These delightful Air Fryer Gingerbread Bites bring the classic holiday flavor in a perfectly portioned snack-sized treat. With just 10 minutes of prep and 8 minutes of cooking time, you’ll have warm, aromatic bites of joy ready to share.
At only 107 calories per serving, these guilt-free morsels deliver the perfect balance of sweetness and warm spices while keeping the fat content moderate at 6 grams. They’re the ideal option when you want a quick festive treat without turning on the oven.
Fresh Gingerbread Bites Ingredients
- Crescent Rolls: 1 can, ensure it’s well-chilled for easier handling
- Cream Cheese: 8 oz, softened at room temperature
- Sugar: 1½ tablespoons + ½ cup, divided for filling and coating
- Spice Blend: A warming mix of ginger (1 tbsp), cinnamon (1½ tbsp), allspice (½ tsp), nutmeg (¼ tsp), cardamom (¼ tsp), and cloves (½ tsp)
Step-by-Step Preparation
- Spice Mixture: Combine all spices with ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl until well blended
- Cream Filling: Mix softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon sugar until smooth and creamy
- Dough Preparation: Carefully unroll the crescent dough and place cream cheese mixture on the wider end
- Shaping: Fold dough over filling and gently shape into round discs between your palms
- Coating: Generously coat each bite with the prepared spice mixture on all sides
- Air Frying: Place in air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for 8-9 minutes until golden brown
- Serving: Transfer to serving plate and enjoy while warm and fresh
Cooking Tips for Perfect Gingerbread Bites
When working with crescent dough, keep it cold until you’re ready to use it – this makes it much easier to handle! While shaping your bites, use a light touch when pressing the dough to seal in the cream cheese. If the dough starts sticking to your hands, dust them with a tiny bit of the spice mixture. For the best results, don’t overcrowd your air fryer basket – leave some space between each bite so they can get nicely golden brown.
Make It Your Own
Love extra spice? Add a pinch more ginger or cinnamon to the spice mix. For a creamy twist, mix a drop of vanilla extract into the cream cheese filling. Want them less sweet? Cut the sugar in the spice mixture by half – they’ll still taste amazing! You can also swap the cream cheese for mascarpone if you’re feeling fancy.
Serving Ideas
These warm, spicy bites are perfect for holiday gatherings! Serve them right from the air fryer when they’re all warm and puffy. Try them with hot cocoa or spiced apple cider for the coziest winter treat. Want to dress them up? Dust with a little powdered sugar or drizzle with vanilla glaze. They’re lovely on a brunch table or as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea.
Storage and Reheating
Keep any leftover bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To warm them up, pop them back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes at 300°F, or until they’re just heated through. The spice coating might not be as crispy the second time around, but they’ll still taste yummy!
Air Fryer Gingerbread Bites
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 can crescent rolls
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1.5 tablespoon sugar divided (1 tablespoon + ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1.5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix together all spices plus ½ cup sugar in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Put the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and softened cream cheese in small bowl. Use a fork to mash cream cheese to combine.
- Unroll crescent dough. Put about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on large end of crescent triangles.
- Gently fold crescent dough to cover cream cheese. Gently press round disc shape between your hands. Dip bites into spice mixture and press on both sides.
- Place bites into air fryer basket for 8 to 9 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Remove and serve immediately. Enjoy!
