Air Fryer Hot Pockets are so very easy. They only take a few minutes and you can fill them with whatever you like. Sweet or savory.
You can use store bought frozen hot pockets. We find making our own is more fun and so much more versatile. We’ll walk you through both.
The air fryer will give you that perfectly crispy crust if you make them from scratch or use frozen ones from the freezer section of your grocery store. Skip the microwave and that cardboard sleeve. These are next level.
The hardest thing about making them is deciding what to fill them with. The possibilities are endless. Maybe we can come up with a few ideas?
See suggestions in variations sections below the step by step process information.
What you need
- Dough – use pizza dough, pie dough, puff pastry sheets or even packaged crescent roll dough. We prefer puff pastry dough. They come out flaky and crispy.
- Pick from suggested fillings, listed below – for our purposes, we’ll explain pizza pockets with puff pastry sheets.
- pepperoni or cooked sausage
- pizza sauce or tomato sauce mixed with Italian seasonings.
- Mozzarella cheese – grated or chopped into small squares.
- Egg wash – one egg mixed with a tablespoon of water.
How to make homemade hot pockets
Step One
Chop any meat fine.
Step Two
Chop vegetables small. Blanch before adding to hot pocket.
Step Three
Cut cheeses into small squares. Or grate them on a box grater.
Step Four
Remove dough from freezer 40 minutes before proceeding with recipe.
Place it on a lightly floured board and roll it out with a rolling pin.
Step Five
Cut dough into four equal pieces.
Step Six
If using tomato sauce, add Italian spices, salt and pepper to it.
Step Seven
Mix well.
Step Eight
Add about a tablespoon of pizza sauce to the top of one of the squares of dough.
Sprinkle with a tablespoon of meat or chopped pepperoni slices.
Step Nine
Top with cheese.
Brush two of the edges with egg wash to ‘glue’ them together.
Step Ten
Fold the dough over so that the edges overlap. Trim the edge, if needed.
Press firmly to seal. Crimp edges with a fork, if desired.
Step Eleven
Place two to three hot pockets on your air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer.
You want to give them room all around for a crispier crust.
If you’d like a softer crust, baste them lightly with egg wash before air frying.
Preheat air fryer for about 5 minutes. Fry hot pockets for 4 minutes on the first side. Carefully flip with tongs and air fry an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crisped to your liking.
How to make them from frozen
Remove hot pocket from package. Remove the plastic wrap and the crisper sleeve.
Place 2-3 hot pockets on you air fryer basket, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Air fry for 6 minutes at 350°F. Carefully remove from air fryer and flip with tongs. Continue to air fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and crisped to your liking.
What fillings to use – variations
- Pizza flavorings and toppings- sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, Italian seasonings like garlic, basil, oregano and parsley.
- Ham and cheese- Use whatever cheese you have in the house. Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, Gruyere, they are all good.
- Broccoli and cheese- this vegetarian version is one of favorites. Blanch the broccoli before constructing the hot pocket. Add whatever cheese and spices you like.
- Taco- make a Mexican version with cooked ground meat or chorizo, Mexican cheeses, tomato sauce or refried beans, cumin, chili powder and garlic.
- Breakfast – Scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage or ham and Colby Jack or mild cheddar cheese.
- Dessert – Use apple pie filling, blackberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, peach pie filling, strawberry pie filling. What ever you have on hand. Use a cheesecake filling or pudding and top with fruit or a fruit filling.
Tips for storage and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a couple minutes per side, until hot.
You can make extra pockets and wrap them in plastic wrap. Freeze for a couple hours until solid and then add them to freezer bags or vacuum seal and freeze them for up to six months. Remove from freezer and place directly into the air fryer, after unwrapping. Cook at 350°F / 170°C for about 6 minutes per side, until golden and crisped to your liking.
More air fryer recipes
Helpful tools
Make some hot pockets for the kids for an after school snack, for lunch, or even for breakfast or dessert. They’re incredibly easy and so very tasty.
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Air Fryer Hot Pockets – Homemade or Frozen
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough see notes below
- ¼ cup pizza sauce see notes below
- 8 slices pepperoni
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 eggs, whisked
- 1 tablespoon water
- non stick spray
Instructions
For homemade hot pockets
- Thaw sheet of puff pastry on counter for about 40 minutes.1 sheet puff pastry dough
- If you don't have pizza sauce, use tomato sauce and add Italian seasoning and garlic. Season it with salt and pepper.¼ cup pizza sauce
- Chop up pepperoni or cooked Italian sausage.8 slices pepperoni
- Grate or cut mozzarella into small chunks.½ cup mozzarella cheese
- Whisk egg together with 1 tablespoon of water.1 eggs, whisked, 1 tablespoon water
- Cut puff pastry in four equal pieces.
- Add about a tablespoon of each, pizza sauce, meat and cheese to the top one piece of the dough.
- Brush 2 edges with egg wash. Fold the dough over in half. Press down edges.
- Trim dough, if needed. Crimp the edges, if desired. Optional : Spray non stick spray on the tops to make them crispier.non stick spray
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F /170°C for about 5 minutes.
- Arrange 2 hot pockets on air fryer basket. Allow plenty of room between them so that they crisp up.
- Air fry for about 4 minutes on the first side.
- Carefully remove basket from air fryer and flip with tongs.
- Continue to air fry for another 2-3 minutes golden and crisped to your liking..
For frozen hot pockets
- Preheat air fryer to 350°F 170°C.
- Remove frozen hot pocket plastic wrap and crisper sleeve.
- Arrange 2 on your air fryer basket. Spray with non stick spray, if desired for a crispier crust.
- Air fry for about 5-6 minutes. Carefully remove from air fryer.
- Flip with tongs. Continue to air fry another 5-6 minutes until golden and crisped to your liking.
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Nutrition
Originally published January 29, 2023.
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