Macadamia Free Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Chewy on the inside, deeply bronzed on the outside, and finished with a satisfying crunch of coarse salt — these little bites deliver everything you love about a soft pretzel in snackable, poppable form. The secret to that signature pretzel chew and color is the baking soda bath, which gives each piece its characteristic tang and that gorgeous mahogany crust before it ever hits the air fryer. A quick egg wash locks in the color and helps the salt cling, so every single bite looks and tastes like it came from a proper pretzel shop. The air fryer does the heavy lifting here, circulating heat evenly to get that firm, crackly exterior without the mess of deep frying or the wait of a full oven. The ingredient list is refreshingly straightforward — flour, yeast, butter, salt, and a few pantry staples — so there's no hunting down specialty items or worrying about hidden nut-based additives sneaking into your snack. Dip them in yellow mustard straight out of the basket and they disappear fast, so consider making a double batch if you're feeding a crowd.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the dough
- 1 cup warm water (about 110°f / 43°c)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the baking soda bath
- 6 cups water
- ⅓ cup baking soda
For finishing
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1–2 tbsp coarse pretzel salt or flaky sea salt
For serving
- ½ cup yellow mustard (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let stand for 5–7 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
- 2
Add the flour, fine salt, and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4–5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and springs back when poked. Return to the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and rest for 10 minutes.
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