Air Fryer Pretzel Bites made with simple ingredients taste just like your favorite mall soft pretzel! The perfect after school, game day or party snack, these soft pretzel bites are easy and oh so delicious! Total prep, rising and air fry time is only 45 minutes!
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Air fryer pretzel bites are so good I seriously had a hard time even photographing this recipe because my entire family (and myself) kept eating them as they came out!. Who would have thought these little bites could be so good?
Best of all? These air fryer pretzel bites are totally customizable! You can dip them in melted butter or cinnamon sugar to create your own delicious flavor combos.
These soft pretzel bites are the perfect game day or Super Bowl appetizer, after school snack or weekend treat. They are great to make for a crowd because they take only a few minutes - this one recipe makes about 60 bites.
Make these along with Ninja Foodi wings, healthy buffalo dip, pizza rolls and some easy guacamole and you'll have the perfect party spread.
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Made with simple, pantry ingredients - no need to grab refrigerated Pillsbury crescent dough or biscuits.
- Can be made with cheese for dipping or delicious with just a bit of flaky sea salt topping.
- Taste even better than Auntie Anne's or Super pretzels!
- Can be made in any model - the Power XL, Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot Crisp.
Ingredients to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
- Flour: All purpose flour works well in this recipe. I do not recommend swapping out other types of flour.
- Yeast: Instant yeast makes this recipe quicker. I used regular yeast and let it sit with the water for 5 minutes before mixing.
- Sugar: Honey is a great swap.
How to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
1. If using regular yeast, allow yeast to sit with water for five minutes. If using instant yeast, skip to step 2.
2. Mix together flour, yeast, water, sugar and salt and mix using a stand mixer with a dough hook paddle attachment for best results.
3. Move shaggy dough to a flour covered surface.
4. Knead dough for five minutes. Place into a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
While dough is resting, heat 1 cup of water until boiling. Add in 2 tablespoon baking soda and dissolve.
Allow the mixture to cool and then put into a baking dish.
5. Once dough has risen after 30 minutes remove from bowl and place on a greased surface. I used a Silpat baking sheet.
6. Cut dough into six even pieces.
7. Roll dough into long, snake-like pieces, about 12 inches in length.
8. Snip 1-inch pieces of dough and add to water bath. Sprinkle each with flaky sea salt.
Once pretzels are ready, add to basket sprayed with coconut oil spray. Air fry at 400F for 4-5 minutes.
For an extra bit of indulgence dunk bites into some melted butter prior to sprinkling sea salt.
Expert Tips
Yeast: If you are using instant yeast you can skip to the second step. Regular yeast requires a five minute rest in the water until it becomes bubbly.
How to store: I definitely recommend eating these bites the day you make them. However, you can store these pretzel bites in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
How to reheat: To heat soft pretzels place them in the basket for 1-2 minutes or until hot and crispy.
Freezer: Bites may be frozen up through instructions before air frying. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. May be cooked straight from frozen allowing a few extra minutes.
Variations for this recipe:
Buttered pretzel bites: roll the cooked pretzels in melted butter
Cinnamon sugar bites: sprinkle moistened pretzels with sugar and cinnamon
FAQs
To cook frozen pretzel bites brush them with a bit of water and sprinkle with salt before heating. They may take a minute or two more than the fresh dough.
Air fry bites for 4-5 minutes at 400F. Add an additional 2-3 minutes if cooking straight from frozen.
Related Recipes
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Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon yeast
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- If using regular yeast, add yeast to 1 cup of water and stir. Allow to sit covered with a clean kitchen towel for 5 minutes. If using instant yeast, skip to next step.
- Mix together flour, yeast, water, sugar and salt and mix using a stand mixer with a dough hook paddle attachment until dough looks shaggy, for about one minute.
- Move dough to a flour covered surface. Knead dough for five minutes. Place into a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- While dough is resting, heat 1 cup of water until boiling. Add in 2 tablespoon baking soda and dissolve.
- Allow the mixture to cool and then put into a baking dish.
- Once dough has risen after 30 minutes remove from bowl and place on a greased surface. I used a Silpat baking sheet.
- Cut dough into six even pieces. Roll dough into long, snake-like pieces, about 12 inches in length.
- Using kitchen shears, snip 1-inch pieces of dough and add to water bath. Sprinkle each with flaky sea salt.
- Once pretzels are ready, add to basket sprayed with coconut oil spray. Air fry at 400F for 4-5 minutes.
Notes
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Melanie J Graffius says
Wow. These are A-making. Yours is the 3rd AF soft pretzel bites recipe I've tried and it's the best!
However, I was working quickly and somehow, put in 2 Tablespoons of Instant yeast instead of teaspoons. Luckily it wasn't an issue (why not, I wonder) and they came out Fabulous!
Hubs even liked them and he's not much for. Bready/pasta type things, so it's quite the compliment, on his part!!
Lyndsey says
I'm so glad your family liked them Melanie! Thanks for commenting!