Caramel apple cinnamon rolls are everything you love about crisp autumn nights at the carnival – in breakfast form. Imagine waking the whole family up to these gorgeous sweet rolls!
Fall, fall, fall! It’s finally fall, though Ohio can’t seem to decide between crisp fall weather or hot late-summer weather.
I can’t even with that, so I’m ignoring it entirely and focusing on my favorite fall flavors instead.
Like these caramel apple cinnamon rolls. I first made these when Elle was a toddler, and she was a BIG fan. She loved picking out the sweet, soft baked apple pieces and eating them first.
If you love getting a sweet, sticky caramel apple or a hot caramel apple cider at the fall carnival as much as I do, these caramel apple cinnamon rolls are a MUST for breakfast this weekend!
These Soft Pretzel Bites have the best pretzel flavor with that golden brown outside and chewy soft texture. Homemade soft pretzels are really easy to make from scratch – and these little bites are so easy to eat! Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites I absolutely love the taste of these mall-style pretzels. You no longer need…
These Soft Pretzel Bites have the best pretzel flavor with that golden brown outside and chewy soft texture. Homemade soft pretzels are really easy to make from scratch – and these little bites are so easy to eat!
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
I absolutely love the taste of these mall-style pretzels. You no longer need to drive to get them because you can make them right at home! Pretzels seem complicated, but this recipe is the easiest one you’ll find. I love making these as an appetizer for sporting events, or to just snack on during the day. Never leave the house for pretzel bites again once you try this recipe!
Ingredients Needed
Flour: I use all-purpose flour. You’ll need it in the pretzels, and to aid with kneading the dough.
Baking Soda: Added into the water to make a baking soda bath that will give these pretzels the classic taste.
Boiling Water: Used to boil the pretzel bite dough into the delicious bites.
Yeast: Using instant yeast makes this recipe super easy!
Butter: I use unsalted butter because the salt in the recipe is enough.
Sugar: Just a little bit of sugar is the perfect amount to sweeten up these bites.
Salt: Salt will go into the recipe, but coarse sea salt will go on top!
Secret to Soft Pretzels
The secret to making perfect homemade pretzels is the baking soda bath. Just like bagels, soft pretzels are boiled before baking – but it’s not just in water. The chemicals in the baking soda help give the pretzels their golden color. Without this step you’ll just have bread.
How to make Soft Pretzel Bites
1. Place 2 cups (248g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk to combine.
2. Place water and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat in 30 second increments on high power until it reaches 120-130°F (the butter may not totally melt).
3. Add warm water to the yeast mixture and run the mixer on low to combine. Add additional 2 cups (248g) flour and run the mixer until dough starts to come together, then switch to the dough hook and run the mixer on medium-low speed
4. The dough should come together in a ball in the center of the mixer, after about 2-4 minutes. It will be slightly sticky and may leave traces on the sides of the bowl.
5. Lightly flour a work surface and add the dough from the bowl. Sprinkle the top with a bit of flour and knead the dough a few times, up to 2 minutes, adding more flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to the board, until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball.
6. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope that is approximately 14-inches long.
7. To create the pretzel bites, cut the rope in half, then cut each piece in half, etc. until you have 1-inch bites (you can also make them larger, if you wish).
8. Place bites on prepared cookie sheets.
9. Make baking soda bath and make sure the water is boiling over medium-high heat and place 6-8 pretzel bites in the water at a time (depending on size of your pot; you don’t want to crowd them). Boil no longer than 20 seconds each and remove with a slotted spoon, draining excess water, and place back on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat until all pretzels have been boiled. Once boiled, place on baking sheet and bake until dark golden brown.
Variations
Instead of granulated sugar in the dough you can swap light brown sugar.
I topped my bites with salt but you could also brush them with butter.
This recipe is written for Instant Yeast – so make sure to use the correct kind.
There are so many different ways to serve these bites. I typically choose to serve them with a dip of some sort. Wether it is ranch, cheese sauce, or honey mustard, the choices are all delicious!
Storing
Store cooled pretzel bites in an airtight container at room temperature. They might weep a little over time.
You can freeze baked pretzel bites in an airtight container.
Dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to a month (thaw before making pretzels).
