How To Cook Hot Pockets in Air Fryer
A hot pocket is a quick snack you can make at home when hungry. Cooking hot pockets in air fryer is increasingly becoming a popular recipe. This is due to the ease of using these air fryers and how truly satisfactory hot pockets are.
Air Fryer to Use
If you are cooking hot pockets for 1-3 people, Dreo Aircrisp Pro Air Fryer will serve you perfectly. In case you’re cooking hot pockets for more than 3 people, the Dreo Aircrisp Pro Max Air Fryer will serve the purpose.
How to Cook Hot Pockets in Air Fryer
Cooking hot pockets in air fryer is a simple task. It is one of the easiest recipes you can prepare for your friends or family members. Below is an easy step-by-step guide on how to cook your chosen flavor hot pockets in air fryer:
1. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F:
For most small and medium-sized air fryers, preheating to 350°F will only take 3 minutes. Large oven-styled air fryers can take up to 5 minutes to get to this temperature.
The primary reason why you need your air fryer preheated is to reduce cooking time. The time to cook your hot pockets decreases because the environment inside the air fryer is already at the required temperature for cooking hot pockets.
Preheating also contributes to cooking your hot pockets evenly.
2. Spray the air fryer basket
Before placing your hot pockets on the air fryer basket, unplug your air fryer and apply a cooking spray on the surface. Spraying the air fryer basket prevents your hot pockets in the air fryer from sticking, hence the ease of removing them when cooked.
When spraying, you only need a light coating. Thus, avoid over-spraying your basket; it is not necessary. Also, avoid spraying the heating elements; they are not meant to be sprayed, as this might compromise the functionality of your air fryer. Be careful and ensure your air fryer is unplugged when spraying the basket.
Spraying should be done after preheating. It helps in avoiding the possibility of the cooking spray evaporating during preheating.
3. Place the hot pockets at the air fryer basket:
After spraying the basket, plug back your air fryer. Place your hot pockets on air fryer basket and make sure they don’t touch each other. Leaving space between hot pockets in air fryer helps them cook evenly. It also creates a uniform, crispy skin on your hot pockets.
4. Cook for 10-14 minutes:
Close your air fryer and let your hot pockets cook for at least ten minutes. If your hot pockets are not yet golden brown by the 10th minute, give them an additional minute(s) to cook. Your hot pockets will have turned golden brown between the 10th and the 14th minute.
When they turn brown, they are ready to eat.
5. Serve and enjoy:
Observe safety and unplug your air fryer from the power supply before opening it. Once unplugged, serve your hot pockets and enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Tips on Cooking Perfect Hot Pockets in Air Fryer
1. Do not overcrowd the air fryer:
You may get caught up trying to force your air fryer to go beyond its limitations. You will likely overcrowd your air fryer basket with hot pockets when this happens. Whenever you overcrowd your basket, there is no enough room left for each hot pocket to cook evenly.
Just put the pieces that an air fryer can cook evenly to air fry your hot pockets evenly. At times, logic is enough to know the right number of pieces.
2. Keep a close eye on cooking progress:
Your hot pocket may cook faster than you thought. There are some cases where 10 minutes may be in excess to cook a hot pocket properly. If you note the hot pockets in air fryer have already turned brown before the 10th minute, don’t sit and wait for them to overcook. Overcooking could spoil the flavors and crispness altogether.
Though not mandatory, you may wish to turn your hot pockets to the other side when they are halfway cooking. Unplug your air fryer and observe safety measures when handling the half-cooking hot pocket. Make a pair of tongs your best friend when handling hot cooking food.
3. Cook your hot pockets in a single layer:
When cooking many hot pockets in air fryer, cook them in batches. Maybe two or three pieces per batch, depending on your air fryer basket size. Avoid placing hot pockets on top of others in the air fryer basket. A single layer is enough for even air circulation and cooking of your hot pockets.
Baseline
The quality of your hot pockets may depend on your precision in using air fryer. Using the right-sized one can also contribute to your excellent cooking of hot pockets in air fryer. Properly preheating your air fryer could also substantially contribute to cooking your hot pockets fast and evenly.
