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Air Fryer Soft Pretzels

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Bakery-style soft pretzels made from scratch with a baking soda bath for authentic chewy texture and deep mahogany crust. The air fryer’s intense circulating heat crisps the exterior while keeping the interior pillowy and doughy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the dough:
  • 1.5 cups warm water (110°F)
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • For the baking soda bath:
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • For finishing:
  • 1 egg, beaten (egg wash)
  • Coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt
  • Melted butter for brushing after cooking

Instructions

  1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast is dead — start with fresh yeast.
  2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and melted butter, mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic (or use a stand mixer with dough hook for 6 minutes).
  3. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in size.
  4. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 24 inches long, then shape into a pretzel: form a U, cross the ends over each other twice, fold back down to the bottom of the U, and press to attach.
  5. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the baking soda (water will foam briefly). Working one at a time, drop each shaped pretzel in and soak for 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment-lined surface.
  6. Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Preheat air fryer to 380°F.
  7. Line the air fryer basket with parchment and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place 2–3 pretzels in the basket with space between them. Air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes until deep golden brown.
  8. Brush immediately with melted butter while hot and serve warm.

Notes

Do not skip the baking soda bath — it creates the alkaline surface responsible for the distinctive pretzel flavor, chewy texture, and dark mahogany crust. Without it you get a dinner roll, not a pretzel.

Shortcut: Frozen pretzels (Auntie Anne’s, Superpretzel) air fry from frozen at 350°F for 8 minutes. Refrigerated store-bought pizza dough also works — skip the first rise, shape, do the baking soda bath, and proceed.

For pretzel bites: cut dough ropes into 1.5-inch pieces, do the baking soda bath, brush with egg wash, salt, and air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes.

Store leftovers at room temperature in a loosely sealed bag for up to 1 day. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 minutes. Freeze extras for up to 1 month; reheat from frozen at 350°F for 6 minutes.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-soft-pretzels-bakery-style-from-scratch-or-frozen/