blank on what to make for breakfast.
And I know what you may be thinking – I will have to wait for the dough to rise and that can take forever.
The good news here is the proof-time is just 30 minutes! If you are not sure what to do during that time, begin prepping your tea or coffee items ahead of these tantalizing buns you are about to have.
Aside from flouring your countertop, you can also rub some oil on your palms to make the dough workable. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with too many words, as I suspect you just need the recipe so you can get to baking!
Ingredients for Making Pretzel Buns
Some of the ingredients you will need are:
1. Flour
Regular all-purpose flour will be just fine for this recipe.
2. Warm Milk
This is used in place of warm water, either fine, or I simply like the flavor of warm milk.
3. Active Dry Yeast
We will be using fast-acting dry yeast activated with some sugar.
4. Baking Soda
This will be used for the baking soda bath that each ball of dough will be dipped into before baking. The baking soda bath is imperative as it is what gives pretzels their iconic taste, color, and flavor.
If baked long enough, it also contributes to the browning of the buns. I wanted mine closer to dinner rolls, hence, I did not let them soak too long in the baking soda bath.
5. Unsalted Butter
You will need to have this melted in a microwave before adding it to the dough mix. I melted a little extra and brushed it on the hot pretzels before sprinkling on the cinnamon sugar.
6. Cinnamon Sugar
This is optional, some other people sprinkle sea salt instead, whichever suits your taste is just fine.
Baking Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add the warm milk, yeast, and sugar, set aside for five minutes to activate the yeast, you should see a light foamy surface.
Add in the flour, salt, and half of the melted.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to begin mixing the dough till it comes together, the dough will end up being sticky but if it feels too sticky, you can add some flour as needed.
Transfer to a floured surface and begin to knead the dough, or if using a stand mixer, knead on medium speed till the dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes or double in size in a warm place.
Preheat oven to 400F, beat out air from the dough, transfer to an oiled surface, and divide into 12 equal portions, if you like the buns smaller, you can adjust the portions to get 14 sections. Shape each portion into a ball.
Heat your water in a large pot and let it come to a boil. Add in the baking soda and dip each dough ball into the baking soda bath, toss around for 30 seconds, and take out, place each ball on the baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes or brown to your liking. Take out, brush with the leftover melted butter, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
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