Air Fryer Cheese Curds
Published 5/19/2025
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Discover the ultimate air fryer cheese curds recipe, perfect for cheese lovers craving a crispy snack with minimal effort. These cheese curds have a golden, crunchy exterior with a gooey, melted center — undoubtedly the best rendition you’ll find online IMO. 😋
I’ve made a Homemade Fried Cheese Curds recipe before, and this delicious appetizer is even better when it’s cooked in the air fryer. There is no better feeling than dipping your golden brown breaded cheese curds in your favorite dipping sauces and taking a ride on the flavor train! Amiright!?
Easy Ingredients You Need
Time to round up the following ingredients for your air fryer cheese curds:
- Fresh cheese curds: Essential for their signature texture and flavor.
- All-purpose flour: To dip cheese curds in, because it helps the breading adhere during cooking.
- Eggs: Binds the flour to the cheese curds, creating a crispy coating.
- Panko bread crumbs: Provide an extra crunch compared to traditional breadcrumbs.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and any of your favorite seasonings to enhance the flavor.
choosing the right curds
We used a classic white cheddar cheese curds, but feel free to use whatever variety of curd you’d like. Yellow cheddar curds or a flavored curd like garlic or dill would also taste amazing!
Top Tips for These Cheese Curds
Preheat Your Air Fryer: Just like the oven, make sure to preheat your air fryer before putting your curds in.
Cook in Batches: whatever you do, cook your cheese curds in batches. To get the best crispy on the outside gooey on the inside curds, you want to make sure your curds are not touching in the air fryer basket.
Don’t Skip the Olive Oil Spray: spraying your curds with olive oil with help them crisp up to a golden brown. And spraying the basket itself will prevent the curds from sticking to the basket.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your air fryer cheese curds with marinara sauce, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce. Pair them with a cold beer or soda for the ultimate indulgent snack experience.
How to Store Cheese Curds
Store any leftover cheese curds in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To reheat: preheat your air fryer to 350°F, and reheat the curds for 2-3 minutes or until fully reheated.
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-free option: Substitute gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs for a celiac-friendly version.
- Spice it up: Add cayenne pepper or paprika to the breading mixture for a kick of heat.
- Different cheeses: Experiment with various cheese types like cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack for unique flavor profiles.
Air Fryer Cheese Curds
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cheese curds
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
- In another small bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix to combine.
- In a third bowl, add the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix to combine.
- Working a few at a time, dip a cheese curd into the flour, followed by the egg wash and then the breadcrumbs. Then, dip the cheese curd back into the egg wash and back into the breadcrumbs again. Double-dipping will help keep the cheese sealed so it doesn’t explode in the air fryer.
- Place the breaded cheese curd on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cheese curds. Once all of the curds have been breaded, freeze them for 1 hour.
- Once the cheese curds have frozen, spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray and add as many cheese curds as will fit (you don’t want to overcrowd the basket). Spray the top of the curds with olive oil spray and bake at 400F for 6-7 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crisp.
- Serve warm, your favorite dipping sauce on the side.
- Store any leftover cheese curds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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