Easy & Addictive Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Sticks
Seriously easy and quick homemade pretzel sticks coated in a perfect sweet and salty cinnamon sugar mix. Crunchy, comforting, and highly addictive, they disappear fast and make a great crowd-pleasing snack or gift.
Equipment
- Oven
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper Optional, for easy cleanup
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 bag thick pretzel sticks 12 ounces, dipping sticks recommended
- 0.5 cup melted butter slightly cooled
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon use good quality
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C).
- Next, grab a really large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter, the egg white, and the vanilla extract. Whisk it well until it's all combined and looks a little frothy.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon until they are evenly mixed.
- Now, pour the butter/egg white mixture over the pretzel sticks in the large bowl. Gently toss or stir the pretzels until they are evenly coated with the wet mixture. You want every stick to get a little love.
- Next, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the coated pretzels. Again, gently toss and stir until the cinnamon sugar is stuck to the pretzels. You might find it helpful to do this in batches if your bowl isn too big.
- Spread the coated pretzels out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. I like to line mine with parchment paper for easy cleanup, but it's not strictly necessary.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the coating looks dry and the pretzels are crispy. Give them a stir about halfway through the baking time to help them crisp evenly.
- Once they're done, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet. As they cool, the coating will harden and they'll become perfectly crunchy.
Notes
Best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1-2 weeks. You can use gluten-free pretzel sticks. The egg white acts as a binder to help the coating stick. You can easily halve the recipe. If coating isn't sticking, ensure pretzels were fully coated in the wet mixture first, or the butter might have been too hot. Tips for Success: Don't skip the egg white; cool the butter slightly after melting; use the low oven temperature (250°F/120°C) for drying; ensure even coating; cool completely before handling. Substitution/Addition Ideas: Try different pretzels (adjust baking time for smaller shapes); add nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or a pinch of cayenne; substitute some granulated sugar with brown sugar; drizzle with melted chocolate after cooling.