These Sweet Pretzels made with a brioche like dough. These pretzels are perfect for breakfast and so lovely topped with pearl sugar. A totally fun baking project and worth the effort to make your own dough. Impossible to eat just one!
Sweet Pretzels Recipe
Originally published January 6, 2015, updated on February 19, 2019
I hoped to share more cookie recipes and something spectacular, like a croquembouche, but it just didn't happen! I did have every intention of having blog posts prepared and ready to go during the kids' holiday break. I thought this is the year I will be super organized. I will surprise everyone. I will surprise myself.
- Ginger Brioche Loaf with a Lemony Drizzle from From My Sweet Heart
- Japanese White Bread from NinjaBaker
- La couronne des Rois from Ma che ti sei mangiato
- Pretzel Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Rosca de Reyes from girlichef
- Rustic Baguettes from A Shaggy Dough Story
- Soft Pretzels from Never Enough Thyme
- Sweet Pretzels from Savoring Italy
- Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Muffins from Rhubarb and Honey
Just as I began to roll out the ropes of dough, my baking assistant appeared and he needed some of my dough! My little guy was on a mission to make every sea creature that he knew. He shaped out a crab, a blow fish, an eel, a shark and a star fish!!
I was completely distracted by his cuteness and by him wanting to take more portions of my dough, and didn't realize I was shaping the pretzels incorrectly.
The dough was supposed to be tucked under and not placed on the pretzels above!! Sheesh, not the most perfect sweet pretzels. But I had the most perfect fun baking day with my cutie pie!!
The dough is the same sweet dough I use for many recipes. I always have the best results with this dough and tend to stick to it! The method of making the actual pretzel I found in an older issue of Bon Appetit. As I mentioned, don't forget to tuck the end under the pretzel, the way a pretzel is supposed to be baked. And I think for my next pretzel recipe, I would like to try a savory one!! I can't get enough of pretzels, sweet !
Slightly updated from 1/15
Sweet Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 ounce envelope active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water 100 to 110 degrees
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 4 1/2-5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- egg wash 1 egg plus 1 Tablespoon of water whisked together in a small bowl
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of the sugar; let stand until foamy (about 5 minutes). Beat in the remaining sugar, eggs and butter. Beat in cooled milk.
- Gradually add the flour and salt, scraping down side of bowl, until a soft dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead the remaining flour into the dough, adding more flour if too sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. The dough will be soft.
- Grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a 17"-long rope. Form rope into a U shape. Lift top of left end; fold over or under opposite side; press together gently about two-thirds down from the top of right side. Lift right end up, fold over, and press in or tuck under, forming a pretzel shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Place 6 pretzels on one sheet and 6 on the other with 2 inches space between them.
- Brush with egg wash and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let sweet pretzels rise for about 20-30 minutes.
- While the pretzels are rising, heat the oven to 350F.
- Brush on another coat of the egg wash. Sprinkle on the pearl sugar. Bake until pretzels are golden brown and cooked through, 15 minutes (every oven is different so make sure your pretzels aren't too brown. Mine took about 16 minutes). Rotate trays around about 1/2 way during baking time. Transfer sweet pretzels to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
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