Introduction

Oh my goodness, let me tell you about a recipe that’s about to become your absolute go-to for speedy snacks, party apps, or even a fun weeknight dinner! Remember those days of craving pizza but not wanting to wait for delivery or deal with making a whole pie? Yeah, me too! That’s where these Air Fryer Pizza Bombs come in. They’re like little pockets of pizza heaven, ready in a flash thanks to the magic of your air fryer. They’re so ridiculously easy, you’ll wonder where they’ve been all your life!

Imagine golden, crispy bites filled with melty mozzarella, savory pepperoni, and tangy pizza sauce, all brushed with a glorious garlic butter. Seriously, what’s not to love? These are the perfect little bites for game day, movie night, or just because you deserve a delicious treat. Get ready, because you’re going to make these on repeat!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Seriously, from start to delicious bite in under 20 minutes.
Easy: Uses simple ingredients you likely have or can grab quickly. No complicated steps here!
Giftable: (Okay, maybe not technically giftable warm, but they make amazing edible gifts for parties or potlucks!)
Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love pizza in a fun, bite-sized package?

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to whip up these little beauties. Nothing fancy, just good stuff!

1 can (8 pieces) refrigerated biscuit dough: This is our secret weapon! Makes creating the bomb shell super simple.
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese: The gooier, the better! Pre-shredded is fine, or shred your own for extra meltiness.
24 slices pepperoni (3 per bomb): Classic pizza topping! Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking.
½ cup pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping): Pick your favorite! You’ll use some inside and definitely want more for dipping these golden treasures.
3 tablespoons melted butter: For that amazing brush-on coating.
1 teaspoon garlic powder: Adds that essential garlicky goodness to the butter.
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning: Brings all those lovely classic pizza flavors together.
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle this into the butter mixture for extra flavor and a little crust.
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish): Totally optional, but adds a lovely pop of color and freshness at the end.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get cooking! This is where the fun happens. Follow along and you’ll have delicious pizza bombs in no time.

First things first, open up that can of biscuit dough. Separate each biscuit into its own little circle. Now, you need to flatten each biscuit out. You can use your hands or a small rolling pin. Aim for a circle about 4-5 inches across. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect circles, they’re going to be little balls soon anyway!
Now, time for the good stuff! Spoon about 1 tablespoon of your pizza sauce right in the center of each flattened biscuit. Don’t overfill, or they’ll be harder to seal. Pile about 1/3 of your shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Then, layer 3 slices of pepperoni over the cheese.
Here’s the slightly tricky but fun part: becoming a bomb-builder! Carefully gather the edges of the dough up and around the filling. Bring all the sides together at the top and pinch them really, really well to seal it closed. You want to make sure there are no little holes or gaps where the cheese can escape while cooking. Roll it gently in your hands to make it a nice round ball. Repeat this for all eight biscuits.
While your bombs are ready, let’s make that glorious topping. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and grated Parmesan cheese until it’s all combined.
Now, brush each pizza bomb liberally with this amazing garlic butter mixture. Get all sides! This is what gives them that fantastic golden crust and extra flavor.
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) if your model requires preheating. Carefully place your pizza bombs in the air fryer basket. This is important: make sure they are in a single layer and are not touching each other! Overcrowding will make them cook unevenly and they won’t get that nice crispy exterior. You’ll likely need to cook them in two batches.
Air fry for 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them! They’re done when they are beautifully golden brown and look cooked through. The time can vary a bit depending on your air fryer, so start checking around 7 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot pizza bombs from the air fryer. If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle a little fresh chopped parsley over them right away.
Serve them immediately while they are hot and the cheese is super melty! Don’t forget that extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Trust me, you’ll want it!

Substitutions & Additions

Want to mix things up? These bombs are super forgiving! Here are a few ideas:

Cheese Please: Swap mozzarella for a blend of mozzarella and provolone, or even add a little sprinkle of cheddar inside.
Veggie Power: Add finely chopped cooked mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions inside with the cheese and sauce.
Meat Lovers: Add cooked crumbled sausage, small pieces of cooked bacon, or chopped cooked ham along with or instead of the pepperoni.
Spice It Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling or the garlic butter for a little kick.
Different Dough: While biscuits work great, you could potentially experiment with canned pizza dough cut into squares, but biscuits are definitely the easiest!

Tips for Success

Don’t Overfill: Too much filling makes them hard to seal and prone to exploding (not the fun kind!). Stick to the recommended amounts.
Seal Them Tight: Pinching the edges really well is key to preventing leaks in the air fryer.
Don’t Crowd the Basket: Air fryers work by circulating hot air. If the bombs are touching, the air can’t circulate properly, and they won’t get crispy all around. Cook in batches!
Watch Them Closely: Air fryers cook fast! Start checking for doneness at the lower end of the cooking time (around 7 minutes) to avoid burning.
Prep Ahead (Partially): You could assemble the bombs and brush them with the butter mixture a little bit ahead of time (maybe up to an hour), covering them loosely, and then air fry just before serving. This is great for parties!

