Air Fryer Monte Cristo sandwiches are the best of all worlds - like a grilled ham and cheese married French toast and had a raspberry jelly baby. It's a little salty, a little sweet, and cooked to perfection when you use your air fryer.
Mix pancake mix, milk, water, vanilla and egg together in a bowl, mixing just until combined. The batter should be thick but you can add additional pancake mix to thicken if needed.
Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F.
Assemble sandwiches in this order: slice of bread, 2 slices cheese, 5 slices ham, 2 slices cheese and finishing with a slice of bread. Place toothpicks in the corners of the sandwiches to secure the slices of bread together.
Dip a sandwich in the prepared batter and carefully turn to cover the opposite side.
Line the air fryer basket with a parchment liner. Place battered sandwiches in the lined air fryer basket.
Cook for 7 minutes, turn the sandwich and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the air fryer. Remove toothpicks and discard.
Allow sandwiches to cool for 1-2 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve with raspberry jam as a dipping sauce if desired.
Notes
These sandwiches are best served warm.
While you can save leftovers for 1-2 days in the frog, these sandwiches are best eaten fresh.
Recipe variations:
Add sliced turkey for a heartier sandwich.
Substitute Gruyere cheese for the Swiss if desired.
You can spread a thin layer of jam inside the sandwich before cooking.
Drizzle with maple syrup if preferred.
Nutritional information will vary based on ingredients used.