Potato smiles are quick and easy to cook in the air fryer, and guaranteed kid-approved! They come out way tastier than from cooking in the oven (they are perfectly crispy all over!), and can go from freezer to table in around ten minutes!
Check out our FREE air fryer calculator for an easy way to convert pack instructions from oven to air fryer!
There are some foods that I only use my air fryer to cook these days, because the results are just so much better than when they are cooked in an oven, and one of these is smiley fries! (For more, check out my list of the best foods to cook in the air fryer)
Air frying them is so much quicker and more convenient than oven baking. No need to wait for the oven to heat up, plus you can flip them easily with a quick shake of the basket rather than individually, so they get evenly crispy all over.
What potato smiles to use
We usually get McCain Smiles, but any brand of potato smiles or smiley face potatoes will do. My kids certainly don’t care 😆
Just bear in mind that each brand will have slightly different sized smiles, so the cooking times may vary a little from those given below.
How to cook smiley fries in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F/180°C. Note: preheating is not required for all air fryers. However, preheating will give you better results for foods like potato smiles, where the cooking time is short.
- Place the frozen smiles in the air fryer basket. There’s no need to place them in a single layer, but if they are piled up they will need to be shaken more often during cooking to redistribute them and ensure that they cook evenly.
- Air fry smiley fries for 8-12 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice during cooking (or use tongs) to redistribute them, until they are golden brown and crispy.
Variations and serving ideas
- Serve smiley fries with your kids’ favorite dipping sauce and watch them disappear (the fries, not the kids)!
- Make loaded smiles by topping the smiles with chili, ground beef, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
- Add some spice by tossing the fries with a blend of spices like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper before cooking.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the air fried smiles before serving.
- Top with crispy bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese.
Easy kids’ dinner idea
You can cook smiley fries in the air fryer alongside other kid-friendly foods like frozen fish sticks, sausages, or frozen chicken nuggets.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover smiley fries in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and use within 3 days. Can reheat them in the air fryer:
- Air fry at 360°F/ 180°C for 3-5 minutes until warmed through.
Air Fryer Smiley Fries (Frozen)
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C (approx 2-3 minutes).
- Place frozen smiley fries in air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes to redistribute the fries.
- Smiley fries are cooked when they are golden brown, crispy and cooked through.
Oven instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F/ 200°C (or 360°F/180°C fan bake).
- Place smiley fries on a baking sheet, try to ensure they are not touching.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes flipping over halfway through the cooking time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
