Did you know you can make your own homemade hot pocket recipe with simple ingredients in an Air Fryer in minutes? Hot pockets are so much better when you make them yourself! Once you try this Air Fryer Hot Pocket recipe, you'll never buy the frozen variety again.
Homemade Air Fryer Hot Pockets are the perfect snack for your family. This recipe is easy to make, and it's a little healthier than the boxed frozen type or takeout.
My kids love to make these for a quick lunch on weekends or after school as a hearty snack with whatever leftovers we have in the fridge. You can make big ones or even mini ones that are bite-sized. There are more options than we can ever list. Air frying a golden crispy crust filled with my favorite fillings? Sign me up!
Make sure to check out our Air Fryer Cheesecake and Air Fryer Peaches next! Or make up some Air Fryer Chimichangas!
Ingredients
- Canned Crescent Rolls - I do use canned crescent rolls for ease of prep but you can sub in fresh or store-bought pizza dough, pie crust, or puff pastry. You can even use homemade whole-grain pizza dough to really boost the nutrition. For a low carb keto version just use fathead dough.
Cheesesteak Filling
- Steak - Cook your steak however you like. For this recipe, we just pan-seared a steak, let it rest for a few minutes, and then sliced it.
- Peppers - Sweet peppers are my top choice, but any peppers will work. Just remove the seeds and thinly slice them.
- Onions - Peel and thinly slice your choice of onion. Yellow onions, red onions, and Vidalia onions are good choices.
- Cheddar Cheese - For a strong flavor, choose an extra sharp cheddar. To let the steak be the boldest flavor in the pocket, choose a mild cheddar. Up to you!
BBQ Chicken Filling
- Chicken - Leftover chicken is perfect for this! If you don't have leftover chicken, you can cook some fresh chicken or even sub in canned chicken.
- BBQ Sauce - Sweet, spicy, smoky - any sauce you love tastes great.
- Shredded Cheese - Any cheese can work, but cheddar is my top choice to pair with barbecue sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Air Fryer Hot Pockets
Step One: Open the can of crescent rolls and separate it into four rectangles on waxed paper or parchment paper. Press the seams together well.
Step Two: Place your desired fillings in the center of each rectangle.
Expert Tip: Make sure to use warm fillings; otherwise, the outside might cook before the inside is warm.
Step Three: Fold each rectangle and press the edges together to seal it closed. Press firmly so the filling doesn't leak out during cooking.
Step Four: Place two of the air fryer hot pockets into the air fryer basket. Sprinkle with extra cheese, if desired.
Expert Tip: I recommend using a non-stick silicone liner or spraying the basket with cooking spray,
Step Five: Cook the sandwich pockets at 350°F for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on your air fryer and the size of the pockets.
Top Tip
Don't overfill the hot pockets. It's tempting to add lots of cheese and meat, but leaving enough dough around the edges makes them easier to seal. This also helps keep the filling inside while the crust turns golden brown.
Filling Variations
This is a great recipe to use up any cooked leftover meat or vegetables you have in the fridge! The variations are pretty much endless.
- Air Fryer Pizza Pockets - Just fill with some cooked crumbled sausage or pepperoni slices, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Mushrooms, green peppers, onion, garlic, and black olives are other great additions to pizza rolls.
- Taco Rolls - Have leftover taco meat? It is amazing in these homemade air fryer hot pockets. I like to add some cream cheese to it along with shredded Monterey Jack.
- Samosas - Craving Indian? You can make these taste like samosas as well with some cooked potatoes, peas, cilantro, and garam masala inside.
- Deli Sandwich - As a kid, my favorite Hot Pockets were the ham and cheese ones. Just chop up some deli ham and add cheese for that simple variation on this air fryer recipe.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch - Another favorite combo in my house. Cooked shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, ranch dressing, and shredded cheddar cheese go perfectly together. Using up Air Fryer BBQ Chicken is great in this option.
- Breakfast - Love breakfast pockets? Scramble an egg and add that as a filling with bacon, sausage, Taylor ham (or pork roll), sautéed veggies, and/or cheese.
- Dipping Sauces - Serve your hot pockets with your favorite dipping sauce. Marinara is great with pizza pockets, ranch works well with chicken bacon ranch, and barbecue sauce is perfect with the BBQ chicken filling.
Other Types of Crust
- Puff Pastry - If you'd prefer to use puff pastry instead of canned crescent rolls that is fine too. Just cut it into large squares and brush with melted butter after filling and sealing. The cook time will be similar, maybe a minute or two longer. Puff pastry is a great choice if you want an extra flaky crust.
- Pizza Dough - Pizza dough is another substitution that will work well. You end up with a softer crust, but it is still delicious.
- Pie Crust - Pie crust is also a good choice for the crust on air fryer hot pockets. You can use a homemade or store-bought crust.
- Egg Wash - For a shiny, golden crust, you can brush the tops of the assembled pockets with a little beaten egg before air frying. This is especially nice when using puff pastry or pie crust.
Equipment
You'll need an air fryer for this recipe. A silicone air fryer liner is helpful for preventing sticking, but it isn't required. Since every air fryer device cooks a little differently, check the pockets near the end of the cooking time.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer. Reheating in the microwave can make the crust soggy.
You can also freeze the cooked hot pockets for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Reheat until the filling is hot throughout.
Common Questions
Can I Cook Frozen Hot Pockets in the Air Fryer?
Sure, if you were just looking for cook times for the boxed frozen Hot Pockets you've also come to the right place. Take them out of the freezer, discard all packaging including the crisper sleeve, and place them into the air fryer. Cook at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes. You want to make sure the filling is hot so I do recommend checking with an internal thermometer. Follow the package's heating guidance when available, since cooking times can vary by brand and size.
Recipe
Air Fryer Hot Pocket
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can crescent rolls
BBQ Chicken Filling
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
- ¼ cup shredded cheese
- 3 tbsp bbq sauce
Cheesesteak Filling
- 4 oz steak
- ¼ cup sliced onions
- ¼ cup sliced peppers
Instructions
- Press the seams of the crescent rolls together to form 4 rectangles.
- Add about ⅔ cup of your desired fillings to each rectangle.
- Fold over the dough and press the edges together well.
- Cook two hot pockets at a time in the air fryer at 350 for 7-8 minutes.
BBQ Chicken Filling
- Mix together the ingredients in a small bowl.
Cheesesteak Filling
- To make the cheesesteak filling brown the steak in a large skillet, add the peppers and onions and saute until golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published March 28, 2022. Revised October 21, 2026.
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Josh says
I like this. The possibilities are endless! I can't wait to give these a try.