“The question, in my opinion, will be if that scalding is long enough to make it Mezonos even if it is baked after. “
The Kaf HaChaim’s rule (which I beleive is on the Sh”A 168) is that the Bracha goes after the main way it’s cooked/baked. He says that bagels and pretzels are parboiled in order to make a particular outside crust, but the main way they are “cooked” is through baking. OTOH, if something is mainly boiled and then baked to change the outside a little, then that is Mezonot.
I have to admit that today we should look into how they are made. For example, many bagels today are not even boiled; they are steamed to get the crust. And I assume that soft pretzels are mainly baked because they have the form of bread inside them, besides being baked before serving.