Great news! Pretzel bites can be made at home in the air fryer for the perfect treat. These bites are soft and chewy, but more importantly simple and easy to make.
It is a quick recipe. So, in no time, you can have a bowl full of hot and fresh pretzel bites. The air fryer can have a batch done in under 10-minutes.
Pretzel Bites
We love pretzels and pretzel bites. It was a treat to get them hot and fresh out on town. I wondered, “Could I make them at home?”
So, into the test kitchen, we all went. I had plenty of help with this recipe. I wanted to have that perfectly soft and moist pretzel taste at home. And don’t forget the thin golden crispy crust. The air fryer is the perfect appliance for this recipe.
Kid Friendly Recipe
If you have small hands that want to help in the kitchen this recipe is perfect. They can help with rolling out the dough balls and sprinkling salt over the tops of them. These delicious bites are sure to become a family favorite. We have fun changing up the topping flavors. Butter & salt is still our favorite. There are some other fun topping ideas: Ranch seasoning; Italian seasoning; cinnamon sugar.
Don’t forget dipping sauces:
- Cheese
- Garlic Butter
- Marinara
- Ranch
- Mustard
- Chocolate
- Caramel
- Vanilla Frosting
- Cream cheese
Ingredients to make air fryer pretzel bites
- Pretzel dough
- Lukewarm water
- Active dry yeast
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda bath
- Water
- Baking soda
- Topping
- Butter
- Salt
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
What you will need for air fryer pretzel bites
- Stand Mixer
- Dough Scoop
- Mixing Bowls
- Silicone Mat
- Air Fryer
- Parchment paper for air fryer
- Cookie Sheet/Baking Sheet
Pretzel Bites Recipe
Pretzel Dough
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer combine 1 1/2 cups of warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Set aside for 4 -5 minutes, until the mixture starts to foam up
- Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until all combined
- On a lightly floured surface knead the dough, until the formation of a ball
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl for 30-minutes to rise
- Divide dough into balls
Baking soda bath
- After 20-minutes of the dough rising, I start my baking soda bath
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
- Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to the water (carefully)
- Add 4 – 6 balls into the bath for 30-seconds
- Transfer to a cooling rack in a cookie sheet
Air frying
- Line your air fryer with parchment paper
- Our air fryer can do 9 pretzel bites at a time. The number of bites will be determined by the size of the air fryer
- Air fry for 3-minutes at 390 degrees F on the manual setting. Flip and continue cooking for an additional 4-minutes
- Transfer to a cool rack and repeat
Topping
- Brush melted butter on pretzel bites sprinkle with salt
- Serve and Enjoy!
You can find all the instructions and ingredient amounts at the end of this post in the recipe card.
Tips on air fryer pretzel bites
- Activating the yeast is done best in lukewarm water around 90 – 95 degrees F.
- I recommend a stand-up mixer because the dough is quite thick, if you don’t have one, use a mixing spoon. A hand mixer will have a difficult time with this dough.
- Knead the dough until it is tackie and doesn’t easily stick to your fingers.
- When you’re rolling the pretzel dough into balls let them sit on a silicone mat or cutting board. This will let them dry a little bit on the outside. It will make it easier to handle them when placing them in the baking soda bath.
- An alternate method to making the bites is to roll the dough into 7 to 8 ropes, each one with a diameter of about 1 inch. Then simply cut into one-inch pieces. It will give you a more rustic look.
- For a party or just a fun night at home, you can add our Air Fryer Pizza to the pretzel bites. The timing will work perfectly, while the pretzel dough is rising you can make the pizzas.
Storage
- You can store any leftover pretzel bites in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 3 – 4 days.
- You can also store the uncooked dough in the refrigerator overnight, or in the freezer for up to 30 days. Either way, just make sure the bag or container is airtight so they don’t dry out or get freezer burn.
FAQs
Yes, Once you have formed the balls, place them on a parchment-lined plate (easier to release when they are frozen) and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer them to an air-tight container for up to 30 days. You can thaw them in the fridge overnight. Resume the directions at baking soda bath.
The baking soda bath is what gives the pretzel that soft, chewy texture and a golden crust once cooked. Additionally, the bath is what provides the classic pretzel taste.
Other recipes you will love
- Air Fryer Pizza on biscuit dough
- Cheesy Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Smoked Pork Butt
- Edible Cookie Dough with Chocolate Chips
What is your favorite pretzel bite topping? Let us know?
Pretzel Bites in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Stand-Up mixer
- baking sheet
- Mixing Bowls
- Dough Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon
- Silicone Baking Mat
Ingredients
Pretzel Dough
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (between 90 – 95 degrees F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelop)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Baking Soda Bath
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup baking soda
Topping
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted your choice)
- 1 tablespoon salt (or Kosher salt)
Instructions
Pretzel Dough
- In the stand-up mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let it be for 4 – 5 minutes until the mixture starts to foam up. This means your yeast is good
- Incorporate flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are combined
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes. The dough will form a ball. It will be tackie, and sticky, but doesn't easily stick to your fingers
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and let it rise for 30 minutes
- Use a dough scoop to scoop the dough into the palm of your hand. Roll to form a ball. Place on a cookie sheet. Set aside
Baking Soda Bath
- In a medium to large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil
- Once it is boiling, carefully add the baking soda
- Turn off the heat
- Add 4 to 6 balls of pretzel dough into the baking soda bath for 30 seconds
- After 30 seconds, transfer to a cookie sheet with a cooling rack
Air Frying
- Line your air fryer with parchment paper
- Place the pretzel balls into the air fryer leaving enough room for the air to circulate around each one. With my air fryer, I can do 9 at a time
- On manual setting, air fryer for 3 minutes at 390 degrees F
- Flip the dough and air fryer for an additional 4 minutes
- Transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat
Topping
- Brushed melted butter on the pretzel bites
- Sprinkle with salt
- Serve and Enjoy!
You make this look so doable, Karina. I might actually give it a try after reading this!