The classic German brezel is baking in a class of its own — dark brown, glossy crust with a soft, chewy crumb inside and crunchy salt crystals on top. With the airfryer, you can bake these beautiful pretzels in under 15 minutes without firing up the big oven, and the result comes close to what you’d find at the best baker in Munich.
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Germans have been baking brezel since the Middle Ages, and it’s still an indispensable part of every Oktoberfest and Bavarian lunch. Here’s my method with a homemade baking soda bath that gives just that mahogany-colored crust and the characteristic brezel flavor.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love brezel in the airfryer
Brezel is one of those baked goods I turn to when I want to impress with something different. The symmetrical knot shape is iconic, the flavor is nutty and lightly salted, and it pairs perfectly with everything from mustard dip to a cold beer on a summer evening. The best part is that the airfryer handles the entire baking without heating up the kitchen, and because the air circulation is so intense, the crust gets the perfect shine and bite.
I’ve baked countless batches over the years, and every time it’s the short cooking time that surprises. Where a regular oven needs to be preheated for 15 minutes and bake for 12-15, you’re done in under half an hour from start to finish with the airfryer. That makes brezel a realistic weekend project, not just a rare baking day.
The difference between airfryer and traditional oven
The traditional German baker uses a steam oven, where steam in the first minutes creates the glossy crust. The airfryer doesn’t provide steam, but the intense heat and rapid air circulation compensate by giving the crust the same character — just a touch crispier. The baking soda bath is the key here: without it, you get a pale, whitish pretzel without the classic brezel character.
My kitchen test of the brezel
I’ve tested the brezel recipe in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 180 °C, and 10-12 minutes is the sweet spot. The lower temperature (compared to buns or pizza-style baking) is intentional — the brezel crust needs time to darken without the crumb drying out. After the baking soda bath, the surface is very alkaline, so the Maillard reaction happens faster, giving that characteristic mahogany color already after 8 minutes.
My Philips XXL handles 4 large pretzels at a time, while the Cosori Dual Blaze takes 3 per basket. Important: always place baking paper under the pretzels — the baking soda residue can otherwise corrode the basket’s coating over time.
The cut on top of the pretzel must be freshly made with a sharp knife just before baking — that’s what makes the brezel open up nicely during baking and gives it the iconic Bavarian look.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most frequent mistake is skipping the baking soda bath. Without it, you’ll get a pale, flavorless pastry that’s more reminiscent of a regular salt stick than a real brezel — so set aside the extra 2 minutes to boil the water with baking soda and dip each pretzel for 20-30 seconds. The next trap is too hot a baking soda bath, which dissolves the surface and gives a sticky result; aim for 80-85 °C, not cold and not boiling. The third mistake is forgetting to score the top of the pretzel — without the cut, it splits at the bottom during baking and loses its beautiful shape.
How to serve brezel
Brezel should be eaten warm, while the crust still crunches and the crumb is moist. These accompaniments are classic pairings:
- Mustard dip — preferably sweet, Bavarian mustard or coarse Dijon
- German weisswurst with sweet mustard and a cold wheat beer
- Butter and radish slices for a light lunch
- Melted Emmentaler or Bavarian cheese as a dip
- Classic obatzda — Bavarian cheese spread with butter and paprika
Storage and reheating
Brezel tastes best freshly baked, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To get the crust back in shape: warm them in the airfryer at 160 °C for 3-4 minutes, and they’re like freshly baked. Brezel can also be frozen — wrap them individually and thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Brezel is one of those baked goods where the airfryer really plays to its strengths, because the short time and intense heat let you bake like a German baker without having to plan the whole day around it. Follow the baking soda bath and the cut, and you’ll get homemade pretzels that hold their own against the ones from Bavaria.
FAQ
No, not directly. Baking powder isn’t alkaline enough to give the brezel its characteristic dark crust and flavor. If you don’t have baking soda on hand, you can bake baking soda in the oven at 120 °C for 1 hour to convert it to sodium carbonate, which is stronger — but pure baking soda is easiest to find and works fine in most homes.
It’s due to the baking soda residue from the bath. Always place a piece of perforated baking paper under the pretzels, and don’t brush too thickly on the surface — the brezel bath should be dripping wet, not swimming.
A classic Bavarian brezel weighs around 80-100 g of raw dough, but you can also make mini-brezels at 30-40 g. Remember to adjust the time down by 2-3 minutes for the small versions so they don’t dry out.
Recipe
Brezel in the airfryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Stor røreskaal
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Pot - For the soda bath
- 1 Hulske
- 1 Parchment paper - For the airfryer
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Dissolve 7 g dried yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 220 ml lukewarm water. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, until the yeast lightly foams on the surface.
- Mix 400 g of plain flour and 1 tsp salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture together with 25 g butter and stir everything into a cohesive dough.
- Knead the dough thoroughly for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it rise somewhere warm for 60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock the air out. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a sausage about 50 cm long — thick in the middle and thin towards the ends.
- Shape each sausage into a brezel: first form a horseshoe, cross the ends twice over each other and press them firmly onto the thick middle. Place the brezels on baking paper and let them prove for another 15 minutes.
Cooking in the airfryer
- Bring 1.5 l water to the boil in a large pot and carefully stir in 3 tbsp baking soda — be careful, the mixture foams up vigorously.
- Dip each brezel into the soda water for 30 seconds using a slotted spoon. Place them back on the baking paper and sprinkle with 2 tsp coarse sea salt. Make a small cut about 1 cm deep in the thick bottom part with a sharp knife.
- Preheat the airfryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place the brezels in the airfryer basket with plenty of space and bake them at 200 °C for 10-12 minutes, until deeply golden brown and glossy on the surface.
Serving
- Let the brezels rest on a rack for 5 minutes before serving, so the crust can set. Serve them lukewarm, ideally with sweet mustard, cold butter or a cold beer.
Our notes for the recipe
The soda bath is what gives the brezels their characteristic dark crust and the slightly bitter, nutty flavour. Do not swap the baking soda for ordinary salt — the alkaline bath is the secret behind the authentic brezel surface. Variation:
Sprinkle the brezels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds or coarsely grated cheese instead of coarse salt. You can also shape the dough into small brezel sticks by rolling the dough into thick sausages and skipping the knot. Serving:
Classic German accompaniments are sweet mustard, Obatzda cheese or simply a thick slice of butter. Brezels also work well on a charcuterie board with cheese, sliced sausages and pickles. Portion size:
If your airfryer is smaller, you can bake the brezels in two batches — the proved dough handles the wait on the countertop just fine.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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