Cooking Bagel Bites in the air fryer is by far the BEST and FASTEST way to make them! Get the recipe for Air Fryer Bagel Bites below, as well as tips for how to doctor up frozen Bagel Bites in just a minute to make them SO MUCH BETTER.
If you're the kind of person who wishes food companies put air fryer cooking instructions on their packaging, you're my kind of person! So let me show you how to make Bagel Bites in the air fryer!
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Bagel Bites for a snack
Ahh nostalgia! Bagel Bites were popular snack when I was a kid, but ever since burning the roof of my mouth on a Bagel Bite, I've kind of steered away from them.
Plus as I got older and had good REAL pizza, Bagel Bites always ended up being a bit of a disappointment.
But ever since I discovered that you can cook bagel bites in the air fryer, I'm kind of a fan again!!
I make these for my kid as an after-school snack, for lunch with a side salad (why not, right??), and Bagel Bites make a great game day snack, if cooked correctly.
But we have to admit, they look very sad straight out of the box, don't they??
More pizza snack recipes: Pizza Pinwheels
Best way to cook Bagel Bites
There are several ways you can cook Bagel Bites: in the microwave, in the oven, toaster oven, or in an air fryer.
We all know the microwave method is the worst, right?? Sure, it's fast, but you get tough bagels that are impossible to bite, topped by lava-temperature cheese that burns the roof of your mouth. The worst.
The oven method or toasted oven is fine and results in pretty good Bagel Bites, but it takes SO LONG. 10-15 minutes to preheat the oven, then 12-16 minutes to bake?? So almost a half hour wait for 9 tiny Bagel Bites? NO THANK YOU.
Which brings me to the best way to cook Bagel Bites:
Cooking Bagel Bites in the air fryer
Bagel bites take just 5 minutes in the air fryer and come out PERFECT!
5 minutes at 350F. That's it.
(BUT PLEASE READ THE RECIPE CARD FOR IMPORTANT TIPS and TRICKS for how to doctor up your Bagel Bites).
If your air fryer requires preheating, like my Instant Pot Vortex, then add another couple of minutes to the total time.
The result is easy-to-bite bagels, melted cheese that is not as hot as lava, and a delicious snack that is ready in 5 minutes, freezer to plate.
More air fryer freezer snacks: Air Fryer Hot Pockets
Cooking Bagel Bites in the air fryer is great because if you only want a few pieces, it's still worth heating up the air fryer. And if you decide you want more than a few pieces and decide to finish the box, then it only takes 5 minutes more the next batch.
And if you want to make more than a few pieces, you can fit up to 2 boxes of Bagel Bites in one batch, depending on the size of your air fryer!
More pizza treats: Double Decker Stuffed Pizza
More quick and easy snacks: Party Pinwheels
Tricks to make Bagel Bites better
I do 2 things to make frozen Bagel Bites better:
- Add a pinch of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of every Bagel Bite (about a teaspoon or two).
- Serve them with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes and/or dried oregano on top. Ya know, like pizza in a restaurant.
More bready air fryer recipes to try: Air Fryer Focaccia
Toppings for Bagel Bites
In addition to cheese, you can add some toppings as well before air frying:
- Cooked crumbled bacon
- Diced pepperoni slices
- Different types of cheese, such as shredded pepper Jack or crumbled feta
More pizza snack recipes: Pepperoni Pizzadillas
I hope I've convinced you to try making Bagel Bites in the air fryer!! You won't be disappointed, especially if you use my trick to add just a little cheese on top!
More cheesy snack ideas: Pickle Grilled Cheese
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Air Fryer Bagel Bites
Ingredients
- 1 package Bagel Bites - (any kind) or as few or as many pieces as you like
- Optional: few tablespoons shredded mozzarella
- Optional: red pepper flakes, dried oregano, garlic powder, marinara sauce - for serving or dipping
Special equipment
Instructions
- Remove as many Bagel Bites as you want from the packaging (you will not be using the crispier tray to cook them). If you want, add a pinch of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each frozen Bagel Bites.
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat it to 350F. Place the Bagel Bites in the air fryer or on the tray.
- Air fry for 5 minutes at 350F, checking on the Bagel Bites after 3-4 minutes to make sure they're not burning.
- Remove from the air fryer, let stand for a few minutes to cool. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, dried oregano, or garlic powder to serve, if you like, or dip into marinara sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.