Air Fryer Hot Cheetos Cheese Bites

Air Fryer Hot Cheetos Cheese Bites are a pepper jack cheese that are rolled in a Hot Cheetos dust and air fried. Gooey melted cheese that is loaded with spice. Give this air fried cheese bites recipe a try.

A Flamin’ Hot Cheetos recipe that is spicy and great for spicing up Valentine’s Day or serving up for a cheese appetizer for any occasion.

This is a simple and easy cheese appetizer or snack to whip up and devour. These are spicy, savory, and loaded with flavor. Try these air fryer tortilla chips as well for a tasty snack.

Ingredients Needed

Cheese – we used Pepper Jack cheese but you can cube up mozzarella cheese as well if you would like. Or even a cheddar cheese would be great as well.

Flamin Hot Cheetos – So we used Flaming Hot Cheetos for this, but you can even use regular crunchy Cheetos if you want.

Flour – Reach for all purpose flour, this is going to be part of your dredge.

Seasonings – Salt, and pepper and then of course hot sauce are what we used for this recipe.

Egg Wash – Milk and egg will mix together and use to create the wet that sticks the rest of the ingredients.

How to Make

Full directions on how to make this Hot Cheetos cheese bites are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step One: Start by taking your 8 ounce block of pepper jack cheese and cube into blocks. We did 18 cubes.

Step Two: Now you will crush your Cheetos into a fine crumble, and then place it into a bowl. You just want to make sure it is fine like a Cheetos dust.

Step Three: Whisk the flour, salt and pepper in another bowl and set aside. Then in the next bowl do the egg, milk, and hot sauce in another one for an egg wash.

Step Four: Next dip pepper jack cheese in egg wash, and then dip in the flour mixture, back in egg mixture, then in Cheeto crumbs.

Step Five: Freeze your cheese coated cubes on a plate for 1 hour. This will prevent the cheese from melting out as it air fries.

Step Six: Once the cheese is frozen you will place in the air fryer, and cook in a preheated air fryer. You want to spritz cheese cubes with oil to have it nice and crispy. Rotate half way through cooking, and then once done, remove and serve.

Variations To Recipe

• Use any flavor of cheese you would like. Just make sure it is a block cheese that you slice and cut into cubes.
• So for a less spicy option you can use a classic Cheetos in replace of the Flaming Hot Cheetos.
• Reach for a Flaming Hot Funyuns or other spicy chip if you want.
• Create hot Cheeto mozzarella sticks and use mozzarella cheese sticks in replace of cubed cheese sticks! Just ensure you fully coat your Cheetos cheese sticks so it won’t ooze out.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate: You will find these cheese bites are best to be eaten fresh and hot. But if you happen to have leftovers you can store them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Freezer: Otherwise, you can freeze them for 2-3 months. We do find that you can even freeze the dredged cheese in the freezer from frozen as well. Then just add 3-4 minutes extra when you go to air fry them.

Pro Tips For Recipe

• Make sure that your cheese is fully coated or it will ooze out and drip out as it air fries.
• Spritzing your hot Cheetos balls with a cooking spray is important as it will give you that crispy texture. Otherwise it can be a little dull and not crispy.
• Coat evenly so you don’t get clumps of the coating in areas.
• Depending on how your air fryer cooks and the size of cubes of cheese always use the cooking time as a guide, it may need less or more time to cook.

Practical notes

Best way to crush up the Cheetos for coating?

We placed the Cheetos in a Ziploc bag and then use a rolling pin to crush up the chips. You want to create a fine crumble that way you can get a nice coating all over your cheese.

Are these a copycat Applebee’s Flamin Hot Cheetos Cheese Curds?

To make these a copycat pepper jack cheese with a cheese curd. You will follow the same instructions and air fry the same time.

Can you fry in oil?

If you don’t want to air fry, simple deep fry your cheese bites. Just heat oil to 350 degrees and fry for 2-4 minutes or until nice and golden on all sides. If you are frying in a pan flip half way through to ensure all sides cook evenly. Let Cheetos bites cool a few minutes then serve.

How to serve the air fryer cheese bites?

We love to serve ranch as the dipping sauce for this. You will find the ranch tames down the spice of the Cheetos. Or you can totally eat them plain if you prefer.

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Ingredients

Makes 18 servings

• 1 – 8 ounce block of Pepper Jack cheese, cubed
• 2 cups Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, crushed
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Oil for spritzing

Equipment

• MJIYA Silicone Kitchen Tongs (7 inch), High Heat Resistant to 480°F
• Air Fryer Oven

Method

1. Start by cutting your pepper jack cheese into cubes, we did 18 cubes for an 8 ounce block of cheese.
2. Then in a Ziploc bag pour your Cheetos inside and then use a rolling pin to crush. You want to create a Cheetos dust for rolling the cheese in.
3. In a new bowl add your flour, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.
4. Then in another bowl add your egg, milk and hot sauce. Whisk to create an egg wash.
5. Now dip your pepper jack into egg wash, followed by flour, then back in the egg mixture, then Cheetos dust.
6. Place the coated cheese curds on a lined baking sheet, and then freeze for 1 hour to harden the cheese.
7. Preheat the air fryer at 390 degrees for at least 5 minutes. Then place your frozen cheese cubes on the basket or wire racks.
8. Do an even layer, leaving room between each. Then spritz with a cooking spray, and air fry for 5 minutes.
9. Flip the cheese bites, and then cook another 2-3 more minutes or until the bites are fully cooked. The cheese will begin to melt when ready.
10. Remove the Hot Cheetos Cheese Bites, let cool a short bit then serve plain or with some Ranch dressing.

Kitchen notes

Cook Time

– You will find that the cook time is going to vary depending on brand of air fryer, air fryer oven, Ninja Foodi, or Instant Pot Duo crisp device you use. They all slightly cook differently. Cheese – Use any cheese you want or even cheese curds for a copycat Applebees Flamin Hot Cheese Curds recipe!