Air Fryer Bagel Bites

Air Fryer Bagel Bites might be the easiest snack there is to make. It’s perfect for after school snacks or whenever you just have the munchies.

Why You’ll Love It

• Easy: A box or bag of frozen bagel bites is all you need for this tasty air fryer snack. I can guarantee you there’s no easier or better way to heat bagel bites than in the air fryer.
• Crispy texture: We’ve been using the microwave for years to make bagel bites, but you know what – they sometimes turn out a little squishy. In the air fryer, they’re crisp and bubbly, just the way they were meant to be.

What Bagel Bites to Buy

There might be many different types of pizza bagels you can purchase, but there’s only one Bagel Bites. These were invented by two guys from Florida and the brand is now owned by Heinz and Ore-Ida.

Bagel Bites come in a box of 9 (typically) and you can get them in four different flavors: mozzarella, cheese & pepperoni, cheese sausage & pepperoni, and three cheese. You can also get Bagel Dogs!

» You might be interested in How to Reheat Pizza in the Air Fryer.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For Frozen Bagel Bites:

• Frozen bagel bites – We used Ore Ida bagel bites that are a popular brand and can be found at any grocery store. You can use your favorite brand.

For Homemade Bagel Bites:

• Mini bagels – You can find these in the grocery sometimes. If you can’t find them, you can use regular sized bagels, but they won’t be the same.
• Tomato sauce – I don’t usually get too fancy with the tomato sauce. I just use a can of tomato puree with a little bit of oregano. You can make pizza sauce, if you want to get a bit more fancy.
• Pepperoni – You can buy pepperoni in sausage form and cut it into little pieces, which is a great option. Or you can get pepperoni pieces, already cut into small cubes. If you can’t find those, get slices and you can cut them into small chunks yourself.
• Mozzarella cheese – The best option here is to get shredded mozzarella cheese that you will cut into smaller pieces. A block of fresh mozzarella isn’t the right type of cheese for this purpose, because it contains too much water.

Expert Tips to Follow

• Add some shredded mozzarella to the tops of the bagel bites after they are done cooking and leave them in the basket for a minute so the cheese can melt.
• If your making homemade bagel bites wait to add the cheese until they are done cooking and then leave them in the basket to help the cheese melt. Cheese can fly around inside the air fryer while its running.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. These cook best when they are in a single layer and there is room for the air to circulate.
• Check the bagel bites half way through cooking to make sure they aren’t burning.
• The sauce and cheese will be hot. Let them cool for a minute before you eat them so you don’t burn your mouth.
• If making homemade bagel bites use your favorite pizza toppings.

How to Make Air Fryer Bagel Bites

From Frozen

Step 1: Air fry

Place the amount of bagel bites you want to cook in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook on 360° F (180°C) for 5 minutes.

Check to make sure the bites are cooked to your preferred doneness before removing from the air fryer. Every air fryer is a bit different, so you might need a minute longer for your bites.

Remove the bites when done and eat while hot.

From Homemade

Step 1: Bagel assembly

Open up the bagels. Spread a little bit of tomato sauce on all the bagel halves. Add a mixture of chopped pepperoni and chopped mozzarella to each bagel.

Step 2: Air fry

Set the bagel bites carefully into the air fryer basket, so they aren’t touching or overlapping. Cook on 360° F (180° C) for 5 minutes.

Times for Cooking Bagel Bites

Most of the time, you’re going to be cooking these Bagel Bites from frozen. That’s how you store them, in your freezer. For frozen Bagel Bites, you’ll need to cook them for about 5 minutes in the air fryer.

If your Bagel Bites are defrosted and no longer frozen, they may take a minute to a minute and a half less time to cook, so take a look at them after 3 minutes 30 seconds, to see if they need more time.

Why Use an Air Fryer

An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.

How to Store and Reheat

Storage

Refrigerate: These bagel bites are always better eaten right as they come out of the air fryer but if you find that you have leftovers, allow them to cool and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Reheat

Air Fryer: Set your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and cook them in a single layer for 3-4 minutes or until crispy and warm.

Microwave: While it’s not the best option for maintaining crispiness, you can use the microwave for convenience. Put them on a microwave safe plate and heat for 30 seconds until warm through.

Questions About the Recipe

Other Frozen Foods to Cook in the Air Fryer

• Air Fryer Frozen Jalapeno Poppers
• Frozen Crab Cakes in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Frozen French Bread Pizza
• Air Fryer Frozen Waffles
• Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
• Air Fryer Frozen Foods to Make

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