Soft, warm pretzel bites coated in chocolate or cinnamon-sugar that you don’t have to go to the mall for.
That’s both beautiful and dangerous.
This is my fifth ready-in-one-hour recipe and all are vegan, including this one. There’s One-Hour Pretzels, One-Hour Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, One-Hour Soft Buttery Breadsticks, and One-Hour Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.
These are just like their predecessors. Fast, easy, ready in 1 hour, and even if you’ve never made bread before, it’s an extremely easy recipe great for newbies.
Rather than the typical lengthy initial rise that most yeast recipes have (1-2+ hours), then shaping the dough before the second rise (1 + hour), this dough rises only as long as it takes your oven to preheat, about 10 minutes.
I also eliminated the step of boiling the raw dough before baking it because I don’t find the results justify the work. They taste just as good, minus the extra hassle.
To make the dough I used Red Star Platinum Yeast and it’s the only yeast I bake with. It’s the best and never lets me down. If you’re a novice bread-maker, consider this yeast your insurance against goofs because it’s very forgiving. Since it’s an instant yeast, you don’t have to proof it (let it stand with warm liquids for 10 minutes or until foamy). You simply add it with the other ingredients.
If you are an experienced bread maker, you’re going to love the extra puff and oven-spring you get with the Platinum. Your baked goods will rise higher and faster than you’re used to.
I used King Arthur All-Purpose because I wanted the bites to stay as soft as possible. Bread Flour will lend a chewier, thicker, denser result, more bagel-like. If you want to use whole wheat flour, read this post, don’t exceed more than 50% by volume of whole wheat flour, and if you try it, let me know how it goes.
After about 5 minutes of kneading, the dough looks like this. It’s firm, smooth, supple, and not at all sticky.
Place the dough on your counter, divide it into 4 pieces, and roll each piece out into a long rope that spans the length of your baking sheet.
The dough may be a little stubborn to roll, very springy and may want to recoil, but just keep rolling and finessing until you’ve gotten it to the proper length.
Score each rope with a pizza cutter into 1-inch pieces, and separate the pieces so they’re not touching.
Preheat the oven and consider the time it takes to preheat the the first, second, and only rising period involved with this dough. Love that.
Bake until they’re lightly golden and while they’re still on the baking tray, brush with melted butter (or vegan buttery spread), and get ready to coat them.
I coated half with cocoa powder-sugar and half with cinnamon-sugar.
Or keep it simple with just butter and a sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt. Or go savory with Parmesan cheese, chives, garlic or onion powder, poppy or sesame seeds, for everything-bagel bites.
Because you can never have too much chocolate, I decided that dipping them in Nutella sounded like a good idea. It was actually a great idea.
They’re so easy to pop, one after another. The outside is firmer and chewy, while the inside remains soft and supple.
The chocolate bites are dark and rich, and not overly sweet, while the cinnamon-sugar version has a nice pop of cinnamon flavor.
Although I’m a cinnamon fiend in general, the chocolate version won, hands down, in a taste test with family and friends. The chocolate ones were fought over. Smart people.
Great use of an hour, that’s for sure.
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One-Hour Chocolate and Cinnamon-Sugar Soft Pretzel Bites
Warm and fresh from the oven, these vegan pretzel bites are ridiculously good. They’re so easy to pop, one after another. The outside is firmer and chewy, while the inside remains soft and supple. The chocolate bites are dark and rich, and not overly sweet, while the cinnamon-sugar version has a nice pop of cinnamon flavor. The dough is easy to make and not sticky, making this a great recipe for newbie bread makers. I made half the batch as chocolate and half as cinnamon-sugar. Try simple buttery sea or Kosher salted bites, or use Parmesan cheese, garlic or onion powder for savory bites. They’re every bit as good as the pretzel bites you’ll find at the local mall, but cost less than a buck to make and are ready in an hour.
Ingredients
Pretzel Bites
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (bread flour may be substituted; pretzels will be firmer and chewier rather than softer and fluffier)
- 3/4 up water, warmed to manufacturer’s directions
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast (one 1/4-ounce packet, I use Red Star Platinum
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or vegan buttery spread) melted for brushing/drizzling, divided
Chocolate Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Pretzel Bites – To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or large mixing bowl and hand-knead), combine flour, water, yeast, oil, sugar, optional salt, and knead for about 5 minutes, or until dough is soft, smooth, and has come together in a firm mass. If hand-kneading, you may need to knead a few minutes longer. Based brand of yeast used, water temperature will vary. Red Star Platinum yeast calls for a warmer temperature than most, 120 to 130F; other brands are lower, about 95 to 105F. Warm water according to the yeast manufacturer’s recommendations on the packaging. Taking the temperature with a digital thermometer is recommended, but if you’re not, make sure the water is warm, not hot. Err on the cooler rather than hotter side so you don’t kill the yeast.
