Auntie Anne's At Home Baking Kit Product Review

Auntie Anne's At Home Baking Kit Product Review

Auntie Anne's is a name you probably associate with delicious pretzels found at their popular pretzel stands found in 46 states and more than 23 countries.  They started out in Lancaster County, PA and became hugely popular.  Today, their core product lineup includes Original, Cinnamon Sugar, Almond, Pepperoni, Sour Cream and Onion, Garlic Pretzels, along with Stix and the Pretzel Dog. Auntie Anne’s most popular pretzel flavors are also available as bite-size pretzel pieces called, Pretzel Nuggets. To complement pretzel selections, the brand’s famous lemonade can be enjoyed in its signature version or as Lemonade Mixers in five bold fruity flavors.

The great news is that you can now create your own Auntie Anne's delicious pretzels at your own house, using their At Home Baking Kits.  These kits come in the following varieties: Original, Apple-Cinnamon, and Gingerbread.  Not only can you make pretzels from these kits, they also include instructions for making other tasty treats using their baking kits.

Auntie Anne's recently gave me the opportunity to try out one of their new flavors for review.  The selections available to me were Apple Cinnamon or Gingerbread.  While I just love gingerbread, others in my family are not as fond of it, so I chose the apple cinnamon flavor.  I was eager to give it a try!

Originally, I had intended on baking pretzels.  My family loves, loves, loves soft pretzels.  I went to the kitchen and opened my kit with this project in mind.  And then....I opened up the instruction booklet and found a recipe for monkey bread!  Oh boy!  I have always wanted to try monkey bread and it seemed rather easy to make.  Well there ya have it - presto change-o!  Time to make my first ever batch of apple cinnamon monkey bread!  Now I was really excited...and dove in!

Products - check!

Instructions - check!

Read them carefully and follow them to a T!

Mix it up - check!

Follow the instructions for your wet and dry ingredients, and mix as instructed in a large bowl.  Please don't use a small one - there is a good bit of product here to mix together.

Time to bake - NO! Not yet!

Hang in there - it won't be long now!

Okay, time for a confession here.  I was a bit too eager to create this gooey goodness and did not read ALL of the instructions first.  Apparently, you have to stop and let the dough rise in a warm area for a while before you can continue.  Okay, so take a break and go watch a 30 minute show on television and prep your coffee pot while you wait.  That's what I did.

Prep it for the oven! - Check!

Now put it in to pre-heated oven to bake!

Okay so above, my covered dough has risen and I have prepped the glaze for my dish.  The recipe actually calls for pecans to be added here on the first layer with the glaze, then a layer of 1 inch dough balls, then more pecans, glaze dough balls.  I omitted the pecans because some of my family members do not care for them.  If your family also prefers a non-nutty version, you can do the same.  Then once all of your layers are assembled, just pop it in the oven and set the timer.

Prepare to Serve It - Check!

When you remove it from the oven, it looks like the photo above on the left.  When it has cooled slightly, you just flip it over onto your serving dish (or into a container) just as you would a pineapple upside down cake (see photo above on right).  You can slice it or pull it apart.. given the sticky nature of this bread, I chose to slice mine.

Have a slice - Check!

Save some for the family - okay, okay, check!

As I have never had monkey bread before, I am not certain if this kit, from Auntie Anne's, tastes just like traditional monkey bread.  Whether it did or didn't, I sure did enjoy it and look forward to making it again.  Or maybe next time, I may try one of the other recipe options - like the cinnamon rolls.  These treats pair perfectly with a cup of coffee, my favorite beverage.  Serve them at brunch, as dessert, or a mid-day snack.  

You can shop for the Auntie Anne's kits and recipes HERE on their website.  You may also find their soft pretzel at-home baking kits at some of your favorite local retailers.  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay up on their latest twists and creations. 

The recipes are not difficult at all, and only require a little patience while you wait for the dough to rise.  I can highly recommend this product to my friends, family, and readers.  If you try this, another recipe, or a different kit - I sure hope you will share your experience with me here.