Fried Babybel cheese is breaded rounds of soft cheese coated in seasoned Italian breadcrumbs and air-fried until golden and melty inside. Ready in 15 minutes with a crispy exterior and gooey center—no deep frying required.
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Add all purpose flour into a shallow bowl or plate.
Whisk eggs together and into a separate shallow bowl.
In the third bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings and mix well.
Remove any paper or wax from Babybel Cheese Rounds.
Dredge Babybel cheese into flour first and gently tap off excess.
Add floured Babybel Cheese into egg, making sure to coat both sides of cheese.
Put egg dredged cheese into breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides.
Repeat another dip into the egg and bread crumbs, so you have 2 coats of egg and bread crumbs onto one piece of cheese.
Complete all cheese rounds.
Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
Place breaded cheese into air fryer basket, making sure the cheese rounds do not touch.
Air fry for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
Remove carefully (tongs typically work) and serve while hot and melty.
Store breaded, uncooked rounds in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks; air fry directly from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes. Cooked cheese is best eaten immediately but can be refrigerated up to 2 days and reheated in a 350°F air fryer for 2 minutes.
air fryer
This recipe is designed for an air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes. Oven results will differ; you may need to adjust temperature and time to avoid the cheese leaking before the coating crisps.
The double coating of egg and breadcrumbs creates a thicker, more protective barrier that keeps the cheese contained while crisping and prevents it from leaking during cooking.
Yes. Freeze the breaded rounds on a tray, then transfer to a container. Air fry directly from frozen at 400°F, adding 2–3 minutes to the cook time.
Ensure the cheese is fully sealed in the breadcrumb coating and use the double-dip method. Don't skip tapping off excess flour, and avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
You would need to substitute the Babybel cheese with a dairy-free alternative round. Results depend on the substitute's melting point and texture.