- Turn dough out onto a Silpat-lined countertop (provides nice traction) or just the bare counter. Divide dough in 4 equal-sized pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a long rope spanning the length of a standard baking sheet (my baking sheet is 17 inches long).
- Place the ropes onto a Silpat-lined or cooking sprayed baking sheet.
- Score the dough with a pizza cutter into 1-inch pieces.
- Separate the pieces so they’re not touching; set pan aside while oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 350F; this generally takes about 10 to 15 minutes and this is all the dough rises for.
- Bake for about 16 to 17 minutes, or until barely golden, firm, and cooked through (taste one to make sure). Keep a watchful eye in the last few minutes of baking so they don’t burn.
- Set pan aside while you melt the butter, about 30 seconds on high power in the microwave.
- With the bites still on the baking tray (nicely contains the butter mess), brush generously with melted butter; set aside.
- Chocolate Coating – In a small bowl, stir to combine the cocoa and sugar until well mixed. Turn mixture out into a gallon-sized ziptop bag.
- Add about half the pretzels to the bag, seal the top, and gently shake to disperse coating mixture evenly over pretzels, continuing to tip the bag from side to side, upside-down, and back and forth. Open bag and serve.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating – In a small bowl, stir to combine the cinnamon and sugar until well mixed. Turn mixture out into a gallon-sized ziptop bag.
- Add about half the pretzels to the bag, seal the top, and gently shake to disperse coating mixture evenly over pretzels, continuing to tip the bag from side to side, upside-down, and back and forth. Open bag and serve.
- Pretzels are best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight for up to 2 days. Before eating leftovers, heat for 5 seconds in micro to soften them up.
Adapted from Soft Buttery One-Hour Pretzels (vegan) and One-Hour Soft Buttery Breadsticks (vegan)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
60Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 33Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 18mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
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Ok thanks!!
Hi, I couldn’t find instant dry yeast in my grocery but I found fast rise active dry yeast and was wondering if I could sub for that.
Yes generally speaking instant and fast-rise are very similar so go for it!
Made these today. They are so addictive! And I’m also a cinnamonaholic but nevertheless found that I actually like the chocolate better!
My family went NUTS for the chocolate version too and I admit, I think I liked that version better too even though I’m a self-proclaimed cinnamonaholic :)
Oh my goodness! So much heavenly yumminess! I will be trying these for sure. Thanks for sharing! Now following you via fb and twitter!
Thanks for following!
Mmmmm, I just love soft pretzels : ) this is a wonderful recipe!
they look so creamy, delicious and sinously tasteful :D
“… both beautiful and dangerous.” :)
I cannot wait to try these! I’m always a little bit intimidated by the whole process of yeasted baked goods – the time commitment, kneading etc. – so I love how simple/quick these are to make. Yum!
These look so yummy and I can’t believe how easy they are to make!
I will have to make both of them!!! Chocolate and cinnamon and sugar and YUM!
Averie, these look AMAZING! I can’t wait to try these out. I’m just recovering from the stomach flu and haven’t been able to look at any food, but when I saw these…I even wanted them sick ‘n’ all! That’s how good you are! Thanks for sharing the recipe! xo
Feel better soon :)
I’m so sad…the only store in Florida that sell Red Star products is Walmart =(, and they don’t even carry Red Star Platinum (at least the one I braved didn’t). I sent an email to Red Star, because I really want to attempt some of your one-hour recipes. Everything I’ve ever made of yours has turned out incredibly well. I love your detailed recipes and they “why” behind everything. Thank you!
Oh, I can’t find Werther’s Baking Caramels anywhere either, so I emailed them for help, as well. I told both Red Star and Werther’s that I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about their products from one of my favorite food bloggers Averie at averiecooks! =)
You are so sweet to try my recipes & glad everything has turned out incredibly well. Glad you like my “why” explanations, too!
I will pass your info along to my contacts at those two companies regarding their distribution. Thanks, Taylor!
Oh my goodness, these look amazing!! I have tried making homemade pretzels only once.. they turned out great but nothing like these! The sweet versions are always my favorite. :)
Your one hour recipes knock my socks off, can’t wait to set the clock to snack on these!
