If you like soft pretzels but don’t want to deal with the oven, this recipe is for you. My air fryer cinnamon sugar pretzel bites come out soft inside and golden on the outside every time.
They are coated in melted butter and a mix of cinnamon and sugar, which gives them that warm, bakery style flavor.
I also make a simple cream cheese dip to go with them. It is sweet, smooth, and perfect for dunking.
The best part is that the air fryer does most of the work. No need to heat up your whole kitchen just for a small batch of snacks.
These are great for a quick treat, movie night, or when friends come over. I think you will really enjoy them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Chewy Inside – Each bite bakes up with a warm, pillowy center that stays tender and pulls apart just like a real soft pretzel.
Sweet Cinnamon Coating – The buttery cinnamon sugar clings to every piece and gives you that cozy bakery flavor in one simple bite.
That Creamy Dip – The smooth vanilla cream cheese dip adds a rich, tangy layer that makes every bite feel extra special.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Warm Water (110F)
- 1 packet (2.25 tsp) Active Dry Yeast
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 3.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Butter (melted, divided)
- 1/4 cup Baking Soda
- 4 cups Water (for boiling)
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar (for coating)
- 1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Dip
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
How To Make
Step 1
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
Step 2
Roll the dough into long ropes about 1/2-inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add the baking soda, and boil the dough pieces in batches for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a towel.
Step 3
Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Arrange the boiled pretzel bites in a single layer and air fry for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until deep golden brown all over.
Step 4
In a large bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the hot pretzel bites. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl, then toss the buttered bites in the cinnamon sugar until coated.
Step 5
Make the dip by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Serve the warm pretzel bites with the cream cheese dip on the side.
Tips
Get the Water Temperature Right for the Yeast
Your warm water needs to be right around 110F for the yeast to wake up properly. I recommend using a thermometer if you have one, since guessing usually gets you in trouble here.
If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and your dough won’t rise. If it’s too cold, the yeast stays sleepy and you get flat, dense pretzel bites.
You’ll know it worked when the mixture looks foamy and puffy after 5 minutes. If nothing happens, start over with fresh yeast, because that foam is your sign everything is on track.
Don’t Skip the Baking Soda Bath
That quick dip in the baking soda water is what gives these bites their classic pretzel taste and that deep golden color. Without it, you basically just have plain bread balls.
From my experience, 30 seconds is the sweet spot for each batch. Leave them in too long and they turn slippery and take on a soapy taste that’s hard to fix.
Make sure your water is at a full boil before you add the pieces, and work in small batches so they don’t clump together in the pot.
Roll the Ropes an Even Thickness
When you roll out your dough ropes, try to keep them close to that 1/2-inch thickness the whole way down. Even ropes mean even bites that all cook at the same rate.
If some pieces are fat and some are skinny, the small ones will get too dark while the big ones stay doughy in the middle.
My favorite trick here is to cut all the ropes first, then eyeball them side by side and reshape any that look off before they go into the boiling water.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
- Air Fryer Churros
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Bites
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cakes
- Air Fryer Funnel Cake Bites
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to boil the pretzel bites in baking soda water?
That quick dip in baking soda water is what gives pretzels their classic chewy skin and deep golden color, so it is worth the extra step.
Skipping it will leave you with something closer to plain bread bites, which still taste fine but miss that true pretzel flavor and texture.
Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
- air fryer
- 1.5 cups Warm Water (110F)
- 1 packet Active Dry Yeast (2.25 tsp)
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 3.5 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Butter (melted, divided)
- 1/4 cup Baking Soda
- 4 cups Water (for boiling)
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar (for coating)
- 1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Roll the dough into long ropes about 1/2-inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add the baking soda, and boil the dough pieces in batches for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a towel.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Arrange the boiled pretzel bites in a single layer and air fry for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until deep golden brown all over.
- In a large bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the hot pretzel bites. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl, then toss the buttered bites in the cinnamon sugar until coated.
- Make the dip by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Serve the warm pretzel bites with the cream cheese dip on the side.