A Spicy Perspective

Air Fryer Cheese Curds

How to Air Fry Cheese Curds – Make crisp, gooey, addictively delicious (and healthier) fried cheese curds in the air fryer with just a handful of simple ingredients.

Close view cheese curds on a plate with ramekin of marinara sauce.

Why We Love This Air Fryer Recipe

The first time I ever had fried cheese curds was in a little pub in Wisconsin. And let me just say: They are. Life. Changing.

There’s nothing like authentic Wisconsin cheese curds breaded and fried to crispy golden perfection, with oozing cheese ready to explode in your mouth. But there is no need to fret if you don’t happen to live in the Dairy State… With this fantastic Air Fryer Cheese Curds recipe you can enjoy those famously delicious little bites right at home.

Fried cheese curds are easy to make in an air fryer! We treat them to a double dip of flour and Panko breadcrumbs so that the breading is thick and crisps up just right. But even with that delectable breading, these are a healthier option since they don’t require deep frying in oil.

Make a batch in under 30 minutes, and serve as an appetizer, side dish, or party finger food. And don’t forget your favorite dipping sauces for a can’t-stop-won’t-stop snack!

Top down view cheese curds on a plate, with ramekin with marinara sauce.

Ingredients For Your Grocery List

  • Cheese curds – cold is best for the breading to stick
  • All-purpose flour – to dust the curds
  • Eggs – the binder for a nice thick breading
  • Panko breadcrumbs – for the crispiest, crunchiest fried curds
  • Spices – garlic powder, salt, and pepper
  • Oil spray – high heat like avocado or canola oil
Hand pulling apart a curd to show cheese inside.

How to Make Healthier Fried Cheese Curds

First, take care of the easy prep work: Set out three bowls. Place the flour and one bowl. Crack the eggs into the second bowl and whisk well. Then combine the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper in the third bowl. Mix well.

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Remove the cheese curds from the refrigerator.

Hand holding pieces of cheese, about to be dunked into bowl of flour.

Dunk half of them in the flour, stirring to coat.

Cheese pieces in a bowl, coated in flour.

Working in small batches, dunk a handful of floured cheese curds in the egg. Stir with a fork to make sure the cheese curds are well coated in egg and the moisture from the egg saturates the flour. It’s helpful to let the cheese curds soak in the egg a bit.

Then roll the cheese curds in the prepared Panko breadcrumb mixture. Check each curd. If you see gaps in the breading, re-dunk in the egg and then back in the breadcrumbs.

Pro Tip: The biggest thing to remember, is the thicker the breading is, the less likely they are to leak as they fry. Make sure to double-dunk your cheese curds as much as needed to create the perfect coating.

Top down curds in a bowl in flour.

Set aside and repeat with the remaining first batch of cheese curds until half of them (8 oz) are ready for the air fryer.

Spread the cheese curds in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Spray thoroughly with oil spray.

Get the Complete (Printable) Air Fryer Cheese Curds Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Single layer of breaded curds in an air fryer basket.

Then air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden and crispy.

It’s very likely that some of the air fryer cheese curds will leak if the coating is thin, so after the first batch, bread the second batch a little thicker if needed.

Crispy air fried cheese curds.

Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven as you work in batches.

Close view bread air fryer cheese curds on a plate.

Serving Suggestions

Serve air fryer cheese curds hot by themselves or with your favorite dipping sauces. We love to pair them with creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing, marinara sauce, or southern comeback sauce.

Fried cheese curds on a serving plate, with small ramekin of marinara sauce.

Recipe Variations

  • Cheddar cheese curds are classic, but there are lots of different flavors out there! Try this recipe with Cajun, ranch, smoked cheddar, or any cheese curd variety you like.
  • It’s easy to make this a gluten-free fried cheese curd recipe. Simply swap all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free alterative.
  • If you prefer to not use Panko breadcrumbs feel free to substitute them with regular unseasoned breadcrumbs.
  • Want to spice up your cheese curds? Consider adding smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or even crushed red pepper to the breadcrumbs.
Air fried cheese on a plate with marinara sauce in a bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cook frozen breaded cheese curds?

The air fryer is great for making frozen curds, too! Preheat the fryer to 400°F, place the frozen curds in the basket, and cook for 5-6 minutes.

What temp to air fry cheese curds?

I find 350°F is best for crispy curds that don’t have major cheese leakage issues.

How long do leftovers last?

Fried cheese is best to enjoy shortly after cooking. But leftovers will keep well for up to 2 or 3 days. Let them cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container and placing them in the fridge.

What is the best way to reheat fried cheese curds?

You can bake them on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes, until warm. For the crunchiest reheated cheese curds I recommend briefly air frying them again… 350°F for 3-4 minutes should do the trick!

Hand dipping a curd into marinara sauce.

Looking for More Easy Snack Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:

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Air Fryer Cheese Curds

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Make crisp, gooey, addictively delicious (and healthier) fried cheese curds in the air fryer with just a handful of simple ingredients!
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set out three bowls. Place the flour in one bowl. Crack the eggs into the second bowl and whisk well. Then combine the Panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper in the third bowl. Mix well.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
  • Remove the cheese curds from the refrigerator and dunk half of them and the flour, stirring to coat. Working in small batches, dunk a handful of floured cheese curds in the egg. Stir with a fork to make sure the cheese curds are well coated in egg and the moisture from the egg saturates the flour. (It’s helpful to let the cheese curds soak in the egg a bit.) Then roll the cheese curds in the prepared Panko breadcrumb mixture. Check each curd. If you see gaps in the breading, re-dunk in the egg and then back in the breadcrumbs. Set aside and repeat with the remaining first batch of cheese curds until half of them (8oz) are ready for the air fryer.
  • Spread the cheese curds in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Spray thoroughly with oil spray. Then air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden and crispy. It’s very likely that some of the air fryer cheese curds will leak if the coating is thin, so after the first batch, bread the second batch a little thicker if needed.
  • Serve hot as- is, or with a side of blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, or marinara sauce.

Notes

Want to spice up your cheese curds? Consider adding smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or even crushed red pepper to the breadcrumbs.
Fried cheese is best to enjoy shortly after cooking. But leftovers will keep well for up to 2 or 3 days. Let them cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and placing in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 362kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 506mg, Potassium: 77mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 119IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 447mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier

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4 comments on “Air Fryer Cheese Curds”

  1. This was the first time making these and they were amazing! Even my one son that eats nothing loved them!

  2. These are one of my favorite snacks. And so easy to put together!

  3. this is amazing and perfect for my game nights I have ahead of me! thank you so much for sharing this recipe with me 

  4. Fried cheese curds are my weakness and I really loved this lightened-up and even easier version! So tasty!