Let's make Martinsbrezeln-soft, fluffy German cinnamon sugar pretzels that are way better than the US mall version. These traditional sugar pretzels are given to children as a special treat during St. Martin's Day celebrations in Germany, and I'm going to show you how to make them in your own kitchen, wherever you are!
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What are Martinsbrezeln?
Martinsbrezeln (that's "Martin's pretzels" in German) are soft, pillowy sugar pretzels that hail from western Germany. Unlike the salty, chewy pretzels you're probably used to, these beauties are made from sweet yeast dough and get their sparkle from either pearl sugar (affiliate link) or a cinnamon-sugar coating that'll have you licking your fingers.
So why are they called Martin's pretzels?
Every year on November 11th, Germans celebrate St. Martin's Day-a magical evening filled with lantern walks, bonfires, and yes, these sweet pretzels.
St. Martin is a Catholic saint who is famous for sharing his coat with a freezing beggar.
These sweet pretzels were literally the last hurrah-one final indulgent treat before weeks of fasting. While pretzels are the most iconic shape, you'll also find geese-shaped rolls or little yeast men (Weckmänner) given out on St. Martin's Day. Sometimes the bread is shared among children to symbolize St. Martin sharing his coat with the beggar.
For my family, St. Martin's Day is a popular event. In kindergarten, the children craft lanterns, and the procession is often led by St. Martin on a real horse, accompanied sometimes by a brass orchestra. The songs-such as "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne"-are the same songs I grew up with.
How to make homemade Martinsbrezeln
For the detailed instructions and exact measurements, please jump to the printable recipe card
Ingredients
The Martinsbrezeln are made from a simple sweet yeast dough. All you need it flour (all purpose flour USA, plain flour UK, Type 405 flour Germany), milk, sugar, vanilla extract (affiliate link) and instant yeast.
The cinnamon sugar coating is made with butter, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon (affiliate link).
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Recipe Steps
- Prepare the dough: Mix lukewarm milk with yeast and sugar, let sit 10 minutes until bubbly. Combine soft butter, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Mix everything together with flour and salt, then knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm oven (122°F/50°C, turned off) for 1 hour until doubled.
- Shape the pretzels: Divide risen dough into 8 equal portions (weigh for accuracy). Roll each piece into an 18-inch (45cm) rope with tapered ends and a thicker middle. Form the classic pretzel twist by making a U-shape, crossing the ends twice, and pressing them onto the bottom curve. Let shaped pretzels rest 15 minutes on lined baking sheets.
- Bake to golden perfection: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush pretzels with melted butter before baking for 15 minutes until golden brown (a toothpick should come out clean). While they bake, mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Coat while warm: The moment the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them generously with more melted butter while still hot, then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely coated. Serve warm or at room temperature-both are delicious!
3 Ways to Customize Your German Sugar Pretzels
There are several delicious versions of this pretzel throughout Germany, and the topping is where you can really get creative!
- Vanilla sugar pretzels: Instead of mixing the sugar with ground cinnamon (affiliate link), mix it with vanilla sugar, which adds a lovely vanilla aroma to your pretzels and creates a more delicate, subtly sweet flavor.
- Pearl sugar (affiliate link) pretzels: Brush the pretzels with egg wash before baking, then sprinkle generously with pearl sugar (affiliate link) (also called Swedish pearl sugar (affiliate link) or nib sugar). This creates a beautiful sparkle and delightful crunch.
- Powdered sugar pretzels: For the simplest variation, just dust the warm pretzels with powdered right before serving. This gives them that classic German bakery look!
Make Ahead
If you want to eat these soft and sweet pretzels for breakfast, you can prepare the dough the day before. Leave it to rise in the fridge overnight-just make sure you place it in a container that gives it enough space to expand. The next morning, shape the pretzels and let the dough come back to room temperature before baking so they're nice and fluffy.
Storage Instructions
These cinnamon pretzels are best eaten the same day they're baked-this is when they taste the best! But they will stay good for up to three days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
More German Prezel Recipes
Recipe
Martinsbrezeln: Irresistible Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cups (250 ml ) lukewarm milk
- ½ cups (100 g) sugar
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast 1 sachet, 7 g,
- ⅓ cup (80 g) butter (unsalted and very soft)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour (Germany type 405, UK plain flour, USA All-purpose Flour)
For the cinnamon sugar coating
- ¼ cups (50 g) butter melted
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (mine is 122°F/50°C). Once it reaches temperature, turn it off but keep the door closed.
- Pour the lukewarm milk into a bowl, add the sugar and yeast, and stir to combine. Let it rest for 10 minutes-you should see small bubbles appearing on the surface. (If nothing happens, your milk was too hot and killed the yeast. Start over with cooler milk.)
- In a separate bowl, mix the soft butter, egg, and vanilla extract (affiliate link) until smooth and well combined.
- Add the yeast mixture to the butter mixture, then add the flour and salt. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let it rise in the warm oven for about 1 hour.
Shape the pretzels
- While the dough rises, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the oven and knead briefly on a clean surface. For even pretzels, weigh the dough and divide by 8, then portion it out.
- Roll each portion into a ball, then roll it into a rope about 18 inches (45cm) long, tapering the ends to points.
- To shape each pretzel: Lay the rope in a U-shape. Take both ends, cross them over each other twice in the middle, then press the ends onto the bottom curve of the pretzel (the "belly").
- Place the shaped pretzels on your prepared baking sheets and cover with a tea towel. Let them rise for 15 minutes.
Bake and Coat
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Brush the pretzels with about a quarter of the melted butter, then bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted should come out clean-feel free to bake a bit longer if you prefer a deeper color.
- While the pretzels bake, mix the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl. Have your remaining melted butter ready.
- As soon as the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them generously with the melted butter while still warm, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar to coat completely.
- Serve warm or at room temperature-they're delicious either way!
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