Air fryer goat cheese balls have a crispy golden exterior and a soft, creamy interior. They’re perfect as an appetizer dipped in honey, or served on top of a salad for a meal!
Divide the goat cheese into 24 pieces (I usually cut the log in half, then cut each into 12 even pieces) and roll each one into a ball
8 Ounces goat cheese
Place the rolled balls on a plate, silicone mat, or parchment lined tray and place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm
Create a dredging station of the flour mixed with the salt and pepper, then a beaten egg, and lastly the panko breadcrumbs
½ Tsp salt, ¼ Tsp black pepper, ¼ Cup all purpose flour, 1 Large egg, ¾ Cup panko breadcrumbs
Once the goat cheese balls are cold, remove them and roll them in the flour, the egg, and then the breadcrumbs until all of them are coated
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
Place the coated goat cheese balls into the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer
Spray the tops with a light mist of olive oil spray
Olive oil spray
Cook on the air fry setting for 6-8 minutes, pausing halfway through to gently flip and reapply the oil, until golden brown
Serve warm with hot honey (or your favorite option) for dipping
2 Tbsp hot honey for dipping
Notes
Any flavor of goat cheese works great! Plain, herb, and even fruit flavors like blueberry goat cheese are delicious as goat cheese balls. Omit the salt and pepper if you choose a sweet flavor option
Feel free to add other herbs in to your savory options, like basil, thyme, or parsley, if you’d like
Hot honey is my favorite dipping accompaniment. However, plain honey is a great option if you don’t like heat. Feel free to swap in warmed fruit preserves, like raspberry, blackberry, or blueberry for another great choice!
To prepare the goat cheese balls ahead of time, simply coat them in breading and return to the freezer for up to a month. You may need to add 1-2 minutes to cooking time to account for the frozen state
You can make the balls larger or smaller if you prefer a different cheese to breading ratio. I’ve made 8 ounces of cheese into 10, 20, and 24 balls depending on how I’d like them to look or what I’m doing with them
Shape the goat cheese balls much like you would a meatball, gently rolling the piece of cheese between the palms of your hand
Do your best to get a thorough, even coating with all steps of the breading process. It’s still normal for some of the cheese balls to burst open during cooking (they’re still delicious!). You can always repeat the egg and panko for a second layer if you’d like extra thick breading to mitigate this (you’ll need an extra egg)
Let them rest for 2-3 minutes if you plan to stick toothpicks in them for appetizers, as this will let them firm up slightly and make it much easier
Store leftover air fryer goat cheese balls in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer term storage, freeze them after breading but before cooking for up to 1 month
To reheat fried goat cheese balls, air fry for 3-5 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through. This works for leftover deep fried as well as a reheating method!
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only