These homemade pretzel twists are soft and fluffy and filled with cinnamon apples for a sweet twist. With a caramel sauce drizzle, they’re the perfect fall treat but also easily adapted to any flavor combination you want.
I think we’ve all heard of the different love languages out there. I took the test a few years ago and was literally split evenly across four out of the five. My husband’s outcome was similar too. We both couldn’t care less about gifts, but everything else hit equally important to us which was obviously not incredibly helpful as far as relationship advice.
I started thinking about that dumb test again after making these pretzel twists. If there’s one way to my husband’s heart it’s through apple deserts and soft pretzels. This recipe combines that soft and fluffy texture you love in a giant soft pretzel with the fall flavors of cinnamon and apples in a perfectly sized portion by making them into pretzel twists.
With the first bite, it hit me — there should totally be a sixth love language. Food.
You’ll Love These Pretzel Twists
- Soft, Chewy Texture – If you’re a sucker for a huge Bavarian pretzel with its crunchy exterior and soft, fluffy middle, you’ll love these pretzel twists. If the bag of Rold Gold is more your thing, then check out these homemade spicy seasoned pretzels.
- Warm Fall Flavors – The melty apple-cinnamon filling wraps you in cozy, autumn vibes but the recipe is also easily adapted to other flavor variations and still wonderful if you make them plain with just a touch of salt.
- Caramel Drizzle – The caramel drizzle is optional but if you’re making the apple cinnamon version of these pretzel twists, you might as well go all out with it. Use homemade or your favorite store-bought caramel and they’ll rival something straight from Auntie Anne’s in the mall.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Warm Water + Active Dry Yeast + Sugar + Salt – Proofing yeast in warm water gives a reliable rise and a crave-able soft, airy crumb.
- All-Purpose Flour and Whole-Wheat White Flour – The combo balances structure and lightness in the pretzel twists.
- Butter and Apples – Use tart Granny Smiths for tangy flavor, a sweet and tangy option like Honeycrisps or check out this guide on how to choose the best baking apples and make a decision from there. Melted butter is used to subtly enrich the dough’s flavor.
- Spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves) – You can tweak the quantities for a bolder or more mild flavor option as desired. Apple pie seasoning can also be used instead.
- Baking Soda Bath – This is what gives the pretzel twists their signature glossy crust and chewy bite.
- Egg Wash and Cinnamon-Sugar – Egg wash helps the sugar mixture stick to the pretzels as they bake.
How to Make Homemade Soft Pretzel Twists
The full recipe with detailed ingredient quantities and directions can be found below in the recipe card. This overview walks you through the process.
Activate the Yeast
Get the yeast bubbly and ready by combining warm water, sugar, salt, and yeast. Wait 5–10 minutes until the mixture looks frothy. This signals that the yeast is ready to be used.
Mix and Knead the Dough
Build a smooth, elastic dough by adding both flours and the melted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead for about five minutes.
Proof
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise for about one hour until it has doubled in size.
Incorporate Apple Filling
Mix the apples, spices and flour together in a small bowl. Knead the mixture into the dough until it’s evenly distributed throughout.
Shape the Pretzel Twists
Divide the dough into 12 even pieces, roll each smaller piece of dough into a 15- to 16-inch strand, fold in half, and twist to create the classic twisted pretzel shape.
Boil in Baking Soda Bath
Add each twist to the boiling water with baking soda for 30 seconds, then drain using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer on a rack or towel.
Egg Wash and Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
Brush each twist with egg wash, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mix on top.
Bake & Drizzle with Caramel
Finish with a quick bake in the oven until the pretzels are golden brown on the outside. Remove from the oven and drizzle with the caramel sauce if using. Serve warm for the best experience.
My Pro Tips
Make The Perfect Pretzel Twists
- Dough consistency: The perfect consistency for the dough is slightly tacky but not sticky, add flour sparingly.
- Ideal Proofing Spot: Find a warm place in your house for the dough to rise. Aim for 75–80°F or use your oven with just the light on.
- Crispy Crust: Shake off excess water before placing the pretzel twists on the baking sheet to keep the crust nice and crisp.
