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Air Fryer Pizza Sticks

Name: Air Fryer Pizza Sticks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 2 tortillas (regular, low-carb, Keto Friendly, or Gluten-Free); 2 cheese sticks (low-fat or regular); 10 slices pepperoni; 1/2 cup pizza sauce; 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

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Golden brown and crispy on the outside and salty, savory and cheesy on the inside- these Air Fryer Pizza sticks are just out of the world. They’re kid-friendly, easy to make, customizable and incredibly delicious!

If you’re looking for a quick and easy snack to make for a movie night or a party you’re hosting, this is the one!

Golden brown air fryer pizza sticks served with marinara sauce for dipping.

Who doesn’t love pizza, and as a pizza loving household that we are, I love trying fun and unique takes on the classic pizza.

I’ve tried everything from Air Fryer pizza toast and stuffed pizza bites to Air Fryer pizza wontons and 3 ingredient pizza puffs.

If you’re one of those that love having pizza for breakfast, you’ll also enjoy my Air Fryer breakfast pizza waffles.

But why stop there? I recently had a pack of tortillas that I wanted to use up, and that’s when inspiration struck me, and I decided to try making these pizza sticks.

Sliced air fryer pizza sticks showing gooey cheese and pepperoni filling

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Cheesy and delish: They have the perfect balance of cheesy, savory and flavors that you’d expect in any good pizza. You just can’t go wrong with them!
Perfect for entertaining: These bite-sized snacks are great for parties and get-togethers. With their versatile flavors, they’re sure to be a total crowd pleaser.
Customizable: Experiment with different mix-ins and seasonings to customize the pizza sticks to your liking!
Easy to make: These pizza sticks barely take any time to make. You’ll just need a few minutes of prep time and you’re sorted.

Ingredients For the Air Fryer Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Sticks Recipe

Ingredients for air fryer pizza sticks: pizza dough, cheese, pepperoni, and marinara sauce.

Tortilla: Serves as the perfect base for wrapping and holding the cheesy fillings in your pizza sticks.
Mozzarella Sticks: These gooey, stretchy cheese sticks melt beautifully when air-fried.
Sliced Pepperoni: Add a classic pizza taste and a satisfying crunch to each bite.
Pizza Sauce: Brings the quintessential pizza flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dish.
Italian Seasoning: A fragrant blend of herbs.
Toothpicks: Handy for securing the tortillas around the fillings, these toothpicks make serving and eating your pizza sticks easy and fun.

Variations & Substitutions

To make gluten-free cheesy pepperoni pizza sticks, swap the flour tortillas for corn tortillas.
Don’t have tortillas? Use crescent roll dough instead- it works wonderfully for this recipe. You can also use my foolproof pizza dough recipe if you have some time and want to make it from scratch.
Add a kick of heat to the pepperoni pizza sticks by adding some cayenne or paprika into the pizza sauce.
You can also try other mix-ins like chopped onions, bell peppers, olives, jalapenos and corn in addition to the pepperoni.
You can also swap the pepperoni for turkey pepperoni, ground beef or ground Italian sausage if you want to enjoy a different version of the recipe.
Ditch the traditional marinara sauce or pizza sauce and try making these pizza sticks with some ranch sauce instead.
Swap the mozzarella cheese in this recipe for cheddar cheese, Monterey jack or even Parmesan cheese.

How to Make Air Fryer Pizza Sticks

Prep tortillas: Start by lightly toasting your tortillas. You can do this in the Air Fryer or in a pan. If you’re using the Air Fryer, just 2-3 minutes should be enough.

Place a smear of tomato sauce/pizza sauce in the center of the tortilla, and then add your sliced pepperoni, following by a cheesestick.

Assemble: Lay the toasted tortilla flat, and spread some pizza sauce in the center. Arrange the pepperoni slices on it and top it with a single mozzarella stick.

Roll up the tortilla, and then place toothpicks into them, to keep it together.

Time to roll: Carefully roll the tortilla and use toothpicks to secure it and keep it from falling apart.

Place pizza sticks into the air fryer basket.

Air fry: Grease the pizza sticks with olive oil, butter or cooking spray, sprinkle some Italian seasoning on them, and transfer to the Air Fryer basket. Air fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips & Tricks to Make Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Sticks in the Air Fryer

Remember not to overstuff the tortillas with too much filling and sauce, or it’ll all spill out as you start to wrap it up.
To give the pizza sticks a nice golden brown color on the outside, brush them with a bit of melted butter or olive oil.
Don’t add too many pizza sticks into your Air Fryer all at the same time, or they won’t crisp up. Work with 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your Air Fryer basket.
Remember to soak the toothpicks in water before you use them to secure the pizza sticks, or they’ll end up burning.
To make cleanup easier, line your Air Fryer basket with parchment paper or liners. A silicone liner works great too!

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: Got some leftovers? Pop them in the refrigerator and store them for up to 3 days. Use an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag to keep them fresh.

Freezing: You can actually prep these pepperoni pizza sticks ahead of time and freeze them too! Once you’ve assembled them, transfer them to a lined baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for a few hours until they’re solid. Then, get them out, remove the toothpicks and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Reheating: You can reheat the pizza sticks in the microwave or the Air Fryer. I would recommend using the Air Fryer, because it crisps up the sticks beautifully.

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

These air fried cheesy pepperoni pizza sticks are insanely delicious on their own, but I would really recommend serving them with a nice dip like my favorite Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip or some classic Air Fryer cheesy dip.

And of course, pizza lovers can’t go wrong with an Air Fryer pizza dip.

If you love that spicy kick, you’ll want to try my Air Fryer jalapeno popper dip or cucumber wasabi ranch dip.

FAQs

Can I make these cheesy pepperoni pizza sticks in the oven? If you don’t have an Air Fryer, yes, you can totally make these in the oven too! Just arrange them on a lined baking sheet and pop them in an oven preheated at 325 degrees, for about 12-15 minutes.

Can I air fry frozen pizza sticks? I wouldn’t recommend air frying these pizza sticks while they’re frozen. Instead, just get them out and allow them to thaw first. Doing this will ensure they’re evenly cooked and have that golden brown exterior.

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