4cups (492g)all-purpose flour(you'll start with 2 cups and add more when mixing)
1envelopeInstant Yeast(2¼ teaspoons)
1tablespoon (13g)granulated sugar
1 ½teaspoonssalt
1 ⅓cups (316ml)water
2tablespoons (28g)unsalted butter, softened
10cupswater
¾cupbaking soda
Sea Salt or Coarse Saltfor topping
Instructions
Place 2 cups (248g) flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk to combine.
Place water and butter in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat in 30 second increments on high power until it reaches 120-130°F (the butter may not totally melt).
Add warm water to the yeast mixture and run the mixer on low to combine. Add additional 2 cups (248g) flour and run the mixer until dough starts to come together, then switch to the dough hook and run the mixer on medium-low speed until the dough comes together in a ball in the center of the mixer, about 2-4 minutes. It will be slightly sticky and may leave traces on the sides of the bowl.
Lightly flour a work surface and add the dough from the bowl. Sprinkle the top with a bit of flour and knead the dough a few times, up to 2 minutes, adding more flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to the board, until the dough comes together in a cohesive ball. You know your dough is done kneading when it bounces back with 2 fingers when pressed.
Cover and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Meanwhile, bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot. Cover and keep it on a high simmer/low boil until you’re ready to boil the pretzels.
After the dough has rested for 10 minutes, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (approximately 70g each, but this will vary).
Roll each piece of dough into a long rope that is approximately 14-inches long.
To create the pretzel bites, cut the rope in half, then cut each piece in half, etc. until you have 1-inch bites (you can also make them larger, if you wish). Place bites on prepared cookie sheets.
Make sure the water is boiling and place 6-8 pretzel bites in the water at a time (depending on size of your pot; you don’t want to crowd them). Boil no longer than 20 seconds each and remove with a slotted spoon, draining excess water, and place back on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat until all pretzels have been boiled.
Bake pretzels for 8-15 minutes, or until dark golden brown on top. Be sure to check them halfway through baking to see if you need to rotate your pans.
Cool slightly before eating. Serve warm or room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to one month.
Notes
If you want, you can skip salting before baking. Enjoy unsalted, or brush with melted butter and top with coarse salt after baking (like they do at the pretzel shop).
You can also make the dough through the resting step or the twisted step ahead of time, up to 24 hours for refrigeration or one month in the freezer. I don’t recommend boiling then freezing.
Thaw frozen dough or baked pretzels at room temperature.
To reheat thawed baked pretzels, heat in the air fryer or microwave.
This golden loaf of bread holds a secret: a swirl of cinnamon and sugar in every slice! Toast and butter this cinnamon swirl bread for the perfect way to start the morning.
Believe it or not, I used to be totally freaked out by the idea of baking with yeast. It totally intimidated me!
But eventually I decided to give it a try with super easy recipes like english muffin bread. I gained enough confidence that now I love making everything from parker house rolls for holiday dinners to overnight cinnamon rolls for weekend breakfasts.
If you want to make a stunning loaf of bread, this cinnamon swirl bread is it. The bread looks unassuming at first, but when you slice into it, it reveals a beautiful swirl of cinnamon and sugar in each and every slice.
This is the type of yeast bread recipe that would have totally freaked me out years ago, but now I know that it’s not really difficult at all. So stick with me and I’ll walk you through it so you can feel confident enough to try it, too!
Soft, fluffy yeast dough is swirled around a sticky orange and cardamom filling and topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze for these sticky orange rolls. Make them for a special weekend breakfast or a holiday brunch! I used to be totally afraid of baking with yeast. Ok, well, maybe it wasn’t a full-fledged fear, …
Soft, fluffy yeast dough is swirled around a sticky orange and cardamom filling and topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze for these sticky orange rolls. Make them for a special weekend breakfast or a holiday brunch!
I used to be totally afraid of baking with yeast.
Ok, well, maybe it wasn’t a full-fledged fear, but it was definitely a source of some minor kitchen anxiety.
Whenever I would bake with yeast, I was alway second-guessing myself. Is my liquid
the right temp? Did I use the right yeast? Has the dough actually doubled in size?
