Air fryer Pizza Pockets- Quick and easy!
Air fryer Pizza Pockets are one of the easiest and most convenient snacks and appetizers. They taste like a pizza in a bite but come without the mess.
It is almost like pizza is a meal, and these pizza pockets are like the appetizer version of pizzas. These are perfect for game nights or even great evening snacks for kids.
They are dough pockets filled with sauce, cheese, and toppings(optional), making them convenient for snacking.
They are also called hot pockets, and you can even get them frozen from brands like Totinos Pizza Bites (same cook temperature, reduce the time by a few minutes).
You can make these pizza pockets using leftover pizza dough, pastry sheets, Pilbusy biscuit dough, and any dough that would still come out perfect.
Different kinds of dough get different textures on your pizza pockets, so feel free to experiment. Below, I have recipes for homemade pizza pockets and frozen pizza pockets. Make sure to read both for better clarity.
Table of Contents
Ingredients:
1. 1 Pound of Pizza Dough (store-bought or homemade)- You can use homemade pizza dough, crescent rolls, or various Pillsbury options, including classic biscuit dough, crescent roll dough, pizza dough, or puff pastry dough for this recipe. You can even use bread slices and make a pizza version of bread pockets.
Puff pastry dough is the best if you want it to taste like hot pockets. Leftover or homemade pizza dough is another best option if you crave a bread-like texture. My favorite has to be the puff pastry one, though.
2. 1/2 cup pizza sauce– You can use any other sauce with a different filling. I like the simple pizza sauce with mozzarella cheese inside my pizza pockets; it works best for me.
3. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese– You can use any cheese of your liking and experiment with different kinds of cheese to make this recipe.
4. Your favorite pizza toppings (e.g., pepperoni, diced bell peppers, olives)- This is optional; even without any toppings, these pizza pockets taste good. Pepperonis are the most common topping to this homemade pizza pocket recipe.
Pepperonis do not release much water content, making it a perfect topping. If you have any topping that would release water, then make sure to saute it in a pan before stuffing it in the pizza pocket.
5. Olive oil for brushing
How to cook Air Fryer Pizza Pockets
1. Prepare the Pizza Dough: If using store-bought pizza dough, follow the package instructions for bringing it to room temperature. If making homemade dough, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Cut and Fill the Dough: Cut the rolled-out dough into equal-sized squares, depending on your desired pocket size. Spoon a small amount of pizza sauce onto each square, and add shredded mozzarella and your favorite toppings.
You can make these pockets in any shape you like. I have made squares and rectangles, but you can also make circular ones. You are only limited by your imagination in this aspect.
3. Fold and Seal: Fold each square in half to create a triangle, or cut two square pieces and place one over the other to form a square shape.
Press the edges to seal the pizza pocket with a fork.
4. Brush with Olive Oil: Brush the tops of the pizza pockets with olive oil to achieve a golden brown crust during air frying.
5. Air Fry the Pizza Pockets: Place the sealed pizza pockets in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them. Cook at 200°C (392°F) for 8 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
6. Serve: Carefully remove the pizza pockets from the air fryer and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your homemade air fryer pizza pockets!
How to Cook Frozen Pizza Pockets in the Air Fryer:
The process is just as simple when cooking frozen pizza pockets in the air fryer.
Place the frozen pizza pockets in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not touching each other. Cook at 200°C (392°F) for 8 minutes or until they are heated through, and the crust is crispy.
Carefully remove the pizza pockets from the air fryer and allow them to cool for a minute or two before serving.
If you are cooking frozen hot pockets, cook for 8 minutes, but if you are cooking totinos pizza bites, cook for 6-8 minutes and check on them as the totinos pizza bites are smaller and will cook faster.
How do you freeze leftover pizza pockets?
Just like frozen pizza, you can freeze these leftover pizza pockets and cook them later.
I place the pizza pockets in a tray and freeze them together. That way, they do not stick to each other, and it becomes really easy to reheat one pizza pocket at a time.
If you freeze all of them together, they might stick to each other. In such cases, place the stuck pizza pockets in the microwave for not more than 10-30 seconds, and they will separate from each other.
You can then reheat them separately inside the air fryer.
Tips on making Air fryer Pizza Pockets
1. Choose the Right Dough: Select a dough that suits your preference, whether it’s homemade pizza dough, crescent rolls, biscuit dough, or puff pastry.
2. Properly Seal Edges: Ensure the edges of the pizza pockets are well-sealed to prevent the filling from leaking during cooking.
3. Precook Ingredients: Precook ingredients like meats or vegetables before stuffing the pockets to ensure they are fully cooked during the short air frying time
4. Mind the Moisture: Avoid overly wet ingredients to prevent the dough from becoming soggy, as it then becomes very difficult to close the pizza pockets. Use dry flour to absorb moisture, or dry it with a paper towel.
Can you make these Pizza Pockets in the Oven?
Yes, you can make these pizza pockets in the oven. Place them in the oven and cook at 200°C for 15-20 minutes.
Air Fryer Pizza Pocket Filling Ideas
1. Classic Pepperoni and Cheese: Pepperoni slices, Mozzarella cheese and Pizza sauce.
2. Vegetarian Delight: Sautéed mushrooms, Bell peppers (red, green, or yellow), Red onion slices, Spinach or kale, Feta or mozzarella cheese and Tomato sauce
3. BBQ Chicken: Cooked and shredded chicken, Barbecue sauce, Red onion slices, Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
4. Margherita Style: Fresh mozzarella slices, Cherry tomatoes, halved, Fresh basil leaves and Tomato sauce
5. Hawaiian Twist: Ham or Canadian bacon, Pineapple chunks, Mozzarella cheese and Tomato sauce.
6. Mediterranean Flavors: Kalamata olives, sliced, Cherry tomatoes, halved, Feta cheese, Spinach and Olive oil drizzle.
7. Buffalo Chicken: Cooked and shredded buffalo chicken, Blue cheese crumbles or ranch dressing and Celery, finely chopped
8. Taco-inspired: Seasoned ground beef or turkey, Shredded lettuce, Diced tomatoes, Shredded cheddar cheese, Salsa or taco sauce.
9. Caprese Style: Fresh mozzarella slices, Cherry tomatoes, sliced, Fresh basil leaves, and Balsamic glaze drizzle.
10. Breakfast Option: Scrambled eggs, Cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage or bacon, Cheddar cheese and Salsa or hot sauce (optional).
Air Fryer Pizza Pockets
Equipment
- 1 Philips Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Pizza Dough
- 1 Cup Pizza Sauce
- 1 Cup Mozzarella cheese
- Toppings(Optional)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil(to brush on top of the pizza pockets)
Instructions
- Take a Pizza dough sheet. You can take it in any shape you like. I cut a long sheet in two halves and placed one on top of the other to get a square pizza pocket. But you can take a circular one and fill half with sauce and cheese and fold it like a calzone. The choice is yours.
- Place pizza sauce and cheese on top of the sheet. You can add toppings like pepperoni, veggies, or chicken, but I have opted for a simple pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese combo.
- Place another slice of dough of the same size on top of it. If you have, place the sauce and cheese on one side then fold the dough and press it down using a fork to make a proper seal.
- Cook these pizza pockets in a single layer inside the air fryer at 200°C for 8 minutes. You can check on them at the 7- 8 minute mark to see if they are done and can cook for additional minutes if needed.
- Your Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Pockets are ready.
