Mall Pretzels Revival
Cinnamon and Sugar Mall Pretzels with Salted Toffee Dipping Sauce
Cinnamon and Sugar Mall Pretzels with Salted Toffee Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- Warm water, approximately two cups, at a temperature between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit
- Granulated sugar, two tablespoons in volume
- Active dry yeast, equivalent to four and a half teaspoons, packaged in two envelopes of one-quarter ounce each
- Barley malt syrup, a quantity of two tablespoons
- Bread flour, six and a half cups in total
- Fine table salt, two tablespoons
- Unsalted butter, ten tablespoons or one and a quarter sticks, chilled and cubed
- Nonstick cooking spray, for preparing baking sheets
- Baking soda, half a cup
- Dark brown sugar, one-third of a cup when packed
- Ale, a twelve-ounce bottle
- Granulated sugar, one cup
- Ground cinnamon, one tablespoon
- Melted unsalted butter, twelve tablespoons or one and a half sticks
- Salted Toffee Dipping Sauce, for serving, with recipe to follow
- Heavy cream, one cup
- Packed light brown sugar, one cup
- Unsalted butter, one stick or eight tablespoons
- Flaky sea salt, one heaping teaspoon
Instructions
Step 1
Start by warming your water to about 110°F—warm to the touch, but not hot. In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water, granulated sugar, barley malt syrup, and yeast until the sugar and syrup are fully dissolved. Leave the mixture alone for about 10 minutes, and you should see it turn foamy and active, with a creamy layer of bubbles on top. If there’s still no sign of bubbling after 30 minutes, the yeast is past its prime—discard it and start over with fresh ingredients.
Step 2
Before you start, cut your butter into small ½-inch cubes and pop them back in the fridge so they stay nice and cold. Fit your stand mixer with the dough hook, add the bread flour and fine salt, and give it a quick stir with a spatula to combine. Turn the mixer to medium-low and drop in the butter cubes a handful at a time, letting it run until the flour looks like coarse, sand-like crumbs with no large butter chunks—usually about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3
Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Start on low and mix just until a shaggy, rough dough comes together — you’ll see it clumping up around the hook. Crank the speed up to medium and let it knead for 7 to 8 minutes, until the dough turns smooth, supple, and slightly springy to the touch.
Step 4
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface if you can—this keeps the dough from drying out. For the deepest flavor, pop it in the fridge and let it cold-proof overnight; that slow, chilled rise makes the pretzels taste extra developed. If you’d rather bake them today, set the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot around 75 to 80°F and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, roughly 2 hours. Just remember: if you chilled the dough overnight, take it out of the fridge 1 hour before you’re ready to shape it, so it softens up and feels easier to handle.
Step 5
After your dough has finished proofing, get the oven going—preheat to 425°F (or 400°F if you’re using the convection setting so it bakes evenly). While that heats up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat so your pretzels won’t stick. Give the oven a good 10–15 minutes to come to full temperature before you slide in the first batch; you want that heat nice and steady for a crisp, golden crust.
Step 6
Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and pour in the 8 cups of water, then stir in the baking soda, brown sugar, and ale until the sugar dissolves. Bring everything to a rolling boil—this usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes—then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. While the pot comes together, roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface and shape your pretzels so they’re ready for their bath.
Step 7
On a lightly floured surface, roll your dough into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, cut it into twelve 1-inch-wide strips, then roll each strip from the center outward into a smooth rope about 3/4 inch thick. To shape, form a U, cross the ends over the middle, give them a little twist, and press the ends into the bottom of the U to seal. If you're making smaller shapes like knots or nuggets, keep an eye on them—they'll bake faster than full pretzels.
Step 8
In a shallow dish or plate, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon until they're completely blended—you don't want any clumps of spice hiding in the coating. Pour your melted butter into a separate bowl, then set both containers side by side near your work area. That way, you can dip each warm pretzel into the butter and roll it straight into the cinnamon sugar without any juggling.
Step 9
First, give two or three baking sheets a quick coat of cooking spray and set them within arm’s reach of the stove. When your ale mixture is at a gentle simmer, lower two or three pretzels in one at a time—don’t crowd the pot. Let them boil for about 30 seconds, just until they float to the top, which is your sign they’re ready. Then fish them out with a slotted spatula or spider strainer and lay them on the prepared sheets.
Step 10
Slide the pretzels into the oven and bake for five minutes, then carefully rotate the baking sheets front to back and let them go another five to six minutes—until they've turned a deep, rich brown. Have your melted butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture waiting nearby, because the second those pretzels come out, you'll want to brush each one generously with butter and dunk it in the sugar until every crevice is coated. Serve them warm with the salted toffee dipping sauce on the side.
Step 11
These pretzels are absolutely at their best straight from the oven, but if you happen to have a few left, let them cool completely first. Tuck them into an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. When you're ready for round two, preheat your oven to 350°F, arrange the pretzels on a baking sheet, and warm them for about 5 minutes—just until the outsides turn crisp again and the centers are soft and pillowy.
Step 12
In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, light brown sugar, and butter, then set it over medium heat. Whisk as it warms, and after about 5 to 8 minutes you’ll notice the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pull it off the heat, whisk in the flaky salt, and keep in mind it will thicken a bit more as it cools. Serve the sauce warm alongside the pretzels or spooned over ice cream—and if you have any left, it will keep in the fridge for about a week.
Nutrition Information
My Tip
When mixing the dough, make sure to not overmix after adding the yeast mixture, as this can lead to tough pretzels. Stop the mixer once the dough comes together in a shaggy ball.
Leftovers
To keep your Cinnamon and Sugar Mall Pretzels fresh, store them in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes to revive the crunchy exterior.
Make It Your Own
Try swapping barley malt syrup for honey for a slightly sweeter flavor.