Description
Air Fryer Fried Macaroni and Cheese Balls Cheesecake Factory Copycat: Creamy, cheesy macaroni on the inside with a golden, crispy breadcrumb crust—air fried for a lighter Cheesecake Factory-inspired bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked macaroni
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups breadcrumbs (panko or Italian-style)
- Cooking spray or oil mist
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine cooked macaroni, cheddar, cream cheese, milk, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until melted and creamy.
- Transfer mac and cheese to a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Scoop and roll into balls (~1.5 inches in diameter). Place on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Set up three bowls: flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Coat each ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Spray balls lightly with oil and place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crispy.
- Serve hot with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Chilling the mac and cheese helps it hold its shape when forming the balls.
- For extra crispiness, lightly spray with oil before air frying.
- You can use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs if desired for a GF version.
- Can be baked in a conventional oven at 400°F (204°C) for 12–15 minutes if you don’t have an air fryer.
- Reheat leftovers briefly in the air fryer to regain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: Approximately 180 per ball
- Sugar: About 2 g
- Sodium: Approximately 350 mg
- Fat: About 8 g
- Saturated Fat: About 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: About 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: About 6 g
- Cholesterol: About 35 mg
Keywords: Air Fryer Fried Macaroni and Cheese Balls Cheesecake Factory Copycat, mac and cheese balls, air fryer mac and cheese bites, cheesecake factory copycat, crispy mac and cheese balls