These Air Fryer Mashed Potato Cheese Puffs are crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside — the ultimate comfort snack! They’re a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes and make a perfect appetizer or side dish. Plus, they cook up beautifully golden in the air fryer without all the extra oil.

🧂 Ingredients

2 cups mashed potatoes (cold or leftover)
1 large egg
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or mozzarella)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup all-purpose flour (or breadcrumbs for crispier texture)
1 tablespoon chopped green onions (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray (for the air fryer basket)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Mashed Potato Cheese Puffs

Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3–5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together mashed potatoes, egg, cheeses, flour, green onions, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Using a spoon or small scoop, form small balls or puffs (about 1 to 1½ inches).
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Arrange the puffs in a single layer, leaving space between each one.
Air fry for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp.
Let them cool slightly before serving — they’ll firm up a bit as they cool.

🍽️ What to Serve With

Dip in ranch dressing, garlic aioli, or ketchup.
Serve as a side with grilled chicken, steak, or roasted veggies.
Add to a party platter for a fun, cheesy bite-sized snack!

💡 Tips

You can stuff the center with a small cube of cheese for extra gooeyness.
To make it gluten-free, use cornstarch or gluten-free flour instead of regular flour.
Leftovers? Store in the fridge and reheat in the air fryer for 3–4 minutes to get them crispy again.

Air Fryer Mashed Potato Cheese Puffs

Print Recipe

Air fryer mashed potato balls are made with leftover mashed potatoes, crumbled bacon, and chives with a melted cheese center and crispy outside.

Author: Julia
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Appetizers
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups Leftover Mashed Potatoes
3 slices Bacon crumbled
Block of Cheddar Cheese cut into cubes
1 ½ cups Breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan
2 Large Eggs
1–2 tablespoons Milk
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Cooking Oil Spray
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder optional

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, mix leftover mashed potatoes with crumbled bacon, chives or green onion, salt, and pepper. If desired, add garlic powder.
With floured hands, scoop mashed potato into the palm of your hand. I used a small cookie scoop to get 2″ balls. Flatten into a disk and add a cube of cheese to the center. Carefully form into a ball with the cheese completely covered with potatoes.
Add flour to a shallow dish. Scramble egg and 1-2 tablespoons of milk in another dish, and add breadcrumbs and grated parmesan to a third shallow dish. Dip each mashed potato ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Repeat dipping back into the egg and then breadcrumbs again to give it an extra crispy coating.
Add a single layer of mashed potato balls to the air fryer basket. Lightly spray balls with cooking oil.
Cook at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes, shake the basket, spray with additional oil as needed, and continue baking for 2-3 more minutes until golden brown. Be careful not to overcook because the cheese will begin to ooze out of the balls. Serve with ranch dipping sauce.