Hot Pockets are the practically the poster boy of convenient, quick food – the only problem that may occasionally come up is knowing the precise Hot Pocket cook time. There are so many different Hot Pocket fillings, they surely couldn’t all have the same time, could they? And what about making them in different appliances? Well, there’s no need to worry as I’ll be covering all that – and more – in this article. So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- Hot Pocket Cook Time: Microwave
- Hot Pocket Cook Time: Other Appliances
- Cook Times For Different Kinds Of Hot Pockets
- How Do You Cook The Perfect Hot Pocket?
- FAQ
- Heating Hot Pockets – What To Take Away
Hot Pocket Cook Time: Microwave
Whether it’s for making microwave ramen or heating hot pockets, the microwave is an incredibly useful appliance. It’s perfect for when you’re on the go – which many people are nowadays. This makes the microwave one of the most used appliances, which is why I’ve opted to cover it first.
How Long Should I Cook A Hot Pocket In The Microwave?
This depends on the strength of you microwave, as well as whether or not you’re heating them from frozen.
One frozen Hot Pocket typically takes about 2-4 minutes to heat up, depending on how you prefer your pockets.
If you decide to microwave two frozen pockets together, they’ll usually take about 4 minutes, minimum. A fully thawed Hot Pocket will only take around a minute or 2 to heat up – and double that time for two at once.
Hot Pocket Cook Time 700 Watts
If you have a weaker microwave, you may want to leave your Hot Pocket in there for at least 3 minutes rather than 2.
The minimum cook times stated above are referring to the amount of time a Hot Pocket takes in a 1100 watt microwave. As can be expected, 700 watt microwaves tend to need about a minute longer, on average.
Hot Pocket Cook Time Ham And Cheese – Microwave
To heat ham and cheese Hot Pockets, work as you would for heating any Hot Pocket.
Simply unwrap the pocket, insert it into the ’crisping sleeve’ provided by the manufacturer, and place it in the microwave for 2-4 minutes. Follow the steps above if using a low-wattage microwave or heating more than one pocket.
If you decide to use a different appliance for heating, follow the steps I’ve detailed below according to your appliance of choice.
Hot Pocket Cook Time: Other Appliances
Hot Pocket Cook Time Toaster Oven
To cook Hot Pockets in the toaster oven, it’ll take around 20 to 30 minutes from frozen.
If you decide to use this cooking method, make sure to take off the crisping sleeve and preheat the oven to 350 °F before adding in your pockets. If cooking thawed Hot Pockets or calzones, it’ll take around fifteen minutes.
Unlike the microwave, the cook time will not increase if you decide to heat two Hot Pockets at once. The Hot Pocket cook time convection oven is the same as in a toaster oven and the Hot Pocket cook time oven.
Hot Pocket Cook Time Air Fryer
Before beginning to cook your pockets in the air fryer, make sure to preheat it to 350 °F. Then, add in your Hot Pockets with the crisping sleeves. After your fryer is well-heated, keep them cooking for up to at least 12 minutes. Heat for more if needed.
Make the most of your Hot-Pocket flavored air fryer grease and make some quick air fryer green beans to eat alongside your hot pocket.
Cook Times For Different Kinds Of Hot Pockets
Breakfast Pockets
Most kinds of Hot Pockets require the same amount of time to be heated, unless you use different appliances. However, you want to be certain that any Hot Pockets containing meat are heated until they reach an internal temperature of 165 °F, just to be safe. The same goes when heating breakfast sandwiches from frozen in the air fryer.
As most of the breakfast Hot Pockets contain meat, be sure to heat them for either around 4 minutes in the microwave, 20 minutes in the oven, or 12 minutes in the air fryer, following the tips from earlier. You can also give the pockets a little shake afterwards so any cold fillings are heated up. The breakfast Hot Pocket cook time, sausage egg and cheese Hot Pocket cook time, and bacon egg and cheese Hot Pocket cook time are all the same.
Other Pockets
Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pocket Cook Time
To cook a pepperoni pizza Hot Pocket in the oven, make sure to remove the crisping sleeve completely. Preheat your oven to 350 °F before unwrapping the pocket and placing it on a baking sheet. Bake it for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.