- Uniform Twists: Use a ruler for equal-length strands and even baking.
Other Variations
While apple cinnamon is popular in my house, there are so many other variations you can make with these pretzel twists. Try any of these, or just leave them plain and finish with some coarse sea salt.
- Jalapeño cheddar — Sliced jalapeños and cubed cheddar cheese is a great addition to any pretzel. I sometimes prefer to use candied jalapeños for a little less heat.
- Rosemary garlic — Fresh rosemary and minced garlic works best for this combination. Garlic confit would be great too for a more mellow garlic flavor.
- Melted butter — Make this version plain then slather the baked pretzel twists with melted butter. You can add garlic, herbs or seeds to the butter too.
- Dipping sauces — Instead of baking flavor into the pretzel twists, use a dipping sauce for flavor. Mustard, honey mustard and cheese sauce are all classic options.
- Turn them into pretzel bites — Instead of shaping them into twists, make small bite-shaped dough balls (think a little smaller than a dinner roll) and follow the same baking soda boil + bake method. You can also try these stuffed pretzel bites for a similar recipe.
Sticky Situations and Solutions
- Dough won’t rise? First, I make sure that my yeast is fresh (it’s not even worth chancing it with expired yeast, always use fresh) and the water temperature is between 105–115 °F to get a reliable proof.
- Dough too sticky? I mix in one tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easy to handle but still tacky.
- Bottoms soggy? After the soda bath, I let each twist drain on a rack or towel so excess water doesn’t steam in the oven.
- Uneven color? I bake on the middle rack and, at the halfway mark, swap and rotate the sheets for even browning.
Storage
- Room-Temp: I usually stash finished pretzel twists in an airtight container on the counter, they stay perfectly chewy for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate: Not eating them right away? Pop them in the fridge for up to 4 days, then warm at 350 °F for 5 minutes to bring back that “just-baked” magic.
- Freeze: Here’s my trick: freeze unbaked twists on a tray until firm, then transfer to a bag. When the craving hits, bake from frozen and tack on 2–3 extra minutes.
Soft & Fluffy Homemade Pretzel Twists
Ingredients
For the Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Twists
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 package dry active yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat white flour
- 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely chopped apples
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 2/3 cup baking soda, for boiling
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine warm water, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast froths.
- Fitted with a dough hook, turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the flours and melted butter.
- Once combined, turn the mixer to medium-low speed and mix for about 5 more minutes until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and smooth.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter, knead a few times and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, combine the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and flour in a small bowl.
- Once risen, poke a hole in the middle of the dough and add the apple mixture.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead to incorporate the apple mixture evenly in the dough.
- Bring a large pot of water and the 2/3 cup baking soda to a boil on the stove top, preheat oven to 450 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough into 12 even pieces.
- Roll each piece into a long strand about 15-16 inches long.
- Fold the strand in half and twist each piece around the other securing at the bottom by pressing the two pieces together. Place on the baking sheet.
- Drop each pretzel twist into the boiling water one at a time for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or strainer and place back on the baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg yolk and water together in a small bowl and combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl.
- Brush each boiled pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes before serving.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired. I used a delicious goat’s milk caramel.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never had apple cinnamon pretzel twists! This recipe looks great though so hopefully that will change! Thanks for posting it, Gina!
Legit speechless, these apple cinnamon pretzel twists look unreal!! Happy Independence Day!
I tried making these apple cinnamon pretzel twists last night… They were burnt, like bad. I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong? They also were dry. This is the first recipe I’ve ever had difficulty with. :-/ Thx for sharing Gina!
It`s brilliant! I tried it this weekend and my whole family was super impressed. It`s not hard to make. This will become, desert for every holiday. Thank you or sharing it. I recommend it to everyone :)
Yeah, I’m pretty sure I could eat the entire basket of these — and the jar of caramel sauce — in one sitting! So, they would have to be removed from my house ASAP too!
More power to ya though, I don’t know if I would have had the strength to pack these up and send them away!!!! They sound amazing and perfect for the fall!