Home Made Hot Pockets In the Air Fryer – An Easy Dinner
The universe showed me a video that looked so delicious I had to try this hot pockets recipe. It’s a great meal for the summer and such an easy recipe. The best part is it’s easy to customize for different personal preferences if you have people in your house that don’t like this or that. This homemade version soooo much better than a frozen hot pocket.
I didn’t make the classic hot pocket, pizza pockets, but I did make turkey, cheese and avocado pockets. I liked it so much that I tried a few different variations with my favorite fillings, which were even better. It is definitely a family favorite, although mine looked nothing like the video that caught my attention.
The best way to prepare these is the air fryer method, that way you get the best texture and that extra crispy crust. You can bake them in the oven and they will be just as good, it will just have a longer cook time.
Supplies You’ll Need for an air fryer homemade hot pocket
To make these hot pockets I cheated by using sourdough bread instead of pastry. You will need a rolling pin, a pastry brush and an air fryer (for best results). You can use a regular oven, but they don’t get as toasty and the cooking time may be a bit longer.
The ingredient list can be tweaked to suit even the pickiest eaters in your family.
- Sourdough bread sliced – 2 slices per sandwich
- Roast turkey – 3 slices per sandwich
- Avocado – about 1/4 per sandwich
- Shredded cheese – I used sharp cheddar cheese
- Avocado spray or olive oil spray – you can apply oil to the bread with a pastry brush if you don’t have spray, I just like the way the spray applies the oil so evenly.
- Egg whites
A word about cheese selection: everyone has cheeses that they like better than others. I think this sandwich is better with strong-flavored cheese. You can substitute any cheese your whole family likes. I think mozzarella cheese is too mild because both the turkey and avocado have a mild flavor.
You can see nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Take two slices of sourdough bread and roll them as flat as possible.
- Set up your egg wash in a small bowl. You can use the whole egg, but I used just the egg white.
- Put a few slices of turkey onto the bread, followed by cheese and mashed avocado. Sprinkle the avocado with salt.
- Using a pastry brush, dab the edges of the bread with egg wash.
- Place the second slice of bread on top and use the tine end of a fork to crimp the edges of the bread together.
- Set the finished sandwich onto a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper) and repeat until you have the desired number of sandwiches.
- Spray the tops of the hot pocket with avocado oil generously, repeat on the bottom. This is what gives the sandwich its crispiness.
- Bake in the air fryer basket or oven at 400 degrees f for 8-10 minutes. Flip sandwiches halfway through. They should be golden brown.
I like how the sandwiches look when you serve them sliced in half. Slice using a sharp knife.
I like how the sandwiches look when you serve them sliced in half. Slice using a sharp knife.
Serving suggestions
These can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator up to the point where you spray them with oil and bake them. I stored mine in the fridge with a towel over the tops to keep them from drying out.
I served these with a side of homemade honey mustard for dipping and a salad. You can also serve with a side of fruit and pickles. I am wondering if the recipe would work with puff pastry but I haven’t tested it. I didn’t use homemade pizza dough because that’s NOT quick.
Hot Pocket Recipe Notes
If you have leftover hot pockets, these can be reheated if you store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The downside of doing them in the air fryer is that it’s hard to make them in large batches. If you have to make a lot, I recommend cooking them in the oven. if you bake them in the oven, bake on a cooling rack so that air can circulate around them for better browning.
Here are a few different variations on how to make these, but you can use your imagination.
- Pizza pockets – fill with pizza sauce and any pizza fillings, pepperoni, onion, mushroom, etc.
- Sauteed onion, Gruyere cheese and cooked bacon (this is my personal favorite)
- Canadian bacon and swiss cheese
- Cheese pockets – use a mixture of different cheeses for fancy grilled cheese.
- To save time try leftover chicken and any gooey cheese of your preference
I hope you enjoy this easy recipe. I will be making these delicious hot pockets on repeat with lots of different fillings. This has become one of my go-to meals. It’s an easy, quick lunch or dinner.
Home Made Hot Pockets
This is a quick dinner or lunch that will be a family favorite
- Sourdough bread sliced – 2 slices per sandwich
- Roast turkey – 3 slices per sandwich
- Avocado – about 1/4 per sandwich
- Shredded cheese – I used sharp cheddar
- Avocado spray or olive oil spray – you can apply oil to the bread with a pastry brush if you don’t have spray (I just like the way the spray applies the oil so evenly.)
- Egg whites
- Take two slices of sourdough bread and roll them as flat as possible.
- Set up your egg wash in a small bowl. You can use the whole egg, but I used just the egg white.
- Put a few slices of turkey onto the bread, followed by cheese and mashed avocado. Sprinkle the avocado with salt.
- Using a pastry brush, dab the edges of the bread with egg wash.
- Place the second slice of bread on top and use a fork to crimp the edges of the bread together.
- Set the finished sandwich onto a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper) and repeat until you have the desired number of sandwiches.
- Spray the sides of each pocket with avocado oil generously. This is what gives the sandwich its crispiness.
- Bake in the air fryer or oven at 400 degrees f for 8-10 minutes. Flip sandwiches halfway through. They should be golden brown.
Before you go, if you liked this you might want to try spicy air fry chicken strips or if you don’t like them spicy try these gluten free chicken strips in your air fryer.
Yum! Can’t wait to try this!