Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns

Featured in Sweet Creations and Baking Adventures.

Dig into chewy pretzel-inspired buns all twisted with sweet cinnamon sugar. A quick bath in baking soda water makes the outside crackly and brown, just like real pretzels. After some time relaxing on buttery caramel, the buns come out sticky, warm, and shiny, with a hit of chunky salt. Inside's all soft and swirly, outside's a bit salty, so every bite is a fun surprise. Grab one hot out the pan for a sweet and salty snack that'll totally hit the spot.

Rana
Updated on Tue, 20 May 2025 20:27:16 GMT
Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns Pin it
Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Salted pretzel sticky buns are a total crowd-pleaser for lazy weekend brunch or when you want to treat yourself to something wild. They're chewy like a classic pretzel, gooey with cinnamon brown sugar, and drenched in buttery caramel. I brought these to brunch once and no joke, they vanished in minutes. That salty bite up top is super addictive.

Now my buddies insist I make them for every holiday. A few extra steps, but the big reactions when you pull them out of the oven? Always worth it.

Delicious Ingredients

  • Light corn syrup: keeps the caramel nice and glossy so it doesn't get grainy
  • Cinnamon: adds that cozy smell and warms everything up Go for fresh ground stuff if you can
  • Unsalted butter: makes the filling and caramel totally rich and smooth Use your favorite for even better flavor
  • Pretzel salt: gives that classic pretzel finish Chunky salt is the move
  • Egg: helps everything stick together and gives a golden look
  • Kosher salt: adds a tangy salty hit Big flakes are even better
  • Dark brown sugar: gives a gooey, caramel kick Pack it tight for max flavor
  • Canola oil: keeps the dough super soft and not greasy at all
  • Instant yeast: makes dough rise fast and easy Check yours is fresh for best buns
  • Rye flour: brings nutty, deep background flavor Just a little totally changes things
  • Bread flour: makes the buns satisfyingly chewy Go for unbleached to get that old-school vibe
  • Pro tip: always pick the freshest bread flour and butter you can find. They really set the stage for killer flavor and that classic squishy texture.

Irresistible Instructions

Bake:
Stick the buns into the oven for about thirty to thirty five minutes. Look for crispy brown edges and bubbly sauce. Chill ten minutes, then flip them out onto a tray. You'll have caramel everywhere!
Second Proof:
Cover your pan of buns and give them around twenty five to thirty minutes to puff up while you preheat the oven to three fifty.
Slice and Place in Sauce:
Take out the poached rolls, brush with milk, sprinkle plenty of pretzel salt, slice into chunky two-inch pieces, and nestle them cut side up in that sticky caramel base. Repeat with the other half of your dough.
Pretzel Poaching:
Bring eight cups water with baking soda to a boiling roar. Slide your whole dough log (using the parchment) into the water. Spoon the hot water over it for half a minute per side—this step makes that snappy pretzel crust.
Shape and Seal:
Start on the short end and tightly roll the dough up jellyroll style. Press all along the seam so it doesn't pop open. Gently roll the log to pinch it closed. Transfer onto parchment big enough to hold the whole thing.
Roll Out Dough and Add Filling:
Punch that puffed-up dough down and split it in two. Mix the filling: super-soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon. Spread half over your dough rectangle (about ten by fifteen inches), leaving a one-inch border. Paint the edge with egg.
Prepare the Sticky Bun Sauce:
About twenty minutes before the dough is ready, melt the butter for the sauce in a saucepan. Stir in dark brown sugar, corn syrup, and a good pinch of salt. Gently boil, then pour straight into a nine by thirteen pan. If it looks lumpy, don't worry—it'll fix itself in the oven.
First Rising:
Put the dough ball in a bowl slicked with oil. Seal tight with plastic wrap and leave in a cozy spot till it's doubled—normally an hour. If your kitchen's chilly, stash in the fridge overnight for super flavor.
Make and Knead the Dough:
Combine both flours and yeast in your stand mixer bowl. Add water, canola oil, sugar, salt, then mix with the dough hook, medium speed, about four minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl. Dump onto a floured countertop and knead until it's silky smooth—not sticky. Add a pinch more flour if needed.
A plate stacked with Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns. Pin it
A plate stacked with Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Honestly, tossing on that pretzel salt right before baking is my favorite part. My kid always snags extra for snacking, too. These always remind me of bakery runs with my dad as a kid—big smiles and sticky fingers.

Storing Your Buns

They’re at their best the day you bake but will stay fine, wrapped up, on the counter for up to a day. Any longer? Pop 'em in the fridge and zap them a few seconds in the microwave. If you plan to freeze, wrap tightly in foil, thaw overnight, and they're close to fresh when you want a batch.

Switch It Up

No rye flour? Just toss in more bread flour instead. Want to change the filling? Try cardamom or pumpkin pie spice for some extra zing. Swap honey for corn syrup in the caramel if you’re okay with it being a little less gooey. For a non-dairy option, grab a vegan butter that won’t melt away at high temps.

How to Serve

For ultimate gooeyness, serve warm from the oven. They're killer with good strong coffee in the morning, but honestly, I've turned them into dessert with vanilla ice cream. Feeling fancy? Pour more caramel on top or sprinkle with toasted pecans—seriously next level.

