Rice 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 classic soft pretzel in snackable form. The secret to that signature pretzel chew and dark crust is the baking soda bath, which gives each piece its characteristic flavor and color before it ever hits the air fryer. All-purpose flour, yeast, butter, and a few pantry staples come together in a straightforward dough that's easy to work with and doesn't require any special equipment beyond your air fryer. For anyone navigating a rice-free lifestyle, snack foods can be a minefield — rice flour and rice starch show up in a surprising number of packaged snacks and even some frozen pretzel products. This recipe keeps things clean and simple, built entirely around wheat-based dough with no grain fillers or hidden starches to worry about. The air fryer does a brilliant job here, producing that deep mahogany color and firm exterior in just minutes without the mess of deep frying. Dip them in yellow mustard straight out of the basket and they'll disappear faster than you made them.
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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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