Published Date: September 13, 2022
Category: Air Fryer Appetizers
When the kids – or YOU (no judgement) – are craving a yummy, flaky hot pocket, skip the supermarket version and make a batch of homemade Air Fryer Hot Pockets instead! Unlike the slightly soggy, oily versions that get heated up in the microwave, hot pockets cooked in your air fryer will be perfectly hot through the center with a crisp, flaky, golden brown crust. We’ve made ours with ham and cheese, but these are easy to customize with fillings your family loves.
Table of Contents
🛒 Ingredients
- Crescent Roll Dough
- Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese
- Diced Ham
- Egg
*see recipe card for detailed amounts
How to Make Hot Pockets in the Air Fryer
- Open the crescent roll tube and unroll the pastry. Crescent rolls already come in 4 perforated rectangles so first, separate those out. Then pinch together the triangle seams in the center of each one (creating 4 four rectangles of crescent pastry dough).
- Place ¼ cup cheese and ¼ cup ham down the center of each piece.
- Stretch the edges of the dough out, so that there is no ham or cheese near the edges. Then fold over each rectangle (long side to long side) and use a fork to press the edges together.
- Line the bottom of the air fryer with parchment paper and spray it with oil.
- Brush both sides of each pocket with the beaten egg/water mixture.
- Place as many pockets as fit with space between (Two at a time is actually better because they are easier to flip if they are not crowded in the basket. But you must flip the pastries, or the bottom side won’t cook properly and you will have a gooey base).
- Bake for 5 minutes at 350. Flip them and bake for another 5 minutes.
Helpful Notes:
- Be sure you leave space between your hot pockets in the air fryer. The crust will puff up slightly. You also want the hot air to touch your dough so it can get flaky and golden.
- If you want to make one big hot pocket, you can press two pieces of dough together and fill it up with twice the ingredients!
- Every air fryer cooks a little bit differently, so keep an eye on these as they’re cooking. Watch for the dough to be the perfect golden brown color. If they start to look overcooked, remove them from the air fryer.
- The parchment really helps these not to stick to the bottom of the air fryer basket. If you don’t have any, spray your basket well and perhaps try to lift them off the bottom a few times throughout the cooking process.
Make Frozen Hot Pockets in the Air Fryer
If you don’t feel like making your own homemade hot pockets, just purchase frozen hot pockets and cook in them in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. The are crispier than in the when microwaved and much faster than the oven! The perfect compromise!
Storage and Reheating Instructions:
Air fryer hot pockets are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store and reheat them later.
IN THE FRIDGE: Wrap your leftovers tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Wrap your leftover hot pockets in plastic wrap or wrap tightly in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS: Allow frozen hot pockets to thaw before reheating. Wrap your hot pockets in parchment and reheat at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until the inside is hot throughout and the cheese is melted. Using the oven will help maintain the flaky crust, but you can also use a microwave. Microwave on high in 30-second increments until heated through.
FAQS and TIPS
You can customize your hot pockets by using turkey and swiss, chicken and ricotta, or even pizza toppings like pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella. You can add vegetables, but pre-cooking them is a good idea.
You don’t have to dip your hot pockets, but if you want to, you can dip your hot pockets in almost anything! For these ham and cheese hot pockets, we love to dip in ranch dressing. You can also use mustard, salsa, pizza sauce, or even bbq sauce depending on your filling.
Yes, you can make vegetarian hot pockets. Check your dough packaging to make sure the ingredients are vegetarian and fill with tomato sauce and veggies like peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli. You may want to pre-cook your vegetables as they won’t cook well inside the hot pocket. Make sure you remove any visible water from your vegetables before placing them inside the dough.
If you prefer not to use the egg wash, that’s fine, but your hot pockets may have less of a golden color.
Yes, you can make store-bought hot pockets in your air fryer. Set your temperature for 350 and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Try Some of My Favorite Crescent Dough 🥐 Air Fryer Recipes
EQUIPMENT
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Spatula
- Parchment Paper
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can crescent roll dough
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup ham, diced
- 1 egg
INSTRUCTIONS
- Open the crescent roll tube and unroll the pastry. Crescent rolls already come in 4 perforated rectangles so first, separate those out. Then pinch together the triangle seams in the center of each one (creating 4 four rectangles of crescent pastry dough).1 can crescent roll dough
- Place ¼ cup cheese and ¼ cup ham down the center of each piece.1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup ham
- Stretch the edges of the dough out so that there is no ham or cheese near the edges. Then fold over each rectangle (long side to long side) and use a fork to press the edges together.
- Line the bottom of the air fryer with parchment paper and spray it with oil.
- Brush both sides of each pocket with the beaten egg/water mixture.1 egg
- Place as many pockets as fit with space between. Two at a time is actually better because they are easier to flip if they are not crowded in the basket. But, you must flip the pastries or the bottom side won't cook properly and you will have a gooey base)
- Bake for 5 minutes at 350. Flip them and bake for another 5 minutes.