So if you’re a little bit afraid of working with yeast, don’t panic. I’m going to walk you through making these sticky orange rolls so you can feel confident making them for your family.
Make your next at-home pasta, pizza, or soup dinner extra special with a batch of the best garlic knots. These fluffy, buttery knots are packed with herbs and garlic for a flavorful addition to any meal. If you love bread and rolls and biscuits as much as I do, you’re in for a treat today. …
Make your next at-home pasta, pizza, or soup dinner extra special with a batch of the best garlic knots. These fluffy, buttery knots are packed with herbs and garlic for a flavorful addition to any meal.
If you love bread and rolls and biscuits as much as I do, you’re in for a treat today.
These garlic knots are SO delicious. They’re also pretty easy to make, so they’re actually something you can throw together on a weeknight.
The dough only needs to rest/rise for 40 minutes total; with shaping and baking time, they’ll take you just over an hour from start to finish, with most of that being hands-off time.
Which means you can get the rest of your dinner ready while these little beauties are rising and baking. Maybe a big pot of soup or pasta? There are no wrong answers when garlic knots are involved.
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Sopapillas are total decadence for me. You’d think after concluding a stomach-swelling multi-course meal of chips and salsa, queso, guacamole, tamales, rice, refried beans. and enchiladas that it would be impossible t…
Sopapillas are total decadence for me. You’d think after concluding a stomach-swelling multi-course meal of chips and salsa, queso, guacamole, tamales, rice, refried beans. and enchiladas that it would be impossible to find room for just one...
In the heat of summer, I am always looking for fun low (or no) cook ways to make and enjoy a little dessert. Give me all of your icebox cakes, no bake bars, and no bake cheesecakes! No bake cheesecake has all of the rich cream cheese flavor of its baked counterpart, but it is a bit lighter in texture and so easy to make. There are no water baths to fuss with and no worry about the top splitting on you.
This no bake cheese cake is a great base for all sorts of summer fruit, but it would also be delicious with caramel or chocolate drizzled over the top instead. This version uses a heap of gorgeous fresh blueberries.
The salty pretzel and nutty browned butter crust comes together quickly too, no baking required. It also ensures that the whole dessert is nice and balanced, and not too sweet. For a sweeter version feel free to substitute graham cracker or biscoff cookie crumbs for the preztels. You could even skip browning the butter in favor of just melting it, but the browned butter adds a ton of great flavor so I wouldn’t!
The topping is a combination of fresh and cooked blueberries, the cooked ones make it a little saucy and help the blueberries stick together instead of sliding all over the place. I topped the whole thing with a few small leaves from my basil plant that look little little blueberry leaves. Mint would work too but the herbs are totally optional.
No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
Salty pretzels make a perfect base for this not to sweet cheesecake, but you could use graham crackers or biscoff cookie crumbs for a sweeter version - use gluten free cookies to make this desert for your gluten avoiding friends and family. The blueberry topping is partially cooked which creates some sauciness that helps the blueberries stick together, but if that’s a bridge too far for lazy summer cooking, you can just pile the top with lots of fresh blueberries. They may roll of when you slice it though!
Crust
175g/ 1 1/2 cups finely ground pretzels
50g/ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
170g/12 tablespoons unsalted butter
Filling
450g/ 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
100g/ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
240ml/ 1 cup heavy cream, cold
Topping
490g/ 3 1/2 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mint or basil leaves if desired
To make the crust: Combine the pretzels and sugar in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook the butter while scraping the bottom and sides of the pan occasionally with a rubber spatula. The butter will foam, then the solids will turn deep golden brown and smell nutty.
Once the butter has browned pour it over the pretzels in the bowl then stir to combine. Let the mixture cool for a minute or two then pour it into a 9-inch pie pan.
Carefully press it evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the pan, a 1/3 cup measure is a great tool for this. Set the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until combined. Turn the mixer up to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.
Add the vanilla and lemon and stir to combine.
Switch to the whisk attachment and with the mixer on low, add the heavy cream. Turn the mixer up to medium high and whip until the mixture comes to stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
Spoon the filling into the chilled crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for about 8 hours or overnight.
