Easy 3-Ingredient Air Fryer Mini Pizza Bagels

Finding quick and satisfying snacks that everyone will love can feel like an impossible task, especially when you’re juggling work deadlines, after-school activities, and those inevitable moments when hunger strikes without warning. Let’s face it – sometimes the vending machine or drive-thru seems like the easiest option when time isn’t on your side.

That’s where these air fryer mini pizza bagels come to the rescue. They’re super easy to make, ready in just minutes, and best of all, you can customize them with your favorite toppings. Plus, they’re perfect for both kids and adults who want a warm, cheesy snack without the fuss of ordering delivery.

What Kind of Bagel Snacks Should I Use?

For this quick and easy recipe, you’ll find several brands of frozen mini bagel snacks at your local grocery store, with Bagel Bites being the most common option. These little snacks usually come in different flavors like cheese, pepperoni, or combination varieties – any of them will work great in the air fryer. If you’re shopping, you’ll typically find them in the frozen appetizer section, and they come in boxes of different counts. While the original size is perfect for this recipe, some stores also carry larger “supreme” versions – just keep in mind those might need slightly longer cooking times. Just make sure to keep them frozen until you’re ready to cook, as thawed bagel bites tend to get soggy and won’t crisp up as nicely.

Options for Substitutions

While this recipe is super simple, there are still some ways you can mix it up:

• Frozen bagel snacks: If you can’t find frozen pizza bagels, you can make your own using mini bagels! Just split regular mini bagels, top with pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and your favorite toppings. You might need to adjust the cooking time – start checking about 2 minutes earlier than you would with frozen ones.
• Alternative base options: You can also use English muffins cut in quarters, small pieces of naan bread, or even thick-cut French bread slices as your base. Just remember to watch them closely in the air fryer since different breads will cook at slightly different rates.
• Make it your own: If making from scratch, feel free to use different cheeses like cheddar or provolone, and add toppings like mini pepperoni, finely chopped vegetables, or Italian herbs. Just keep toppings small and light so they don’t fall off during cooking.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Air Frying

The biggest mistake when making mini pizza bagels in the air fryer is overcrowding the basket, which prevents proper air circulation and leads to uneven cooking – arrange them in a single layer with small gaps between each piece. Another common error is setting the temperature too high, which can burn the cheese while leaving the bagel cold inside – stick to 350°F for consistently crispy results. To prevent your bagels from flying around in the air fryer (yes, this happens!), place them cheese-side up and avoid using the highest fan setting if your model allows for adjustment. For the best texture, give the basket a gentle shake halfway through cooking, and remember that different brands of frozen bagel bites may need slightly different cooking times, so check them at the 5-minute mark.

What to Serve With Mini Pizza Bagels?

These cute little pizza bagels make a perfect snack or casual lunch, and they’re even better with some simple sides! A crisp green salad with ranch dressing keeps things light while adding some fresh crunch to your plate. For a kid-friendly meal, pair these pizza bites with some carrot and celery sticks or a handful of potato chips. If you’re serving these at a party or game day gathering, they go great alongside other finger foods like mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, or a bowl of marinara sauce for extra dipping fun.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Once cooked, these mini pizza bagels can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Though honestly, they’re so quick to make fresh, I usually prefer making them right when I want them!

Make Ahead: If you want to prep these for later, you can arrange the toppings on your bagels and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before air frying. This is super handy for busy days or when you’re planning a party.

Crisp Up: If you have leftover pizza bagels that lost their crunch in the fridge, just pop them back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes at 350°F. They’ll get nice and crispy again, just like when you first made them!

Preparation Time	5-10 minutes
Cooking Time	7-9 minutes
Total Time	12-19 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 300-375
• Protein: 8-10 g
• Fat: 10-15 g
• Carbohydrates: 44-56 g

Ingredients

• 12 to 15 frozen bagel snacks

Step 1: Preheat the Air Fryer

Begin by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees F.

This will ensure even cooking and that the bagel bites start crisping up as soon as they go into the air fryer.

Step 2: Arrange the Bagel Bites

Take the frozen bagel bites and place them in your air fryer basket.

Ensure you leave a little space around each one to allow for proper air circulation and even cooking.

Step 3: Cook and Check for Doneness

Set the air fryer to cook for 7 to 9 minutes.

Since every air fryer may cook a little differently, check the bagel bites for doneness at around 7 minutes.

Continue cooking until they reach a golden brown color to your liking.