Tiffany Haney
Pizza puffs are a delicious snack that can be easily cooked in an air fryer. They are essentially deep-fried dough filled with cheese, tomato sauce, and other classic pizza ingredients such as sausage or pepperoni. To cook pizza puffs in an air fryer, you can either make them from scratch or use frozen ones. If making from scratch, you will need to preheat your air fryer to 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the pizza puffs for around 2-10 minutes, depending on the recipe. If using frozen pizza puffs, you can cook them directly from the freezer at 350-370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. The result is a golden brown and crispy exterior with a gooey and saucy interior.
How to cook pizza puff in an air fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preheat air fryer | 350-400 °F |
| Cooking time | 6-15 minutes |
| Flip halfway through | Yes |
| Spray with cooking oil/spray | Yes |
| Filling | Classic pizza toppings such as mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, cooked sausage, and veggies |
| Dipping sauce | Marinara, ranch, garlic butter, or spicy sriracha mayo |
| Reheat | 350°F (175°C) for 3-4 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Preheat the air fryer to 350-400°F
Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in the pizza puff-making process. By preheating your air fryer to between 350°F and 400°F, you create the ideal environment for your pizza puffs to cook evenly and achieve that coveted crispy, golden exterior. It ensures that your pizza puffs start cooking immediately, so you don't miss out on that desirable texture and colour.
Preheating your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) is a common recommendation for achieving the perfect pizza puff. This temperature allows you to cook your pizza puffs for approximately 8 to 12 minutes, depending on your preference and the size of your air fryer. At this temperature, you can expect to cook your pizza puffs in batches, ensuring they don't touch each other in the air fryer basket to prevent overcrowding. This temperature range is also suitable for reheating leftover pizza puffs, with a shorter cooking time of 3 to 4 minutes.
If you're aiming for a slightly higher temperature, preheating your air fryer to 400°F is also an option. At this temperature, you'll cook your pizza puffs for a shorter duration, typically around 2 to 3 minutes. This higher temperature setting is perfect for achieving a golden-brown exterior while maintaining a doughy centre, creating a delightful contrast in textures.
It's worth noting that the ideal temperature and cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer model and the size of your pizza puffs. Therefore, it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your pizza puffs during the cooking process to ensure they don't overcook or burn. Adjustments may be necessary based on your specific air fryer's performance.
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Prepare the dough
Preparing the dough for pizza puffs is a simple process. First, you'll need to cut your dough into a sheet, which you can do by rolling it out with a rolling pin or simply stretching it out with your hands. The dough should be rolled out to around 1/8-inch thickness. If you're using store-bought biscuit dough, you can separate the biscuits and flatten them into small circles, around 4 inches in diameter.
Once you have your dough sheet, it's time to add the fillings. Classic pizza toppings like pepperoni, sausage, vegetables, and mozzarella cheese work great. Cut your pepperoni slices into quarters and place them in the centre of your dough circle, along with a small amount of shredded cheese and any other desired toppings.
Now it's time to seal in the goodness. Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the filling, making sure to pinch the edges tightly to prevent any leaks during cooking. After sealing, gently roll the dough between your hands to form a ball, ensuring that the filling is enclosed.
For a triangular pizza puff, you can cut the dough into triangles before adding the fillings. Place your toppings in the centre of each triangle and then fold and seal as before.
Finally, flatten the dough balls with your hands to spread them out and create the distinctive 'pizza puff' shape. Your dough is now ready for the air fryer!
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Add fillings
Pizza puffs are deep-fried dough balls filled with cheese, tomato sauce, and other classic pizza ingredients such as sausage or pepperoni. They originated in Chicago and are a delicious snack that can be cooked in an air fryer.
To add fillings to your pizza puffs, start by opening a can of biscuit dough and separating the biscuits. Take one biscuit and flatten it into a small circle, about 4 inches in diameter. You can use a roller to do this, but it's not necessary. Next, add your fillings of choice. A classic combination is to add a small amount of shredded mozzarella cheese and your desired pizza toppings (such as pepperoni or cooked sausage) on top of a spoonful of pizza or tomato sauce. Get creative with your fillings and experiment with different cheeses, meats, or even vegetables to customize your pizza puffs to your taste. You could also try folding a slice of pepperoni and a cube of cheese into the dough and wrapping the dough around it.
Once you've added your fillings, carefully fold the edges of the biscuit dough over the filling, pinching the edges together tightly to seal and prevent leaks. Roll the dough gently in your hands to form a ball, making sure the filling is enclosed.
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Fold and seal the dough
To fold and seal the dough, start by carefully folding the edges of the biscuit dough over the filling. Make sure not to overstuff the dough to prevent leaks. Then, pinch the edges of the dough together tightly to seal in the filling. You can also roll the dough gently in your hands to form a ball, ensuring that the filling is enclosed. After sealing, flatten the dough balls with your hands to spread them out more.
If you are using crescent dough, you can cut the dough into triangles before adding the filling. Place the filling in the center of each triangle, then fold up the dough, securing the filling inside. Once again, flatten the dough with your hands to spread out the puff.
For gluten-intolerant people, gluten-free dough can be used as an alternative.
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Cook for 6-12 minutes
The cooking time for pizza puffs in an air fryer varies depending on the brand and model of the air fryer, the size of the puffs, and the desired level of browning. It is recommended to keep a close eye on the pizza puffs during the cooking process and adjust the timing as needed.
For golden brown pizza puffs, it is suggested to cook them for 6-8 minutes in batches. If you are using an air fryer that reaches 400 degrees, 6-7 minutes should be enough. However, if your air fryer is set to 350 degrees, you may need to increase the cooking time to 8-10 minutes. It is important to ensure that the pizza puffs are not overcrowded in the air fryer basket and that they are placed seam-side up.
For frozen pizza puffs, the cooking time will be longer, ranging from 10 to 12 minutes. It is important to preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and ensure that the puffs are not touching each other in the basket. Flipping the puffs halfway through the cooking process is also recommended to ensure even cooking.
If you are making the pizza puffs from scratch, the cooking time will be shorter. After preheating the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place the prepared pizza puffs in the basket and cook for 2-3 minutes. This will result in golden brown and crispy pizza puffs.
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Frequently asked questions
You should preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) or 370°F for 15 minutes. Some recipes suggest cooking at 400°F for 2-3 minutes.
Depending on the temperature, pizza puffs should be cooked for 8-15 minutes. If cooking at 350°F, you may need to cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
You should prepare the pizza puffs by sealing the edges of the dough to prevent the filling from leaking out. Spray the air fryer basket and the tops of the pizza puffs with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Classic pizza toppings such as mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, cooked sausage, and veggies work great. You can also experiment with different cheeses, meats, or other vegetables to customize the pizza puffs to your taste.