You know how many of your bread recipes I have made. They are all easy and amazing and this one is no different! Yep…made it today and doubled it, making both the cinnamon/sugar and chocolate versions. They were equally liked between the boys so that’s a winner. What a great snack! They were so easy to make and the boys really did love them. I just love your recipes, Averie. So awesome…EVERY time! :-)
Thanks, Michele, for making them…the same day I posted AND a double batch. That is so you :) And so appreciated! Thanks for trying them & the speedy feedback and you have lucky boys to have a mama like you! xoxo
The sooner I can have these all to myself, the better! One hour will definitely do!
I can’t love this any more than I already do! Pretzels are my LIFE (as are most other carby yummies like donuts, cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls). These look AWESOME and I love that they’re made in an hour! Definitely easier than driving to the mall and getting some okay-tasting pretzel from the local shop. And the cinnamon and chocolate mixture sounds so spicy and warm. Perfect for wintertime!
Faster than going to mall and fighting for parking. That is for SURE!
Averie – these little nuggets look pretty much irresistible! Can’t believe they only take 1 hour!
Might have to steal these Av!
Lately I’ve been digging quick & easy recipes.
Wow….one hour?! I’m in love with this recipe!
This was my accomplishment after a day of fails at work. Delicious.
Well that is wonderful to hear! Way to get your baking on after a tough day :)
These pretzel bites look so decadent with all that chocolate and cinnamon sugar! Beautiful and dangerous indeed. I would have to go with the Nutella for dipping as well, but gah there are so many possibilities with these! They look awesome. :)
Sounds like a fun thing to make with my boys. Thanks for such a simple recipe – they look so good!
omigoodness these bites look so soft and covered in pure deliciousness!!
You know, I think you’re right. The extra boiling step doesn’t do much for the flavor. It just makes them look more like pretzels. I like your easy methods. My husband would love this! I think I’ll make it this weekend :)
And the ones I did that were cinn-sugar looked more pretzel-like than donut hole-like. Something about the chocolate coating and maybe an optical illusion? Weird but I know what you mean! And glad to hear you don’t think it’s necessary to boil either!
1 hour to make…5 minutes to scoff down! I started to make brioche tonight with my Red Star and found that I didn’t have enough butter..wth? Bad food blogger!
You ran out of butter. That’s almost as bad as running out of liquor :) I cannot wait to see your brioche! Better you than me making it! We are on opposite ends of the time/workload spectrum with our recipes, that is for sure :)
I just love homemade pretzels! Cinnamon and sugar and chocolate is genius. These would easy to eat by the dozen :)
did you really just say 1 hour! No freaking way! You don’t even understand how much my two little boys love pretzels and of course cinnamon and sugar! These are perfect and I have one hour exactly in the morning to make them breakfast so you bet this is what I am making tomorrow! thanks so much
Wow, they are in for a special treat. 1 hour on a school day morning. You go girl! LMK how it goes!
This is the best recipe for pretzels I’ve seen and for some reason I’ve been seeing it all over the place- tv, web, you name it! I’m definitely making these tomorrow with the kids since we are snowed in from the Noreaster storm. Thanks for the idea! Ps. Love the pictures too!
Well that’s great you’ve already seen them a lot since I just posted them 16 hours ago! Enjoy and stay warm in the storm!
Any idea if these could be made gluten-free?
It’s typically pretty hard to get GF to rise because there’s no gluten BUT you never know until you try so you have nothing to lose, right!
These look ridiculously good! Would you recommend making these for Super Bowl parties?
YES!
OMG you’re killing me here! My husband would die if he knew I knew that this could be done so quickly and didn’t tell him. Haha
I would absolutely inhale these, love the cinnamon-sugar coating!
Hands down I’d have to make both kinds – cinnamon sugar AND chocolate? Mmmmm. Love that these are speedy. Having to wait for something to rise when you’re craving HARD for the outcome is just too much sometimes!
Waiting is not my forte either!
One hour?? You keep making the desserts of my dreams….love you for it!
Ummmm…. I’d probably eat 15 of these. At least!!
I’ve said this before, but I need to say it again, you are the ONLY blogger who makes me pin for the days I could eat gluten. These look sensational!
I used to work in a bagel shop and we never boiled our bagels either – which purists would scoff at , but they tasted so authentic. We blasted them with steam right when they went in the oven and that seemed to do the trick. SO much easier!
Bagels are next, right? ;)
I used to work in a bagel shop and we never boiled our bagels either <--- OMG you just validated my method!!! I did the same thing with my bagel recipe. I already made some! https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/07/easy-homemade-cinnamon-raisin-bagels.html
I didn’t boil them. And I felt like I was being such a rebel but I truly don’t think it’s necessary.
