Air Fryer Pretzels Auntie Anne’s Copycat Recipe
There's no reason to head to your nearest mall to grab an Auntie Anne's pretzel any more - especially if you have an air fryer at home. That's because you can easily make your own copycat recipe from the comfort of your own kitchen! These homemade air fryer pretzels are a simple way to enjoy your favorite mall snack without ever leaving your house.
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What Do I Need to Make Air Fryer Pretzels?
While making your own soft pretzels at home may seem intimidating, they're actually very easy to make. And since this air fryer pretzels recipe is made with a handful of simple ingredients, you probably have everything you need to prepare them in your pantry right now. Here's what you'll need to make homemade pretzels:
- Warm water
- Active dry yeast
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Water
- Baking soda
- Butter
- Coarse kosher salt
Looking for more delicious Air Fryer Snack recipes? Give these reader favorites a try!
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How Do I Make Air Fryer Pretzels?
Making soft pretzels at home doesn't have to be messy or difficult. With the help of your air fryer, you can cook delicious soft pretzels with a crisp, buttery crust in a matter of minutes. Just follow these seven steps for making pretzels in your air fryer:
Step One: Prepare the Yeast
Before mixing the dough for your homemade soft pretzels, the yeast needs time to proof. Start by mixing together the warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let the yeast rest for around five minutes until it starts to bubble and foam.
Step Two: Mix the Pretzel Dough
When the yeast is ready, pour it into a large bowl and add the salt and flour. Use the dough hook attachment on your stand mixture to combine the ingredients, mixing the dough for 7 to 8 minutes until a large ball begins to form.
Step Three: Let the Dough Rise
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot and allow it to rise for at least one hour, until it has doubled in size.
Step Four: Make the Pretzels
After giving the dough time to rise, you can start forming your pretzels. Remove a piece of the dough, weighing it at seven ounces. Roll the dough piece into a log, then continue rolling it until it's around 8 ½ inches long and resembles a long rope. Take one end of the rope in each hand. Keeping your left hand still, lasso the piece of dough in your right and to create a twist. After that, take the ends of your rope and pinch them between your fingers. Bring the ends down to the bottom of the pretzel and lightly press them into place.
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Step Five: Give the Pretzels a Baking Soda Bath
When all your pretzels are formed, prepare a baking soda bath by whisking together baking soda and warm water in a large bowl. Lay a clean kitchen towel or paper towels next to the bowl. Then, submerge each pretzel in the baking soda water and immediately transfer it to the towel. Lightly dry the pretzel to keep it from being too wet for baking.
Step Six: Air Fry the Pretzels
Five minutes before you're ready to start cooking, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place one pretzel in the basket. Sprinkle salt over the top of the pretzel and cook it for five to six minutes, until the pretzel is golden brown.
Note: These were cooked in a Gourmia GAF265 Digital Air Fryer - Oil-Free Healthy Cooking - 4-Quart Capacity
Step Seven: Prepare the Butter Topping
While the pretzels are cooking in the air fryer, prepare the butter topping by melting your butter in a microwave safe dish. When the pretzels are finished cooking, brush each one with butter before serving. Enjoy the warm pretzels immediately for the best flavor.
Homemade Pretzels Tips & Tricks
Although making your own pretzels at home isn't difficult, there are a few steps you can take to make the preparation process even easier. With these quick tips and tricks, you'll be able to whip up delicious soft pretzels in no time.
- Make sure your water is the right temperature: When cooking with yeast, using the right water temperature is essential. If your water is too hot, it could deactivate the yeast. But if the water is too cold, the yeast won't react properly. To ensure your yeast does its job, make sure the water is around 110 degrees.
- Knead the dough by hand: Using a stand mixer is a quick and easy way to knead the dough for your pretzels. But if you don't have a stand mixer, you can also knead the dough by hand. Lightly flour your work surface, then turn out the dough on the surface and work it with your hands for 10 to 12 minutes.
How Long Do You Air Fry a Soft Pretzel?
Figuring out how long to cook soft pretzels in the air fryer will depend on the type of pretzels you're making. Homemade pretzels need to be cooked slightly longer than frozen soft pretzels because the dough needs time to cook all the way through.
When you're air frying homemade pretzels, cook them at 380 degrees for five to six minutes. You'll know your pretzels are done cooking with the outside of the dough is golden brown and slightly crispy.
Air Fryer Pretzels Auntie Anne’s Copycat Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water 110°F
- 1 ¼ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoon butter
- Coarse kosher salt
Instructions
Step One: Prepare the Yeast
- Start by mixing together the warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Let the yeast rest for around five minutes until it starts to bubble and foam.
Step Two: Mix the Pretzel Dough
- When the yeast is ready, pour it into a large bowl and add the salt and flour. Use the dough hook attachment on your stand mixture to combine the ingredients, mixing the dough for 7 to 8 minutes until a large ball begins to form.
Step Three: Let the Dough Rise
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm spot and allow it to rise for at least one hour, until it has doubled in size.
Step Four: Make the Pretzels
- After giving the dough time to rise, you can start forming your pretzels. Remove a piece of the dough, weighing it at seven ounces. Roll the dough piece into a log, then continue rolling it until it’s around 8 ½ inches long and resembles a long rope. Take one end of the rope in each hand. Keeping your left hand still, lasso the piece of dough in your right and to create a twist. After that, take the ends of your rope and pinch them between your fingers. Bring the ends down to the bottom of the pretzel and lightly press them into place.
Step Five: Give the Pretzels a Baking Soda Bath
- When all your pretzels are formed, prepare a baking soda bath by whisking together baking soda and warm water in a large bowl. Lay a clean kitchen towel or paper towels next to the bowl. Then, submerge each pretzel in the baking soda water and immediately transfer it to the towel. Lightly dry the pretzel to keep it from being too wet for baking.
Step Six: Air Fry the Pretzels
- Five minutes before you’re ready to start cooking, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the pretzels in the basket. Sprinkle salt over the top of the pretzel and cook for five to six minutes, until the pretzels are golden brown. ***Depending on the size of your air fryer, these may need to be cooked in several batches.***
Step Seven: Prepare the Butter Topping
- While the pretzels are cooking in the air fryer, prepare the butter topping by melting your butter in a microwave safe dish. When the pretzels are finished cooking, brush each one with butter before serving. Enjoy the warm pretzels immediately for the best flavor.
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