Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Bites

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Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Bites have a crunchy, crispy Panko breaded exterior with creamy Mac and cheese on the inside. No oil and no oven needed!

THE PERFECT SNACK – NO OIL NEEDED!

Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Bites are a must have for just about any occasion! This is a great recipe for leftover Mac and Cheese (if you’re fortunate enough to have leftovers lol). The best part about this recipe is it doesn’t use oil. There are no rules for eating these. They can be an appetizer, a snack, for lunch or even a side dish. My son loves Mac and Cheese Bites, so these are always right up his alley and soooo easy for him to make!

Looking down on an Air Fryer basket with Mac and Cheese Bites.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What size Air Fryer did you use?

I only ever test my Air Fryer recipes in a 6-quart basket Air Fryer. This is the most popular style of air fryer sold in the U.S. and Canada so I try to test with the most common appliance. So if you’re using an Air Fryer of a different size or a different style, you may need to alter the recipe slightly. Times can vary with different styles of fryers, so it’s important that you use your own knowledge and use your owners manual to decide if you need to change the cook time.

Can I make these Mac and Cheese Bites in the oven?

Certainly, check out my Conversion Chart for Converting Air Fryer Recipes to Oven Recipes if that is something you’d like to do.

Can these be deep fried?

You could deep fry these, but that changes one of my favorite thing about these- no oil needed! If deep frying, these balls need to be fully frozen first to keep them from falling apart while frying. Keep them in the freezer until the oil is ready for frying.

What dipping sauce is best with these?

I think these are perfect just on their own but they can be served with marinara (as shown in the photos), ranch dressing, sriracha or, BBQ sauce. I bet these would be awesome with Tomato Soup!

Any help getting these mac and cheese balls to stick together?

The key to getting these to stick together is making sure the leftover mac and cheese is nice and cold so it can easily be rolled into balls.

Can I use fresh made mac and cheese?

I don’t recommend it. When testing this recipe, I found that the mac and cheese needs to be fully chilled so the cheese sauce can thicken to hold the mac and cheese balls together. When you’re making your mac and cheese to use as leftovers, pick a recipe that has sauce that will thicken over time. You can use store-bought mac and cheese as well. The goal is to make sure it’s not too creamy. Super creamy mac and cheese doesn’t roll into balls well.

Can I make these ahead of time?

While you could, it’s important to point out that these are best when they’re fresh out of the Air Fryer. I’d suggest dredging them with the egg mixture and crumb coating and then putting them in the freezer so they get nice and chilly and stick together well. Then just cook them from frozen when ready to serve them and add a few extra minutes since they’re frozen.

How do I store leftover Air Fried Mac and Cheese Bites?

Leftover bites should be wrapped well in plastic wrap and then stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or keep them longer in a freezer safe container or bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A bunch of Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Bites on a plate with a bowl of sauce.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

leftover macaroni and cheese– that has been cooled and ready to be used. You can use store-bought Mac and cheese. Whatever is easiest for you. It just needs to be completely chilled or it won’t roll into balls. Also, make sure it isn’t a super creamy mac and cheese as that can make it difficult as well for these to stay in a ball shape.
eggs
milk
Panko bread crumbs – you can use regular bread crumbs or even finely crushed plain cornflakes. The goal here is crunchy.
shredded parmesan cheese – this is optional. But I do like that slight tanginess it brings but if you don’t have it, don’t worry about it.
salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder – these are just my personal seasoning preferences. If you just want salt and pepper, that is totally fine. Use what you enjoy. If you like a bit of kick to it, try adding a little cayenne pepper or use a creole seasoning.

Leftover mac and cheese, eggs, milk, Panko breadcrumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. You want to use a baking sheet or tray that will fit into your freezer. Using a ½ inch cookie scoop, scoop out individual portions of the chilled mac and cheese and roll each one into a ball. Place these bites onto the prepared baking sheet and set these into the freezer for 30 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together 2 eggs with 2 Tablespoons of milk and set aside.

Balls of leftover mac and cheese and a bowl with eggs and milk.

In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Now it’s time to coat the mac and cheese bites.

Breadcrumb mixture in a bowl and a mac and cheese ball getting coated in the breading.

Once the bites are frozen, place the tray of mac and cheese bites near your egg mixture and panko mixture bowls. Spray your 6 quart air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray (I prefer olive oil spray since I don’t think it gunks up the basket like others do.) Take each ball of macaroni and cheese, dip it into the egg mixture, then roll it in the panko mixture, then place it into the air fryer, taking care not to overcrowd the basket. Note: you will have to do these in batches. It’s okay to allow the remaining mac and cheese bites to sit out on the parchment paper until you can air fry them

Bake at 350F degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden (you do not need to preheat your air fryer). If you notice them getting a bit too dark on the bottom, you can gently shake the basket around. Also, if you want to have them a bit browner, spray the bites with a bit of the nonstick cooking spray.

An air fryer basket with unbaked mac and cheese bites and another with baked bites.

Because of the huge variety of air fryers out there, I give a wider cooking time. For some folks, they will cook as fast as ten minutes while others may take up to 15 minutes. Continue with the remaining mac and cheese bites.