Tray of Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns, up close. Pin it
Tray of Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns, up close. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

All About This Dish

German pretzel breads meet old-school American buns for something really special. Poaching in that baking soda water gives a deep brown, snappy crust—so much better than a regular cinnamon roll. Takes a bit more work, but wow, every bite is worth it for the chewy, sweet, and salty layers.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why dunk dough in baking soda water first?

Giving the dough a dip in baking soda water gives these buns their awesome chewy pretzel-y finish and that deep brown shine you just can't get otherwise.

→ Can I prep the dough a day before?

Sure thing! Mix the dough a day early and chill it overnight—your buns will taste even better and you’ll save time later.

→ What’s the point of pretzel salt?

Pretzel salt’s there for crunch and to cut the sweet, making every bite pop with a bit of salty flavor alongside the caramel and cinnamon.

→ Help! My buns stick in the pan.

Baking right over all that buttery caramel stops things from sticking. When you're done, just flip it out onto a big plate and you're good to go.

→ Do I have to use rye flour?

Rye’s great for flavor, but you can skip it or swap for extra bread flour if you want the buns to stay soft and a bit lighter.

Salted Pretzel Sticky Buns

Caramel-soaked pretzel rolls get filled with cinnamon sugar and a big pinch of crunchy salt on top.

Prep Time
60 Minutes
Cook Time
35 Minutes
Total Time
95 Minutes
By: Rana

Category: Desserts & Pastry

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 12 Servings (12 sticky buns)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Pretzel Dough

01 Pretzel salt, to top things off
02 60 ml milk
03 35 g baking soda
04 1900 ml water, for boiling
05 15 ml water, for the egg wash
06 1 large egg
07 5 g kosher salt
08 25 g dark brown sugar
09 30 ml canola oil
10 300 ml water
11 7 g instant yeast
12 16 g rye flour
13 440 g bread flour

→ Filling

14 18 g ground cinnamon
15 220 g packed brown sugar
16 85 g unsalted butter, fully softened but not runny

→ Sticky Bun Sauce

17 1 pinch salt
18 160 ml light corn syrup
19 550 g brown sugar, super packed
20 340 g unsalted butter

Instructions

Step 01

Wait about 10 minutes to cool, then flip the pan over onto a big enough platter and let those sticky buns slide out with that sweet sauce.

Step 02

Pop the pan in an oven that’s been warmed up to 175°C and bake everything until you see a nice golden color, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 03

Wrap the pan in plastic and let the buns hang out for 25 to 30 minutes – they should get nice and puffy.

Step 04

Go through rolling, filling, boiling, and putting the rolls in the pan again for your second half of dough.

Step 05

Slice your dough log into pieces about 5 cm wide, or six rolls, and line them up (cut sides up) into one half of the pan where all the sticky sauce is chilling.

Step 06

After pulling out the log, brush it with some milk and shower it with pretzel salt.

Step 07

Lift the parchment to lower the dough roll into the bubbly baking soda water, dunk for thirty seconds, flip it, and dunk for thirty more seconds. You just want a quick soak each side.

Step 08

Fill a big roasting pan with 1900 ml water and the baking soda. Bring this to a bubbling boil on the stove.

Step 09

Once the log is set, gently roll it back and forth to seal those seams, then move it to a piece of parchment paper about 76 x 38 cm.

Step 10

Roll up the dough from the short end into a tight log shape. Pinch all along to keep the seam and both ends totally sealed.

Step 11

Take one piece of dough and roll it out until you get a 25 x 38 cm rectangle. Spread half your cinnamon filling everywhere except for a 2 cm edge for sealing. Brush that clean edge with the egg wash.

Step 12

Stir together the soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until you’ve got an even mix.

Step 13

Give the dough a punch to let air out and split it into two equal lumps.

Step 14

About 20 minutes before you’re done proofing, melt the butter in a pot, throw in brown sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt. Let it bubble gently and stir until you have a smooth caramel-like mix. Pour that into your 33 x 23 cm baking pan.

Step 15

Grease a bowl, drop the dough in, stretch some plastic over, and let it rise till it’s about doubled—this can be an hour out or stick it in the fridge overnight instead.

Step 16

Move the dough to a floured surface and knead by hand until it’s smooth and not sticking to stuff. Dust a bit more flour in if things get messy.

Step 17

Hook up your stand mixer’s dough hook, set the mixer to medium, and mix until the dough pulls free from the bowl sides—should take about four minutes.

Step 18

In another bowl, mix canola oil, 300 ml water, kosher salt, and dark brown sugar, then toss it into your flour and yeast bowl.

Step 19

Grab a mixing bowl (stand mixer bowl works great) and whisk together the bread flour, rye flour, and instant yeast.

Notes

  1. Seal up your seams tight so the filling stays put when you dunk them. Rolls get kind of fragile in the baking soda bath, so be gentle lifting them.

Tools You'll Need

  • Stand mixer with dough hook
  • Large saucepan
  • Roasting pan
  • Rolling pin
  • 33 x 23 cm baking pan
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • This has dairy, gluten, and eggs in it.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 525
  • Total Fat: 19 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 90 g
  • Protein: 7 g