To make the topping: When you are ready to serve the cheesecake put 280g/2 cups of the blueberries in a large bowl and set aside. Combine 140g/1 cup of the blueberries, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pan and cook until the blueberries have burst and released their juices, about 2 minutes.
In a small bowl stir the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, slowly pour it into the blueberry mixture in the pan while stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly for 45 seconds, until thick and glossy.
Pour the mixture over the blueberries in the bowl and stir to combine. Pour the blueberries over the chilled cheesecake and scatter the remaining 70g/ 1/2 cup blueberries over the top. Sprinkle mint or basil over the top and let the pie sit for a few minutes before slicing. Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days.
One of my very favorite chocolate makers in NYC, Raaka Chocolate, is launching a new line of baking chocolate today! They are starting with two delicious varieties, Oat Milk 58% cacao that I used in this chocolate mousse tart and Maple Dark 75% cacao. They will launch two more varieties in the coming weeks, and they have cacao powder and cacao nibs too! I got a sneak peek of all four varieties and I have enjoyed baking with (and just plain eating) these little chocolate discs so much.
This decadent Chocolate Mousse Tart with Browned Butter Oat Crust is definitely fit for a special occasion, but isn’t too tricky to put together. The crust is the easy-peasy pat in the pan variety and the mousse is just as good on its own as it is in this buttery, crisp, toasty crust. You could even just make the chocolate mousse and skip the crust all together, but don’t skip the billowy whipped cream!
Raaka Chocolate is unroasted which highlights all of the natural fruitiness of cacao so it’s flavor profile might be a little different than your everyday chocolate, and it is so, so tasty. They are also a company that values the community of growers, producers, and makers whose livelihoods depend on cacao and chocolate and are very transparent about their sourcing practices. You can read all about it on their website. Let me know if you try it!
Oat Milk Chocolate Mousse Tart with Browned Butter Oat Crust
Makes one 9-inch tart
This decadent chocolate tart is more than the sum of its parts. The toasty-oaty crust provides a perfect base for rich and decadent chocolate mousse made with Raaka’s sublimely delicious Oat Milk chocolate. The mousse is delicious on its own for gluten free folks too.
Browned Butter Oat Crust
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
2/3 cup (60g) rolled oats
1 cup (130g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (35g) confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Water, as needed
Oat Milk Chocolate Mousse
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons strong coffee or coffee liqueur
3 large egg yolks
Pinch salt
4 ounces Raaka Oat Milk Chocolate finely chopped, plus a little more to garnish
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
Heat your oven to 375ºF and lightly grease a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan.
Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Make sure to use a pan with a light colored interior so you can see the milk solids change color. Continue to cook the butter, stirring occasionally, scraping the milk solids off of the bottom and sides of the pan as necessary. After a few minutes the milk solids should turn golden brown and smell toasty. Transfer the toasty browned butter to a heat safe container and let it cool slightly.
Add the oats to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until the oats are broken up a bit. Add the flour, confectioners sugar, and salt and pulse about 10 times or until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Drizzle the butter into the mixture and pulse until combined. The mixture should hold together easily when you squeeze it in your hands. If it seems very dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it holds together.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tart pan and press it evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to make the crust smooth and even. Bake the crust until it is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Set it on a rack to cool completely.
When the shell is cool, make the mousse.
Whisk 3/4 cup of the heavy cream to soft peaks and store in the refrigerator while you make the rest of the mousse.
Set a heatsafe bowl over a pan of simmering water to make a double boiler. Add the sugar, coffee, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt to the bowl and whisk the mixture until it is very hot to the touch (about 160ºF), pale yellow and doubled in volume.
Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Off of the heat, add a heaping spoonful of the whipped cream and whisk it into the chocolate mixture to lighten it a bit. Add the rest of the whipped cream and gently fold to combine. Pour the mousse into the cooled shell, smooth the top, and refrigerate until firm, about one hour. Just before serving whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks dollop it over the mousse. Grate a bit more chocolate over the top and serve.
These Soft Pretzel Bites have the best pretzel flavor with that golden brown outside and chewy soft texture. Homemade soft pretzels are really easy to make from scratch – and these little bites are so easy to eat! Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites I absolutely love the taste of these mall-style pretzels. You no longer need…
