Easy Air Fryer Snacks for Entertaining

Ah, the holiday season is upon us again - and so soon! (Does it seem like every year flies by quicker these days or is it just us?) This time of year is exciting and full of fun, with more events that gather our loved ones together. And what better way to bring people together than (you guessed it), food! Whether you're throwing a Christmas bash or simply entertaining, air fryers allow you to throw together a hearty spread with minimal effort. So, put out the invitations and feel empowered to host without fuss thanks to our guide to creating easy air fryer snacks for the whole clan!

Best Tools for the Job

Air fryers are all about a few ingredients and speedy preparation to create maximum impact! If you haven't already armed your kitchen arsenal with this all-rounder, it's time to choose the right appliance for you!

• Double trouble: Make two different recipes at once with our Smith & Nobel Dual Basket Air Fryer or Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer.

• Max out: Our Smith & Nobel 30 Litre Air Fryer is generously family sized, meaning you can cook bumper batches of your favourite goodies.

• Classic and compact: Strapped for room? Save on bench space with a more standard sized Smith & Nobel 8L Digital Air Fryer with an embedded cake pan!

Take Back Your Time

With the help of everyone's favourite kitchen superhero, you can easily make snacks in a snap! Air fryers save a heap of time and eliminate the need for glugs of greasy oil to create super crispy treats! We'll take you through some basic ideas that can be adapted to a range of recipes, allowing you to tailor different finger foods to your taste! Now, let's put this handy appliance to work so you can kick back and relax with your guests - because let's face it, there's nothing worse than bustling away in the kitchen while you can hear everyone's laughter coming from outside!

Sensational Air Fryer Share Platters

If you're short on Christmas snack ideas for many mouths, don't look past the humble sharing platter! By filling a tray or board with a mix of air fryer treats, everyone is sure to have something to love. Let's dive into our ideas for easy entertaining finger food that will make your platter the talk of the party!

Puff It Up

Puff pastry is perfect for entertaining as it cooks quickly in the air fryer. Simply use store bought pastry, whip up a filling of choice, make your desired shape and air fry on 200°C for around 10 minutes! This recipe is perfect for using up the little extras hanging around in your fridge or choose from one of our suggestions - the possibilities are endless!

Our favourite filling ideas:

• Spinach and feta
• Sundried tomato, basil and olive pesto
• Brie and fig jam
• Salami, oregano and mozzarella
• Sausage mince
• Tomato relish, chilli and Parmesan
• Caramelised onion
• Nutella and strawberries
• Cinnamon and brown sugar
• Banana slices and crushed walnut

Funky shapes to create:

• Rolled and cut into pinwheels
• Folded into triangles with crimped edges
• Chunky logs cut into sausage roll shapes
• Twirled into twists

Lil Dippers

Having something to dip is a staple of entertaining food! Ditch the chips and go a little more fancy this festive season. Grab yourself some wings or prawns and air fry at 200°C (7 - 10 minutes for prawns and 20 minutes for wings).

Tasty morsels to make:

• Chicken wings covered in turmeric, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper. Accompany with blue cheese dip
• Prawns panko crumbed with garlic powder and dried parsley. Dip into creamy aioli

Cheese Louise

Cheese is amazing in every way, so why not make it the star of the dish? You can create unbelievably crispy and stretchy cheesy treats by simply dipping your favourite cheese in beaten egg, slathering it in crumbs and air frying for 5 - 8 mins on 190°C.

The best cheeses for air frying:

• Halloumi crumbed with panko, garlic powder and oregano (or omit the crumb and just lightly brush with olive oil)
• Mozzarella crumbed with panko, paprika and onion powder (this cheese is much gooier, so freeze for minimum 30 mins before cooking)

Sizes to try:

• Thick-cut chippies
• Bite-sized cubes
• Thin slabs (for extra crunch and less ooze)

Veg Out

Let's add some wholesome veggies to the decadence of your festive platter! Simply throw chunky pieces of your favourite vegetables into the air fryer with a dash of olive oil and some spiced seasonings at 200°C for 10 - 15 minutes.

Flavours to have fun with:

• Cauliflower florets seasoned with turmeric, garlic, salt and pepper
• Pumpkin chunks spiced with festive flavours of cinnamon sugar, nutmeg, chilli, salt