Air Fryer Sugar Cookies: Can It Be Done?

Air fryers are a great alternative to traditional ovens for baking sugar cookies. They can save time and space, and yield thick, soft, and chewy cookies with a crispy exterior and a classic chewy centre. Air fryer cookies are also versatile, allowing you to add candies, chips, frosting, or even leaving them plain. You can even use premade sugar cookie dough for an even quicker and easier process.

Air fryer sugar cookies recipe

Ingredients

• Butter
• Sugar (white, brown, or raw)
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Milk (optional)
• Chocolate chips or other candies (optional)

Method

• Prepare the air fryer basket by lining it with a piece of parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix on medium speed until combined.
• Add in the vanilla and egg. Continue to mix for an additional 30 seconds.
• Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing together until a soft dough forms. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
• Stir in any desired add-ins, such as chocolate chips or candy pieces, evenly mixing them into the dough.
• Scoop or spoon small balls of dough onto the prepared parchment paper inside the air fryer basket. Leave about 1/2 inch between the cookies.
• Cook at 325-370 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-11 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.
• Once the timer ends, open the basket and let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Tips:

• It is essential to preheat your air fryer before adding the cookies to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.
• If you prefer softer cookies, reduce the cooking time by a minute or two.
• For thicker cookies, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking.
• Experiment with different mix-ins and extracts to customize your cookies.

Air fryer sugar cookies with Reese's Pieces

Air fryers are a great way to make cookies, especially if you're looking for a quick, easy, and mess-free way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Sugar cookies are a classic, but you can easily add a twist by throwing in some Reese's Pieces. Here's a detailed guide on how to make Air Fryer Sugar Cookies with Reese's Pieces:

Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients:

• Butter (preferably unsalted butter)
• Sugar (white and/or brown)
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• Flour (all-purpose/plain/white flour)
• Baking powder/baking soda
• Salt
• Reese's Pieces

Optional Ingredients

You can also add some extra ingredients to enhance the flavor and texture:

• Milk (any type, such as unsweetened almond milk)
• Peanut butter
• Chocolate chips
• Sprinkles

Method

Once you have your ingredients, follow these steps:

• Prepare the air fryer basket: Line it with parchment paper, making sure the paper is slightly larger than the cookies to prevent sticking.
• Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix until they are well combined and fluffy. Then, add in the vanilla and eggs, continuing to mix.
• Add the dry ingredients: Slowly add the flour and baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until a soft dough forms. If you're using a hand mixer, use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Mix in the Reese's Pieces: Gently stir in the Reese's Pieces, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
• Shape the cookies: Scoop or spoon small balls of dough onto the prepared parchment paper inside the air fryer basket. Leave about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
• Air fry the cookies: Cook the cookies at 370 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for 4-6 minutes. The cookies are done when they are golden brown on top and may still be slightly soft in the middle. They will harden as they cool.
• Cool and serve: Carefully remove the cookies from the air fryer, as the basket will be hot. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy your freshly baked Air Fryer Sugar Cookies with Reese's Pieces!

Tips and Variations

• If you like thicker cookies, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before shaping and air frying.
• Experiment with different mix-ins: Try M&Ms, chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, or crushed candy bars.
• For a super crispy cookie, use pre-made cookie dough like Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough.
• Store leftover cookie dough in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.

Air fryer sugar cookies with sprinkles

Air fryers are perfect for making small batches of desserts, and sugar cookies are no exception. You can use a pre-made cookie dough or make your own. If you're making your own, here's a simple recipe for sugar cookies with sprinkles.

Ingredients

• Butter
• Sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla extract
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Sprinkles

Method

• In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
• In a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and use a mixer to cream together.
• Stir through the milk and vanilla extract.
• Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
• Line an air fryer basket with parchment paper.
• Using your hands, roll out balls of cookie dough and place them in the basket, ensuring they are not crowded.
• Air fry the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for 6-8 minutes or until the edges are slightly firm and golden.
• Remove the cookies from the basket and let them cool on a wire rack.
• Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate them with sprinkles.
• Enjoy your homemade air-fried sugar cookies!

You can also experiment with adding different types of mix-ins to your cookies, such as chocolate chips, candies, or peanut butter cups.

Air fryer sugar cookies with cinnamon

Air fryers are a great way to make sugar cookies, especially if you want a quick, crispy, and chewy treat. You can use a pre-made sugar cookie dough or make your own.

Ingredients

• Butter
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Flour
• Milk

Method

• Combine the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a stand or hand mixer to beat the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy.
• Add eggs, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the mixture. Mix until combined.
• Add half of the flour to the mixture and continue mixing.
• Slowly add the remaining flour and mix on medium speed until the cookie dough is thick and creamy.
• Prepare the air fryer basket by lining it with parchment paper.
• Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to shape equal-sized dough balls.
• Roll the dough balls in a bowl with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Place the dough balls in the air fryer basket on parchment paper, leaving about an inch between them.
• Air fry at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
• Allow the cookies to sit in the air fryer basket for an additional 1-2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Tips

• You can add mix-ins like candies, chips, frosting, or even leave them plain.
• If you want a super soft cookie, the air fryer method may not be the best as it tends to produce crispy cookies.
• You can refrigerate the dough before baking to improve the texture and flavor and make the dough easier to handle.
• Preheat your air fryer to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow hot air to circulate and prevent the cookies from spreading into each other.

Air fryer sugar cookies with icing

Air fryers are a great way to make sugar cookies, especially if you want a quick, small batch of cookies without heating up your kitchen. The air fryer method yields cookies with a crispy exterior and a chewy, soft centre. You can also decorate them with icing, sprinkles, or candies for an extra touch.

Ingredients

The ingredients for air fryer sugar cookies are the same as those for oven-baked sugar cookies. The key ingredients are typically flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and baking powder. You can also add in candies, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips for some extra flavour.

Steps

First, prepare the air fryer basket by lining it with parchment paper. Then, in a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until they are well combined. Next, add in the vanilla and eggs, continuing to mix for another 30 seconds. Slowly add in the flour and baking powder, mixing until a soft dough forms. If you want to add in any candies or chocolate chips, now is the time to stir them into the dough.

Now, it's time to shape the dough. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form small balls of dough, placing them onto the prepared parchment paper inside the air fryer basket. Leave about half an inch of space between the cookies to allow for spreading. If you want to add sprinkles, you can dip the dough balls into a shallow bowl filled with sprinkles before placing them in the basket.

When you're ready to bake, preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes. Then, place the basket inside and cook the cookies for 4 to 7 minutes, depending on your air fryer. The cookies are done when they are golden brown on top and may still be slightly soft in the middle, but they will harden as they cool.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes in the basket before transferring them to a wire rack to continue cooling. If you want to decorate them with icing, simply mix together powdered sugar, plant milk, and corn syrup to create a thick icing that can be piped onto the cooled cookies.

Tips

• Each air fryer is unique, so you may need to experiment with the cook time and temperature to get it just right.
• You can refrigerate the cookie dough before baking, as this can improve the texture and flavour and make the dough easier to handle.
• If you want thicker cookies, cover the bowl of dough and refrigerate it for at least an hour before shaping and baking.
• Store any leftover baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Frequently asked questions