How To Cook A Hot Pocket In An Air Fryer?

Everyone loves Hot Pockets and if you are not aware, they are an American brand that sells soft rolls that are a mix of sandwiches and pizza. Hot Pockets are small rolls that we often enjoy with a mix of vegetables and cheese together with some meat. There are more than 50 different varieties of Hot Pockets that we can have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Hot Pockets score high in popularity because of the ease of use, convenience, and a fast-food taste in just a few minutes. You can buy a batch and freeze them for a few months at a time and use them when you feel like it. In this case, many people wonder how to cook a hot pocket in an air fryer, because this appliance is popular in a lot of family kitchens. In this article, I will answer this question clearly and comprehensively.

Vital Notes On How To Cook A Hot Pocket In An Air Fryer

• Hot pockets are not precooked, meaning you need to cook them fully before consuming them. Therefore, do not attempt to consume a hot pocket when raw and fresh out of the packing.
• Hot Pockets are typically an air fryer product, meaning they taste best only when cooked in an air fryer and are ready in under just 12 – 15 minutes.
• You don’t need to thaw Hot Pocket, so cooking frozen one is acceptable The dry, hot air circulating in the air fryer will help cook them frozen.
• Hot Pockets should not be left at room temperature. You also should not freeze them permanently. Hot Pockets grow harmful bacteria which can be dangerous for you if they are left at room temperature for a few hours. If you face such a situation, immediately discard the Hot Pockets.
• Cooked Hot Pockets must also be consumed immediately and not stored. They will start to get spoilt in a few hours and grow harmful bacteria which can cause severe sickness if consumed. The taste and crispiness of Hot Pockets will also spoil if you attempt to store them in the fridge. If you like to consume them cold, you can cook them, cool them down to room temperature in 5 -6 minutes, and send them to the fridge in an air-tight container.

Since we have understood the basics, let’s understand how to cook a hot pocket in an air fryer.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it reaches the desired temperature, let it sit at that temperature for 4 – 5 minutes. You can preheat the oven but it is not compulsory. If there is no preheating, increase the cooking time by 2 -3 minutes more.
2. Line the air fryer basket with oil spray or parchment paper. You need oil only lightly grease the basket, Hot Pockets do not need any oil at all.
3. Open the frozen Hot Pockets from the pack and place them in the fryer.
4. Line them up individually, keeping an equal and sufficient spacing between them. Do not overpack or even stack them, else they won’t cook evenly.
5. Send them to the air fryer for 12 – 15 minutes. When ready, the crust will look golden brown and will be crispy.
6. Hot Pockets are delicate when ready, so transfer them carefully to a dish and let them sit on a wire rack for a few minutes. A wire rack will ensure even cooling of the Hot Pockets. Hot Pockets right out of the air fryer are extremely hot, and you should avoid handling them with bare hands or even consuming them.

Read more: How To Cook Pork Chops In An Air Fryer

Please Note 

• Different air fryers have different cooking times. You will need to adjust your cooking time based on the time to prepare the first batch. 12 – 15 minutes should be good for most air fryers.
• If the outside over-cooks and starts burning, you will need to lower the air fryer temperature. Adjust the temperature setting to 30 degrees lower and check again.
• Keeping an even spacing between the hot pockets is crucial. When spaced evenly, the hot circulating air will cook the pockets evenly, resulting in a crispy exterior and a melting interior.
• There is no need to turn the Hot Pockets over. You can leave them as it is for the entire cooking duration.
• The crispiness compliments all the fun in the Hot Pockets. So try to master the process to get the outsides perfect and crispy.
• Try to finish the pack you have opened or send the rest to the freezer right away.

Final Words

Hot Pockets are a product that people make only for air fryers. Microwaving them or shallow/ deep frying them may cook the ingredients, but they will never taste as delicious as when cooked in air fryers.