Air fryer Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry

With store-bought puff pastry doing all the heavy lifting for your layers, this recipe is foolproof, quick, and requires zero advanced culinary skills. It serves 4-6 people and makes about 6-8 large pastry pockets or pinwheels.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet Puff Pastry (thawed according to package instructions)
• 6-8 slices Deli Ham (smoked, honey, or black forest)
• 1 cup Shredded Cheese (Swiss, Gruyère, Cheddar, or Mozzarella)
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard or Honey Mustard (optional)
• 1 Large Egg (whisked with a splash of water for egg wash)
• Everything Bagel Seasoning or Sesame Seeds (for topping)

Instructions

1. Unroll the thawed puff pastry onto a lightly floured clean work surface. If there are major creases, gently roll it out with a rolling pin to smooth them flat.
2. If using mustard, brush a thin, even layer across the entire surface of the pastry sheet, leaving a tiny border around the edges.
3. Lay slices of deli ham evenly across the pastry sheet, overlapping them slightly to cover the surface.
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the layer of ham.
5. For Pinwheels: Roll the pastry tightly from the long edge into a neat log. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the log into 1-inch thick rounds. For Pockets/Turnovers: Fold the pastry in half over the filling, or cut it into neat squares, folding them into triangles and pressing the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
6. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (190°C) for about 3 minutes.
7. Lightly grease the air fryer basket or line it with a perforated parchment paper liner.
8. Place the pastries in the basket in a single layer, leaving space between each one so air can circulate freely (work in batches if necessary).
9. Brush the exposed pastry surfaces generously with the whisked egg wash and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.
10. Cook at 380°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, deeply golden brown, and the cheese is completely melted and bubbling.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheating: To restore the flaky crunch, avoid the microwave. Pop them back into the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through and crisp. Nutritional Information (Estimated per serving): 260 kcal, 18g Total Fat, 6g Saturated Fat, 45mg Cholesterol, 340mg Sodium, 17g Total Carbohydrates, 1g Dietary Fiber, 1g Total Sugars, 8g Protein.