9 Copycat Auntie Anne's Recipes (2024)

Homemade versions of practically the entire Auntie Anne's menu

By: Josh Henreckson, Editor, AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com

If you'veeverbeen to a mall, you know it: the deliciously tempting smell of Auntie Anne's drifting across the food court. It seems like no one can resist the temptation. Who would've thought that a few pretzels could beat out world-famous fast food restaurants in the food court pecking order?

Auntie Anne's doesn't make ordinary pretzels, though. They're always the perfect blend of soft interior and satisfying, ever-so-slightly crisp exterior. Whether you're dealing with classic salted pretzels, hot dog bites, or sweet, cinnamon-dusted pretzels, you know they're going to taste amazing as well.

With these 9 Copycat Auntie Anne's Recipes, you'll be as close as you can get to recreating the pinnacle of pretzels and you won't even have to leave your home. It doesn't matter if you're trying to treat yourself, entertain guests, or blow the minds of the kids in your life, you'll find exactly what you need in this list.

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1. Homemade Auntie Anne's Pretzels

Ah, the classic. Some Auntie Anne's copycats yield small, lumpy pretzels: knockoffs that barely resemble the original. Not this recipe. Pair these perfect treats with dijon mustard for an easy, savory afternoon snack or go all out and make your own cheese sauce.

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2. Pretzel Pizza Rolls

Auntie Anne's loves to dress up their vintage soft pretzels with all sorts of other crowd-pleasing ingredients. These cheesy pepperoni pretzel nuggets are the perfect bite-sized appetizer to drive any party wild. If anything, they may betoogood. Your guests may have trouble focusing on anything else!

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3. Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites

    We know, it's hard to resist classic pretzels and hot dog bites, but you're seriously missing out if you haven't tried Auntie Anne's bite-sized cinnamon pretzels. Lucky for you, this copycat recipe is a dead ringer for the original. And once you pair it with the homemade cream cheese sauce? These little pretzels are like tiny portals to heaven!

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    4. Auntie Anne's Inspired Soft Pretzel Nuggets

    Sometimes you just need something mini. Snacking on the go? Entertaining a crowd? Any way you slice it, these soft pretzel nuggets are the perfect choice for helping a little snack go a long way.

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    5. Auntie Anne's Pretzel Copycat

    Another twiston the recipe that made Auntie Anne's famous across the country. Roll them nice and thin to really make the copycat identical to the original. And if you're still looking for that perfect cheese sauce, look no further! This recipe has got your dipping needs covered.

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    6. Just-Like Auntie Anne's Caramel Apple Soft Pretzels

    Enough with the classics, it's time to get creative! You've got the classic pretzel recipe down by now, so it's high time you start adding your own special touch to it. These sweet pretzels are perfect for the fall and winter season, but anyone you serve them to will be thoroughly impressed no matter the time of year.

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    7. Homemade Pretzel Bread

    Pretzel bread with its own unique twists (whether or not you actually twist the dough is up to you). You can certainly eat these like the original pretzels they were based on, but feel free to try something new as well. Maybe make a sandwich or set them out as a side with dinner instead of as a snack.

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    8. Copycat Soft Pretzels with Sea Salt

    Straight from the queen of copycats herself comes the simplest, most versatile recipe for Auntie Anne's pretzels you could possibly ask for. For sweet, salty, and everything in between, this recipe has everything you need. All that flavor can be yours in under an hour, so what are you waiting for?

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    9. Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Bites

    Last but not least, we had to leave you with the most mouth-watering dessert pretzel we could find. How could anyone resist sweet, sugary, melt-in-your-mouth apple cinnamon pretzel bites dipped in caramel sauce? And who would even want to? One bite is all you need to get hooked on your newest copycat obsession.

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    Up next:

    Homemade Bar Food Recipes
    In the comments, why don't you tell us what your favorite place to eat at the mall food court is and also why it's definitely Auntie Anne's?

    9 Copycat Auntie Anne's Recipes (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the secret ingredient in Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

    Experts at The Daily Meal (via Fox News) suspect the secret ingredient is sugar. This makes total sense, not because we're some sort of band of dough geniuses over here, but because sugar obviously makes everything better — and because Auntie Anne's pretzels are definitely sweeter than your average pretzel.