How to Store It

If you happen to have any of these delicious little bombs left over (a rare occurrence in my house!), you can store them. Let them cool completely first. Place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

To reheat, the air fryer is your best friend again! Pop them back in the air fryer at 325°F (160°C) for 3-5 minutes, or until heated through and crispy again. You can also microwave them, but they won’t be crispy.

FAQs

Can I bake these in a regular oven?

Yes, you can! Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the brushed pizza bombs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. The air fryer just makes them extra crispy and fast!

Can I use different fillings?

Absolutely! Get creative! Cooked sausage, bacon, veggies, different cheeses – as long as the filling isn’t too wet and you don’t overstuff, go for it!

My cheese leaked out a little, what happened?

This usually happens if the seams weren’t pinched tightly enough, or if the dough wasn’t flattened thin enough initially, making it harder to seal. Don’t worry, they’ll still taste amazing, just be extra careful sealing the next batch!

Can I make these with refrigerated pizza dough instead of biscuits?

You could, but it’s a bit more work. You’d need to cut the pizza dough into squares (roughly 4-5 inches) and then stretch or flatten them. Biscuits are thicker and easier to work with for creating the “bomb” shape quickly.

Air Fryer Pizza Bombs

Air Fryer Pizza Bombs are little pockets of pizza heaven, ready in a flash thanks to the magic of your air fryer. They are golden, crispy bites filled with melty mozzarella, savory pepperoni, and tangy pizza sauce, all brushed with a glorious garlic butter.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 8

Equipment

Air Fryer
Small bowl
Rolling Pin (optional)
Baking Sheet (for oven method)

Ingredients

Hauptzutaten

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (8 pieces)
0.75 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
24 slices pepperoni (3 per bomb)
0.5 cup pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

First things first, open up that can of biscuit dough. Separate each biscuit into its own little circle. Now, you need to flatten each biscuit out. You can use your hands or a small rolling pin. Aim for a circle about 4-5 inches across. Don't worry if they're not perfect circles, they're going to be little balls soon anyway!
Now, time for the good stuff! Spoon about 1 tablespoon of your pizza sauce right in the center of each flattened biscuit. Don't overfill, or they'll be harder to seal. Pile about 1/3 of your shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce. Then, layer 3 slices of pepperoni over the cheese.
Here's the slightly tricky but fun part: becoming a bomb-builder! Carefully gather the edges of the dough up and around the filling. Bring all the sides together at the top and pinch them really, really well to seal it closed. You want to make sure there are no little holes or gaps where the cheese can escape while cooking. Roll it gently in your hands to make it a nice round ball. Repeat this for all eight biscuits.
While your bombs are ready, let's make that glorious topping. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and grated Parmesan cheese until it's all combined.
Now, brush each pizza bomb liberally with this amazing garlic butter mixture. Get all sides! This is what gives them that fantastic golden crust and extra flavor.
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) if your model requires preheating. Carefully place your pizza bombs in the air fryer basket. This is important: make sure they are in a single layer and are not touching each other! Overcrowding will make them cook unevenly and they won't get that nice crispy exterior. You'll likely need to cook them in two batches.
Air fry for 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them! They're done when they are beautifully golden brown and look cooked through. The time can vary a bit depending on your air fryer, so start checking around 7 minutes.
Carefully remove the hot pizza bombs from the air fryer. If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle a little fresh chopped parsley over them right away.
Serve them immediately while they are hot and the cheese is super melty! Don't forget that extra pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Trust me, you'll want it!

Notes

Substitutions & Additions: Swap mozzarella for a blend of mozzarella and provolone, or add cheddar. Add finely chopped cooked mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions. Add cooked crumbled sausage, bacon, or ham. Add red pepper flakes for a kick. You could use canned pizza dough cut into squares, but biscuits are easier.

Tips for Success: Don't overfill to make sealing easier. Seal the edges tightly to prevent leaks. Don't crowd the air fryer basket; cook in batches for crispy results. Air fryers cook fast, start checking around 7 minutes to avoid burning. Can assemble and brush with butter up to an hour ahead before air frying.

Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in air fryer at 325°F (160°C) for 3-5 minutes, or microwave (will not be crispy).

FAQs: Can bake in a regular oven at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Yes, you can use different fillings as long as they aren't too wet and you don't overstuff. Cheese leakage is usually due to not sealing the seams tightly or dough not being flattened enough initially. Using refrigerated pizza dough is possible but more work than biscuits.