Hot Pocket Cook Time Philly Cheesesteak
Heat up a Philly cheesesteak hot pocket in the microwave, oven or air fryer until it’s crispy and evenly cooked inside so your cheese melts and the meat reaches 165 °F. Heat one pocket for 4 minutes in the microwave, 20 minutes in any kind of oven, and roughly 7-12 minutes in the air fryer.
For some extra cheesy goodness, try adding one of the best cheeses for cheesesteaks to top it off, or serving with some cheesesteak-friendly sides.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Hot Pocket Cook Time
As the chicken bacon ranch Hot Pocket is a part of the ’Big & Bold’ variety, it’s cook time differs slightly from other pockets in that it may take slightly longer.
Heat it for 4-5 minutes in the microwave, half an hour in the oven, or 7-10 minutes in the air fryer.
Like the breakfast Hot Pockets, be sure to give it a shake either halfway through or after cooking, just to make sure the middle heats evenly.
Hot Pocket Big And Bold Buffalo Chicken Cook Time
Like the chicken bacon ranch Hot Pocket, the buffalo chicken pocket is also a part of the Big & Bold collection.
Make sure to heat it well and either flip halfway through cooking or shake it afterwards. It will need a little longer in the oven – follow the same times listed for the chicken bacon ranch Hot Pockets.
How Do You Cook The Perfect Hot Pocket?
3 Tips And Tricks For Heating Hot Pockets
To make your Hot Pockets come out as good as possible, be sure to follow these guidelines below:
- Low And Slow?
- As stated in my article about cooking brisket, the best way to cook a Hot Pocket from frozen is low and slow… ish. Hot Pockets cook quite quickly as there, frankly, entirely different from brisket. Still, to get the best Hot Pockets possible, cook them for slightly longer than usual and at a lower temperature than you normally would. Cook one pocket at a time for the best results. However, reserve a minute at the end if you’re cooking without a crisping sleeve.
- Crisp. Them. Up!
- Reserve that minute to bake ’em at a high temperature! Although it’s a little contrary to what I just said, baking your pockets at a higher temperature for just a minute or two at the end of your cooking process will leave them perfectly cooked inside, and wonderfully crispy on the outside. This is not necessary for cooking methods that employ the provided crisping sleeve, but if you’d really like you can turn up the heat for the last thirty seconds of cooking.
- Flip N’ Shake
- Well, rather, flip OR shake. I mean, I guess doing both wouldn’t hurt either – as long as you don’t burn yourself that is! Flipping your Hot Pockets halfway through the cooking process will heighten the chances of your hot pocket cooking evenly, and shaking them after cooking serves the same purpose.
Homemade Hot Pockets From Scratch
You can improve upon the beloved but – let’s face it – doughy, Hot Pocket by making your own! I’ve embedded a recipe by YouTuber Joshua Weissman here in case you’re interested in cooking up these ’lazy calzones’ from scratch.
You can even look at Binging With Babish’s guide to freezer food – while there’s nothing on calzones specifically, there’s some great tips on guidelines for freezing food for meal prep.
FAQ
Is The 2 Hot Pocket Cook Time The Same?
In most cases, the cook time for two frozen (or thawed!) Hot Pockets is exactly the same as if it were to be a single pocket. The only exception is if you plan to make multiple Hot Pockets in the microwave. In this case, just roughly multiply the original cook time by the amount of pockets you’re heating. However, I wouldn’t recommend heating more than two at a time.
How Long to Cook Hot Pockets?
4 minutes in the microwave, 20 minutes in the oven, or 12 minutes in the air fryer.
Heating Hot Pockets – What To Take Away
Heating Hot Pockets is, fortunately, as easy as it is convenient. Essentially, all that you need to remember is that different appliances need different times. A Hot Pocket in the microwave will take around four minutes and tastes a whole lot better when cooked solo, while an oven-baked pocket can take up to thirty minutes to cook. The air fryer, on the other hand, is a happy medium between the two – you can expect the process to take anywhere from around seven – twelve minutes. Most importantly, remember to ditch the crisping sleeve when oven cooking!
