These mini egg rolls, filled with light cream cheese and pepper jelly and cooked in the air fryer, are your go-to appetizer for hassle-free entertaining. Simple, delicious, and loved by all!
These mini cream cheese egg rolls always disappear from the appetizer table quickly! They're ideal for game day entertaining, a New Year's Eve party or even afternoon snacking. They can be made ahead of time and frozen, making them ideal for last-minute entertaining.
Wonton wrappers are filling with creamy light cream cheese and zesty pepper jelly then crisped to perfection in the air fryer. I can't think of anything better! And I promise you won't be able to eat just one.
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Tips for making cream cheese egg rolls
1. Soften the Cream Cheese: Make sure the cream cheese is slightly softened before spreading it on the wonton wrapper. It will be much easier to spread!
2. Seal the Edges Well: To prevent any ooze or leakage during cooking, be sure to seal the edges of the wonton wrapper securely. Dip your finger into water and rub a small amount on the edges before sealing.
3. Don't Overfill: While it might be tempting to stuff these mini rolls to the brim, resist the urge. Overfilling can lead to messy results.
4. Wonton Wrapper Handling: Keep the wonton wrappers covered with a damp kitchen towel as you work to prevent them from drying out. Wonton wrappers can become brittle when exposed to air, making them more challenging to fold.
5. Adjust Air Fryer Temperature: Air fryer models can vary, so keep an eye on your mini egg rolls during the cooking process. If you notice they are browning too quickly, consider lowering the temperature slightly or reduce the cooking time by a minute or two.
5. Use Cooking Spray Sparingly: While a light coating of cooking spray helps achieve that golden crispiness, avoid overusing it, as it can lead to excess oiliness. A fine mist is all you need to enhance the crunch.
6. Preheat the Air Fryer: Ensure that your air fryer is preheated before adding the mini egg rolls. Preheating helps achieve even cooking and a consistent crisp texture.
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Ingredients for cream cheese egg rolls
- CREAM CHEESE: I used light cream cheese (or neufchatel cheese), but regular cream cheese works well, too.
- PEPPER JELLY: Pepper jelly can be found in jars in the jam and jelly section of most supermarkets.
- WONTON WRAPPERS: Use square wonton wrappers. They can be found in the refrigerated or produce section of most well-stocked supermarkets, or at any Asian market.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
How to make mini egg rolls
FILL THE WRAPPERS: Place a wonton wrapper on a cutting board, with one of the corners facing you. Spread the cream cheese in the center of the wrapper, leaving room on either end for folding. I find it's easiest to use my fingers to spread the cream cheese. Spoon the pepper jelly over the cream cheese.
KEEP THE WRAPPERS FRESH: Keep the unused wonton wrappers and the rolled uncooked egg rolls fresh by covering with a slightly damp kitchen towel. This stops the wrappers from drying out.
FOLD THE WRAPPERS: See the photos below for details. Fold in the two sides of the wrapper, meeting the points in the center. Press down the folded wrapper right underneath the filling, then fold the bottom corner over the filling. Lightly pressing down loose wrapper pieces as you go, roll up the wrapper. Dip your finger in some water and seal the final corner of the egg roll.
COOK THE EGG ROLLS: Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Lightly spray the egg rolls on each side with cooking spray and arrange them in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer rack - depending on what kind of air fryer you have. Cook until the egg rolls are golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. Check them at 6 and 7 minutes to make sure they're not burning. Serve!
Make-Ahead and Storage
FREEZER: Freezing the uncooked mini pepper jelly egg rolls is a fantastic way to have a convenient appetizer on hand for last-minute entertaining. Once you've assembled the rolls, place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and pop them into the freezer until firm. Once frozen, transfer the mini egg rolls into a sealed freezer bag, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
COOK FROM FROZEN: When you're ready to enjoy them, there's no need to thaw. Simply preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F, lightly coat the egg rolls with cooking spray, place them in the basket, and cook for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through.
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Mini Cream Cheese Egg Rolls with Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
- 16 square wonton wrappers
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon light cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup pepper jelly
Instructions
- Place a wonton wrapper on a cutting board, with one of the corners facing you. Spread 1 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of the wrapper, leaving room on either end for folding. I find it's easiest to use my fingers to spread the cream cheese. Spoon ¾ teaspoon pepper jelly over the cream cheese.
- Keep the unused wonton wrappers and the rolled uncooked egg rolls fresh by covering with a slightly damp kitchen towel. This stops the wrappers from drying out.
- (See photos in the post for more details.) Fold in the two sides of the wrapper, meeting the points in the center. Press down the folded wrapper right underneath the filling, then fold the bottom corner over the filling. Lightly pressing down loose wrapper pieces as you go, roll up the wrapper. Dip your finger in some water and seal the final corner of the egg roll. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Lightly spray the egg rolls on each side with cooking spray and arrange them in the air fryer basket or on the air fryer rack - depending on what kind of air fryer you have. Cook until the egg rolls are golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. Check them at 6 and 7 minutes to make sure they're not burning. Serve!
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Nutrition
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Nancy
What temp and time if I bake them in a regular oven?
Dara
Hi Nancy, I haven't tested this recipe using a regular oven. However, when I've baked regular-sized egg rolls in the past, I cooked them at 375-400 degrees F for about 25 minutes. These mini egg rolls will likely need less time, so I would start with 12 to 15 minutes, then keep an eye on them so they don't burn.