Cinnamon Pretzels

Easy cinnamon pretzels made with 2 ingredient weight watchers dough! No yeast and no fancy mixers needed to make these copycat Aunt Annie’s Cinnamon pretzels! Made in one bowl and ready in 20 minutes! 

I’ve been obsessed with using my 2-ingredient Greek yogurt dough in a plethora of recipes. We’ve had the famous pizza dough, no yeast cinnamon rolls, and homemade pop tarts.

After sharing my 2-ingredient dough soft pretzels, I knew I had to re-create my favorite flavor- Cinnamon!

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels 

These homemade cinnamon sugar soft pretzels are my new obsession. 

Inspired by Aunt Annie’s Cinnamon Sugar Soft pretzels, I had to give them a healthy makeover!

No yeast.

No dairy.

Zero butter.

Made in one bowl and with NO fancy mixers or kitchen gadgets needed, you have NO excuses not to make it.

I’ve been enjoying them as part of breakfast, as a snack and even as a dessert before bed! 

Taste-wise, they are sweet, warm, spicy and LOADED with sweet cinnamon flavor.

Texture-wise, they are soft, doughy and fluffy in the center, with a tender exterior. 

How to make cinnamon pretzels

The Ingredients

• Self-Rising flour- This is the only kind of flour that works for this recipe (or any of the 2-ingredient dough recipes). If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can use this gluten-free self-rising flour. I cannot vouch for other brands. 
• Greek Yogurt OR coconut yogurt– Any kind of Greek yogurt works (non-fat, full-fat, reduced-fat, or flavored) OR coconut yogurt (plain or flavored). 
• Cooking spray- To spray the baked pretzels, before adding the cinnamon/sugar topping. 
• Cinnamon- Obviously needed for a cinnamon heavy recipe! I recommend using Saigon Cinnamon, which has a much more pronounced and delicious cinnamon flavor. 
• Sugar or Sugar substitute- You can either use white sugar or a sugar-free substitute, like monk fruit sweetener or Splenda (sucralose). 

NOTE: Using 0-calorie cooking spray and a sugar substitute will ensure this recipe is low calorie AND sugar-free. 

The Instructions

Step 1- Prepare the dough

In a large mixing bowl, you’ll start by mixing together the self-rising flour and Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt). Mix until combined. Once they are combined, use your hands to form a ball of dough.

Then, add a tablespoon of extra flour on top of the dough. On a kitchen surface (or a chopping board!), add some flour to it and spread it apart. Transfer the ball of dough onto the floured surface. Knead the dough gently, before pressing it into a circular shape. Using a knife (or pizza cutter), divide the dough into 8 even pieces.

Once that is done, grab one piece of dough. Roll out the dough into a thin, sausage shape (around 12 inches/30 cms). Then, you’ll grab each end of the dough and join at the center, before rolling under and twisting to form a pretzel shape. Repeat the process until you have 8 soft pretzels.

TIP: Regularly re-flour the surface, to avoid the dough becoming too sticky to work with. 

Step 2- Bake the pretzels

Transfer the pretzels onto a lined baking tray. If desired, use a pastry brush and brush some milk, butter, oil, or even water on top it. 

Bake the pretzels for 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes, until just warm. 

Step 3- Coat them in Cinnamon!

On a large, flat plate, mix your cinnamon and sugar/sugar substitute together. 

Once the pretzels have cooled down to a temperature you can easily hold (still warm), spray both sides with cooking spray. Dip each side of the pretzels in the cinnamon/sugar mixture, until coated. Repeat the process until you are left with 8 cinnamon sugar pretzels! 

How to make self-rising flour

Many of you have told me that you’ve found it hard to get self-rising flour. I’ve written this post here on how to make your own!

You can use either all-purpose flour or wholewheat all-purpose flour (Australian friends, this is called plain flour and wholemeal flour). 

Are these vegan and gluten-free? 

Yes, these cinnamon sugar soft pretzels are vegan and gluten-free.

I opted to use coconut yogurt, which is naturally dairy-free (suitable for vegans). I also used gluten-free self-rising flour, to ensure this recipe was also 100% gluten-free. 

NOTE: Avoid using coconut flavored yogurt, which generally DOES contain dairy. 

Greek Yogurt substitutions 

Please do not use plain yogurt or Greek-style plain yogurt. You’ll find that the dough will be incredibly sticky, and more often than not, require almost twice as much flour to be malleable. 

The only non-yogurt substitutions that work are-

• Quark– Quark is similar to Greek yogurt (in both taste and texture), but has a higher protein count. This can be used instead of Greek yogurt or coconut for the pretzel dough.
• Sour cream– Sour cream works as a Greek yogurt replacement as it is thick and creamy, the texture necessary for the dough too! You can use light (reduced fat) or full-fat. 

How many calories in a homemade Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels?

Calorie-wise, Aunt Annie’s soft cinnamon sugar pretzels clock in almost 4 times as many calories as one of my homemade ones! They also contain a whopping 99 grams of carbs! 

Aunt Annie’s Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels– 490 calories, 99 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of sugar!

Homemade Cinnamon Soft Pretzels- 113 calories, 19 grams of carbs and 1 gram of sugar (using a sugar-free substitute). 

Storing, Freezing and reheating Cinnamon Sugar soft pretzels 

• Storing cinnamon pretzels: These MUST be stored in the refrigerator, as they spoil easily when left at room temperature. Keep them in a sealable container for up to 3 days. 
• Freezing cinnamon pretzels: You can freeze them to enjoy later. Place them in individual ziplock bags and place them in the freezer. They will keep well frozen for up to 3 months. 
• To reheat and thaw: If reheating from the fridge, place in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If reheating from the freezer, let thaw to room temperature first, or in the fridge overnight. 

More EASY 2 Ingredient Dough Recipes

• 2 Ingredient Garlic Knots
• Flatbread
• 2 Ingredient Bagels
• Homemade Naan