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Crunchy, soft, Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots. Homemade soft pretzel dough made with simmered down spiced apple cider. Then rolled up with sweet apple butter and cinnamon sugar. Each knot is topped with a cinnamon CRUNCH coating, then baked. These knots have the yummiest cinnamon and apple flavor. They’re just perfect when eaten warm, right out of the oven! Each pretzel has a little cinnamon crunch with every bite. Everyone loves these soft yet crunchy knots!
Everyone is baking up a pumpkin storm, but I’m here to remind you that it’s still apple season too! I’m so excited to be sharing this recipe. It’s a cross between a yummy apple cider doughnut and a salty, chewy soft pretzel.
If you love a classic apple cider doughnut, these are for you.
Originally, this recipe didn’t include any apple, it was just a sweet cinnamon crunch pretzel knot. But then I wondered if apple butter could actually make these better.
I was too curious not to test it out. And I’m so excited to tell you all that it worked so wonderfully! I don’t think I could love these anymore. They’re quite honestly what fall baking is all about. Cinnamon, apples, and sugar.
All things sweet and nice!
Here are details
Using pretzel dough is the key. You get a really chewy, soft dough with a beautiful golden crust. They’re chewy and perfect.
First, you’ll need apple cider. I recommend finding the best quality spiced cider with no added sugars. If you can, pick up some fresh apple cider from your local farmers’ market. Or even better, go apple picking and pick some up! Nothing quite beats a really good apple cider. It’s always so flavorful this time of year. You could also make my maple apple cider.
Then just some yeast, honey, flour, butter, and salt. Knead everything together in a mixer and let the dough rise.
The pretzel dough is very easy to work with, so don’t let anything intimidate you!
The key to these knots? The sweet cinnamon apple filling and that crunchy, cinnamon, sugar topping.
The filling is made with a delicious blend of cinnamon sugar and apple butter.
The cinnamon crunch topping is a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter.
When the dough is ready, roll it out. Then spread on some butter, apple butter, and cinnamon sugar. Next, fold the dough in half, cut 14-16 strips, and twist! Just twist each strip and then coil it into a knot.
Sprinkle the topping over the top of each knot before baking. As the knots bake, the cinnamon melts into the sugar and butter becoming gooey, while the topping begins to caramelize becoming crunchy.
Promise this is not hard and they do not need to be perfect!
Together they are DELICIOUS.
I do want to note that some of the cinnamon crunch will fall off the knots and onto the pan. What I like to do is spoon/scoop the sugar up off the pan. Then simply spoon it back over each knot. This is why it’s important to line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
You have to eat these warm while they’re crunchy, soft, and gooey. Perfect for fall weekend baking!
Looking for fall baking recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Brown Butter Apple Blondies with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Old Fashioned Caramel Apple Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Butter Soft Pretzel Knots
Servings: 16 knots
Calories Per Serving: 359 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider, warm
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup apple butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
- 1. Combine the water, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes, until bubbly on top.2. Add the apple cider, butter, and flour. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough is too wet or too dry, add additional flour or water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.3. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a bowl. 4. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. 5. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick (about 16×14 inches), adding flour as needed. Spread the dough with 4 tablespoons butter, then the apple butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Fold the dough in half, pressing to adhere. Cut into 16 strips. Twist each strip into a loose knot, it doesn't need to be perfect. 6. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the brown sugar, flour, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Spoon clumps of the brown sugar mix over the knots (see above photo). 7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown. Enjoy warm or at room temp, warm is best in my book!
These were a bit gooeyand messy but that’s because I added a little extra apple butter (it didn’t make sense keeping the extra tablespoon at the bottom of the jar). These were absolutely delicious when warned up. Shared with friends and they all raved about them too. Will definitely make again.
*one comment I forgot – I did cover with aluminum foil until the last 10 min, which helped them come out golden brown.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Nicole,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a winner! 🤩
These were okay. The dough was really dough-y. Needed a bit of sugar in them. Wish there was a video of the twisting as an example. Really wet recipe so took longer to cook. A lower temp for longer would have been better. The top has no crunch. All melted off. I wouldn’t make them again but they weren’t terrible. They are edible
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear you didn’t love the recipe! Hopefully we can add a video of the twisting process soon here. For the topping, just keep an eye on it in the oven and if it melts off just spoon it back on top. I hope this helps! xT
I used apple juice instead of apple cider, my dough didn’t rise (expired yeast?), I folded it the wrong direction, apple butter was squirting out everywhere, I was frustrated and it was mess BUT somehow in the end with all of that it still turned out delicious.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, so sorry to hear you had some issues! Did you use warm water? If the water is too hot it can kill the yeast, also I like to let me dough rise in a warm spot in the kitchen. I hope this helps for next time! xT
Turned out beautifully!
Hi Amy,
Happy Sunday!!🎃 I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
I made these with your Pumpkin Butter since I had a big batch on hand. So good!
Hey Astrid,
Happy Friday!👻 Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your review! I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Flavor was good. Really wanted to love these, but they were super wet with the butter and apple butter. Ultimately, I couldn’t get the insides done enough without burning the tops and had to toss them. My oven runs fairly true to temp. I suspect a lower temp for longer would have fixed it.
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you had some issues. My guess is covering with foil would have preventing the top from burning and allowed the inside to bake more evenly. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
It’s really yummy except most of my filling spilled out on to the tray and burned. Any pointers on how to fix this? I followed instructions exactly
Hi Maddie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! Next time, keep an eye on them while baking, you can spoon any of the filling and spills out onto the top of the knots. I hope this helps! xTieghan
These are delicious. I did not have apple butter but I had homemade apple sauce. I will be sure to make them again.
Hey Carmel,
Awesome!! Thanks for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
Can I possibly use apple juice instead of the cider
Hi Gayle,
Sure, that would work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Amazing. My first attempt at pretzels. LOVED THEM
Hey Cathy,
Happy Monday!🎃 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx
Halló, what can I use instead of cider? We dont have cider were I live. Mixture of appel juice and appel cider vinager? Will that work?
Hi Anna,
I would not recommend using vinegar, but apple juice will work:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Is there supposed to be salt in the yeast, honey, water, and flour mixture?
Hi Nicole,
No salt is needed since the recipe calls for salted butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
When you say fold in half do you mean bottom to top or side to side?
Hi Karin,
You will want to fold top to bottom! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Do you have a recipe for homemade apple butter?
Hey Em,
I sure do!!
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-slow-cooker-maple-apple-butter/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Thank you , called I asked, I was thinking side to side!
These look delicious! I’m curious, though. Usually, when I work with active dry yeast, there is a second rise after I shape the dough. How come it’s not done here? Is it not necessary? If I do have them rise a second time, will that just make them larger?
Your not making bread here. Pretzels are a different breed in baking.
Hey Kelly,
Fo this recipe I don’t do a second rise:) It would probably make them larger if you did a second rise. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx