Air Fryer Mozzarella & Garlic Butter Pretzels are soft, homemade pretzels filled with shredded mozzarella and brushed with a fragrant garlic butter. Made from scratch and cooked in the air fryer, they deliver a golden, slightly crisp crust with a tender, cheesy center—perfect as an appetizer or snack.
Homemade Air Fryer Garlic Butter Pretzels
Making pretzels at home is easier than you might think, especially when you use an air fryer. This dough is quick to prepare and does not require an extended rise. After activating the yeast in warm water and letting it foam, combine the remaining dough ingredients, knead briefly, and shape.
The dough should be soft but not overly sticky. I mix and knead by hand, but you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you prefer. Once the dough is smooth, roll it into a rectangle and prepare to add the cheese.
Air Fryer Mozzarella Garlic Butter Pretzels
To create the cheesy center, sprinkle shredded mozzarella over half of the rolled dough, fold the plain half over the cheese, and roll again into a large rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 even strips, sealing the edges so the cheese stays inside.
Shape each strip into a classic pretzel: form a rope, twist the ends, bring them down to the center and press gently to secure. Keeping the cheese sealed while shaping prevents it from leaking during cooking.
Baking Soda Bath
The baking soda bath is a small but essential step. Briefly dipping the shaped pretzels in hot water mixed with baking soda gives them that distinctive pretzel color, a glossy crust, and a slight chew. It also enhances the flavor compared to skipping this step.
Boil the water and dissolve the baking soda, then submerge each pretzel for about 20 seconds. Remove with tongs and transfer to parchment or a clean surface to prepare for the topping.
Brushed with Garlic Butter
After the baking soda bath, place the pretzels on parchment. Melt the butter and mix in minced garlic to make a garlic butter. Brush the pretzels generously with the garlic butter, then sprinkle with a light touch of pretzel salt or coarse kosher salt—enough to enhance but not overpower the garlic.
Air Fryer Pretzel Settings
For best results, set your air fryer to 330°F (165°C) and air fry for about 6 minutes. Cooking time can vary between oven-style air fryers and basket-style units, so avoid overcrowding and cook in batches if needed. If your air fryer requires rotating or flipping, do so halfway through the cook time to achieve even browning.
I used an oven-style air fryer for these photos, which allows multiple pretzels in a single batch. A basket-style air fryer will hold fewer at a time, so plan to air fry several batches.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Mozzarella & Garlic Butter Pretzels
Yields: 12 pretzels | Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 6 mins per batch | Total: ~26 mins
Ingredients
- Pretzel dough:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (about 1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (add as needed)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (for filling)
- Baking soda bath:
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- Garlic butter topping:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pretzel salt or coarse salt, to taste
Instructions
- Stir yeast into warm water and let sit until foamy.
- Mix in salt, melted butter, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
- Add flour gradually and mix until dough is no longer sticky. Knead by hand about 5 minutes until smooth.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle half with shredded mozzarella, fold over, and roll again into a large rectangle.
- Cut into 12 strips, pinch edges to seal the cheese, and shape each into a pretzel.
- Bring water and baking soda to a boil in a medium pot. Immerse each pretzel for about 20 seconds, then transfer to parchment.
- Melt butter and mix with minced garlic. Brush each pretzel with garlic butter and sprinkle lightly with pretzel salt.
- Preheat the air fryer to 330°F (165°C). Place pretzels in the basket or tray without overcrowding.
- Air fry for about 6 minutes, watching for an even golden brown. Cook additional batches as needed.
- Brush again with any remaining garlic butter after cooking if desired, then serve warm.
Nutrition (estimate per pretzel)
Calories: 306 kcal | Carbohydrates: 31 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 18 g
Nutritional values are approximate and will vary depending on specific ingredients and serving sizes.
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