Stir together your sourdough starter, water, melted butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast, combine it with warm water and sugar, cover, and let it sit for five or ten minutes until it’s nice and frothy. Then add the melted butter.)

Add the flour, spices, and salt to your wet ingredients, and mix until a stiff dough forms.

You can knead the dough by hand, or you can use a stand mixer. Whatever method you’re using, knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. That should typically take five to seven minutes.

Cover your dough and leave it at room temperature, letting it ferment until it increases in size by about 50-60%.

This can take anywhere from three to five hours when your kitchen temperature is around 80⁰F. The timing aso depends onhow vigorous your sourdough starter is. I've included a chart with estimate timings for your fermentation below.

Be patient! If your kitchen is on the colder side, you can try fermenting the dough inside your turned-off oven with the pilot light on.

(Note: If you’re using yeast, the bulk fermentation stage should take about an hour.)

Divide your dough into 8 pieces, using a bench scraper or a knife.

Here’s the fun part. Roll each piece into rope about 20–22 inches long, and then shape that rope into your pretzel design. You can make hearts, twists, or whatever shape you like.

Let your pretzels proof until they look puffy. This usually takes about 1 hour at 80F. Again, be patient and don’t rush the process. Test your dough by poking it with a floured finger: when the dough is ready, it will spring back slowly.

(Note: If you’re using packaged yeast, the proofing stage will take about 30 minutes.)

This step gives your pretzels their classic chewy outer crust. It’s also a lot of fun.

Boil water and baking soda in a large pot. Working in batches, boil your pretzels for 20 to 30 seconds per side, turning them with a spatula.

Make sure not to “bathe” the pretzels for too long, because they could take on a metallic flavor from the baking soda. After the bath, place your pretzels on parchment paper and sprinkle them with coarse salt.

Bake your pretzels at 425°F for 14–16 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, and roll them in your cinnamon sugar mixture. Enjoy!