    Does Auntie Anne's use lye or baking soda? ›

    Well, the cheery ladies were very clear with me: they do NOT use lye. No sodium hydroxide/poison/caustic soda—none whatsoever—in their pretzels. (They do, however, dip their pretzels in a baking soda solution.)

    Does Auntie Anne's fry or bake their pretzels? ›

    Products sold at Auntie Anne's franchise locations are baked fresh in-store. In order to provide you with a great Auntie Anne's experience at home, we use the same proprietary blend of flour used in our stores.

    What makes Auntie Anne's so good? ›

    Auntie Anne Pretzels are somehow more delicious than your average pretzel. A healthy dose of sugar makes for a tasty dough, and a topping of melted butter and salt makes them positively addictive. Another reason the popular pretzels are so good is they are made and served fresh and warm.

    What is the secret ingredient which makes a pretzel taste like a pretzel? ›

    On the one hand, lye gives pretzels their distinctive flavor, kind of a sharp flatness, if that makes sense. It's what keeps a pretzel from tasting like pretzel-shaped bread. On the other hand, lye is ridiculously dangerous. It will burn you if it gets on your skin and blind you if it gets in your eyes.

    Are Auntie Anne's pretzel dogs beef or pork? ›

    Pretzel Dog Packages

    Our classic Auntie Anne's Pretzel dough wrapped around a Nathan's Famous®, all beef hot dog. Individually wrapped and available by the dozen.

    Why is lye safe in pretzels? ›

    Lye also happens to be a powerful corrosive, one seemingly designed to melt your biological meat suit's mix of proteins and fats. (Pretzels are safe to eat because the lye on their surfaces reacts with carbon dioxide when heated, transforming it into harmless carbonate.)

    What is a substitute for lye in pretzels? ›

    That is by taking baking soda, spreading it out on a baking pan and putting it into the oven at about 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. That changes the chemical properties in the baking soda to make it behave more similarly to lye.

    What can I use instead of sodium hydroxide lye? ›

    There are no substitutes. You must have sodium hydroxide for bar soaps or potassium hydroxide for liquid soaps. If you aren't using lye you aren't making soap.

    Does Subway own Auntie Anne's? ›

    Both Cinnabon and Auntie Anne's are part of Focus Brands, the Atlanta-based operator owned by Roark Capital, the private equity group trying to buy Subway.

    Is Wetzel pretzel the same as Auntie Anne's? ›

    Wetzel's Pretzels was founded in 1994 and is based mainly in California, with few stores out-of-state. Auntie Anne's on the other hand, was founded in 1988 in Pennsylvania, and remains the nationally recognized brand.

    What is Auntie Anne's real name? ›

    Beiler. Anne F. Beiler is an American businesswoman and founder of Auntie Anne's pretzels.

    What is the secret solution for pretzels? ›

    In a 2-qt baking dish, combine the baking soda with 2¼ cups warm water. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved; set aside. (Dipping the pretzel dough in a baking soda solution gives the pretzels a nice golden brown crust.)

    What does Auntie Anne's stand for? ›

    Rising up to help others. When "Auntie" Anne Beiler started her pretzel stand, she said, "Caring for other people is the purpose of Auntie Anne's." Thirty years later, that commitment to giving back continues to motivate us. Meet our charitable partners and see how you can get involved.

    Can diabetics eat Auntie Anne's pretzels? ›

    The pretzels present a serious danger for diabetics

    Even the original contains 65 grams of carbs, only 2 grams of blood-sugar regulating fiber, 3 grams of saturated fat (unless you leave off the butter), and 990 milligrams of sodium.

    What does baking soda and lye have to do with making pretzels? ›

    Lye has a pH of around 13 whereas baking soda has a pH of around 8. This extra alkalinity accelerates the Maillard reaction, allowing that caramelization to develop on the exterior of the pretzels. That ultra-deep color and slightly crispy, crunchy exterior crust is only made possible with lye.

    Does Auntie Anne's put butter on their pretzels? ›

    ORIGINAL PRETZEL

    The original twist that started it all; a simple, buttery and salty soft pretzel that is better than the best. Make it vegan by ordering this item without butter.

    Why is there lye in pretzels? ›

    The Truth About Lye

    It imparts that unique pretzel smell and taste by inhibiting the creation of typical baked-good aroma compounds while spurring the formation of others and also adds unmistakable mineral flavor. And it gels surface starch, so the pretzels bake up smooth and shiny.

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