Air Fryer Cheese Bites
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Air Fryer Cheese Bites are filled with gooey melted cheese and air fried until they’re perfectly golden brown. This appetizer recipe is easy to make, and you only need 8 ingredients!
Air Fryer Cheese Bites
I love goat cheese! It’s one of my favorite cheeses for easy appetizers, and makes the perfect snack.
Air Fryer Goat Cheese Bites are the perfect appetizer or side dish for work parties, game day, and for the holidays. Try serving them with pizza sauce, ranch, or your other favorite dipping sauces.
The best part about this recipe is it can be versatile to your favorite cheeses. If you’re not the biggest fan of goat cheese but still want to make this easy cheese appetizer, use this recipe to air fry pepper jack, white cheddar or make air fryer mozzarella bites.
If you love this melty cheese appetizer, you’ll love these Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, Whipped Goat Cheese Stuffed Plums, and this Honey Lavender Whipped Goat Cheese.
What ingredients do I need to make air fryer cheese bites?
Goat Cheese: You will want fresh goat cheese for this recipe. Because you’re planning on rolling the cheese into balls, I don’t recommend picking out a cheese that is too crumbly.
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the first step in the dredging process because it helps seal in the moisture of the goat cheese.
Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is mixed into your flour to give your goat cheese crust a delicious nutty, and pungent flavor.
Eggs: Eggs are used to stick the flour mixture and breadcrumb mixture together, think of eggs as the glue of the dredging process.
Panko: Panko breadcrumbs give your goat cheese that beautiful golden, crunchy outside. You can use plain or Italian.
Italian flavored panko does have a lot of Italian seasoning in it, which may take away from the flavor of the goat cheese.
How do I make goat air fryer cheese bites?
- Prepare the goat cheese balls. Divide the goat cheese into small equal portions, each roughly the size of ½ tablespoon. Form each piece into a ball using your hands.
- Freeze the goat cheese. Place the goat cheese balls on a parchment paper lined plate and freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390ºF.
- Prepare the flour mixture. Place all-purpose flour, garlic powder, ground pepper, and salt in a shallow dish and mix until well combined. Place the beaten egg in a shallow bowl and panko bread crumbs in another shallow dish.
- Bread the goat cheese balls. Remove the cheese balls from the freezer. Dip the goat cheese balls in the beaten egg. Using a fork, transfer the cheese balls to the flour mixture. Press gently around the cheese balls to make sure the coating is even. Dip the goat cheese balls in the beaten egg again and then into the panko, pressing gently to make sure that it sticks.
- Air fry the goat cheese balls. Place the goat cheese balls in the air fryer basket and spray a thin layer of olive oil all over. Flip the balls and spray the other side. Air fry the goat cheese balls for 6 minutes or until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
- Cool before serving. Move the goat cheese balls onto a plate lined with paper towels to remove any extra oil, and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving. To serve, drizzle honey on top and garnish with fresh parsley.
Tip: try drizzling hot honey over the goat cheese bites, it’s delicious!
Can I make goat cheese balls ahead of time?
Yes! You can make these cheesy bites in advance. They’re perfect for a snack, finger foods at a party, or for an appetizer at dinner.
You can make them ahead of time and freeze them, only baking them when you’re ready to eat them. Or you can make them a day or two in advance and then pop them in the air fryer to cook when you need them.
If you have already cooked them and they’re a little soggy when you warm them up, try air frying them at a lower temperature, like 350 degrees F to help them crisp back up.
Why do I need to freeze the goat cheese?
Don’t forget to freeze your air fryer cheese bites before you air fry them! I highly recommend them to be frozen before you fry them because it helps them hold shape a lot better.
If you skip freezing them, you may end up with cheese balls that have lost all shape. Sometimes I like to freeze them again after breading just to be safe.
Is it ok to put cheese in an air fryer?
Yes, but it can be a little tricky. Because cheese easily melts, if you’re putting it in the air fryer, I recommend keeping an eye on it. I like to use aluminum foil or parchment paper in mine for an easy clean-up.
If you’re making breaded cheese like these goat cheese bites or mozzarella cheese sticks, you may notice the cheese stays together a little better.
This is because the breading is holding the cheese in, but they can still get a little too hot and explode, so peek in on them every once in a while.
What is the best way to soften goat cheese?
To soften your goat cheese, place your cheese on the counter for about one hour before using it. If your goat cheese is still sealed, you can put it in a bowl with warm water for 30 minutes to an hour.
Lastly, you can also add a spoonful of milk or cream, mix them together, and then you have delicious whipped, soft goat cheese.
Can I use aluminum foil in the air fryer?
Absolutely. I love to use aluminum foil in my air fryer for easy clean-up. However, sometimes using aluminum foil can stop airflow, so I have two simple fixes for when this happens.
You can either poke little holes in your aluminum foil to create air flow, or you can just move your cheese bites (or whatever you’re making at the time) around, which will allow for even cooking.
How do I store leftover air fryer crispy cheese bites?
You can store your leftover goat cheese bombs in an airtight container for up to three to four days. If you’re making this recipe in advance or just have a lot of leftovers, you can place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for about two months.
To reheat your leftover cheese bites, you can either place them on a foil-lined or parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the oven for a few minutes at 350 degrees, or for an extra crisp, you can put them in the air fryer for a few minutes until warm.
More air fryer recipes to try
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Air Fryer Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- 10 oz goat cheese
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg or 2 small eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko
- olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Divide the goat cheese into small equal portions, each roughly the size of ½ tablespoon. Form each piece into a ball using your hands.
- Place the goat cheese balls on a parchment paper lined plate and freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390ºF.
- Place all-purpose flour, garlic powder, ground pepper, and salt in a shallow dish and mix until well combined. Place the beaten egg in a shallow dish, and panko bread crumbs in another shallow dish.
- Remove the cheese balls from the freezer. Dip in the goat cheese balls in the beaten egg. Using a fork, transfer the cheese balls to the flour mixture. Press gently around the cheese balls to make sure the coating is even. Dip the goat cheese balls in the beaten egg again and then into the panko, pressing gently to make sure the it sticks.
- Place the goat cheese balls in the air fryer basket and spray a thin layer of olive oil all over. Flip the balls and spray the other side. Air fry the goat cheese balls for 6 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
- Move the goat cheese balls onto a plate lined with paper towels to remove any extra oil, and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving. To serve, drizzle honey on top and garnish with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
So excited for this recipe! Had this at a restaraunt a few years ago and have been dreaming of them! Finally made them this weekend and they were amazing!!
What a great recipe. I’m learning to use my air fryer more and loved that I could make these bites in advance. They cooked up perfectly and they’ll stay on my appetizer list!
I made these for a gathering with friends, and they were an instant hit! The air fryer technique gave them a delightful crispiness while keeping the cheese perfectly melted.
I’ve always been a fan of cheese, and your air fryer cheese bites have taken my love for cheese to a whole new level! The golden-brown crust and the melty cheese center are irresistible.
I love how versatile these cheese bites are – they make a fantastic snack, party appetizer, or even a fun addition to a family movie night. Your recipe instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the results were absolutely delicious!