And I take that as a very very high compliment that Im the only one who can get you to pine for gluten. Because I know that you’re pretty darn immune to things.
Ooooo!!! I absolutely love this idea! I am going to have to make a huge batch because these sound addicting! I love when you can make pretzels or bites without the cooking them in soda water. Makes it so much easier! Thanks for sharing, Averie! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and for sticking with all the emails this morning :)
And yes to NOT having to do the water/boiling/soda routine. SO much easier!
So wait… I can have these in ONE hour?! I gotta go ;)
They look amazing, A!
These look delicious! I know my kid’s (and me) would LOVE these! I need to get over my fear of baking with yeast and make these :)
Ugghhh I should not be looking at these right now! Those look ammmaazzing :)
WHAT?! I think I just died and went to heaven. GORGEOUS!
Thanks, Dana!
I would devour these!
You had me at one hour. This looks like a perfect baking project for me and my 5 year old on this snow day. I may try a whole wheat version. I’ll let you know how it turns out if I do!
Yes if you do use whole wheat, LMK how it goes and your ratios!
I love your one hour recipes. I so need to get on them – I am so impatient for regular dough! :)
One hour is about all I can deal with :)
Oh my gosh, what to choose, what to choose?? I think both need to be made honestly!! Love the chocolate with the nutella dip, but cinnamon sugar is classic! I love pretzels and you easy versions sounds incredible. I just made some yesterday, but not in under an hour!
Love the process shots and great recipes, Averie!
Thanks for noticing the process shots and that’s too funny you made some yesterday! I swear there’s a group of us who are seriously reading each other’s minds and make the same things w/out talking first. And then all of a sudden on the same day we all post…banana bread. Seriously! Can’t wait to see what you made!
OH wow! I do believe pretzels are my favorite food group. These look fantastic! I can’t wait to try them out!!! :)
Oh you’re killing me with these Averie!! I think I would have to make both, and decide which I prefer. And then keep taste testing over and over. I have such a weak spot for soft pretzels!!!
I think everyone has a weak spot for them :) Thanks for joining my board. My first group board. Big steps. LOL
This could be a game changer.
As in: I could eat these instead of going to work and stuff.
Sitting around eating chocolate doughy stuff is ALWAYS more fun than work!
Decisions, decisions! I don’t know which version I’d love to try more. The cinnamon-sugar (which is what I usually order when we go to Auntie Anne’s) or the chocolate. The chocolate version sounds pretty damn good in some Nutella, though. You could serve these at a party with a plethora of different sweet dips (like peanut butter!). Love the in process shots too. Great recipe(s) Averie!
Yes, multiple recipe(s) are totally possible here. You could set up a pretzel dipping station at a party. Make a tray of these babies with some melted butter and then let people dip away in their fave toppers.
Thanks for noticing the step shots. You know how that is with yeast. Annoying but necessary :)
Those babies are so cute! I could pop a few (or 30). :)
Mini food is highly! poppable, yes, I know :)
Wow! These look amazing–and it all can be done in under an hour?! I love when that’s possible.
Love all the step by step photos Averie!! I can’t choose between the cinnamon and chocolate version—toooooo hard.
Thanks for noticing the step shots :)
I think we could plow through a lot of these–especially if sampling various coating and dipping options. I’m pretty sure the cocoa would be my favorite too–and with nutella sounds double delicious!! I love your 1 hour yeast recipes–all the homemade taste in a fraction of the usual time. I remember how good those 1 hour breadsticks were!
Very similar dough to the breadsticks, yes! And the Nutella stole the show. Although some did get dipped in PB later on, too!
Pillowy soft little bites covered with cinnamon sugar AND chocolate!? Averie, you are a rockstar! I just want to faceplant right into the center of that pretzel bite mountain!
Pretzel bite mountain faceplants would be seeing :)
those look dangerous to have in my kitchen lol… under and hour with yeast? awesome!
I love working with dough and the fact I can have these pretzel bites in under an hour is just perfect. Since I’m slightly impatient
I love dough too. The feel of it, the texture, it’s like…play-doh for grownups :)
Dude – you know my aversion to yeast but you totally sold me on this! You seriously make it look so easy, and now I’m craving pretzels at 1AM!
EASIEST bread ever. Girl there is no way to screw this up. And unlike a loaf of bread, being that these are small they’re more forgiving, cook quicker, and oh yeah, pop down the hatchet much easier :)
These look delicious! I kid you not when I say that my stomach literally just growled after seeing the pictures.
LOL well good! I did my job :)