Air Fryer Desserts: Sweet Treats Without The Oven

Air fryers are a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used to make a variety of desserts, from brownies and cookies to apple crisps and peach cobblers. They are a convenient option for those who want to satisfy their sweet tooth without having to turn on their oven or deal with the mess of traditional baking methods. Air fryers also offer a healthier alternative to deep-fried treats, as they use hot air circulation technology to create crispy and delicious desserts with minimal oil.

Air fryer chocolate chip cookies

Air fryers are great for making desserts, including chocolate chip cookies. Here is a recipe for Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Preheat your air fryer to 325°F. Line the rack or basket of your air fryer with vented parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
• Stir in the egg, vanilla, salt, and baking soda until combined.
• Add in the flour and stir until mixed. Then, stir in the chocolate chips.
• Using a medium (2 tablespoon-sized) cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the baking sheet, parchment, or the bottom of the basket. Depending on your air fryer size, you can do 4-5 cookies per batch.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
• Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Notes:

• You can use either a rack-style or basket-style air fryer for this recipe.
• If you don't have a cookie scoop, you can use a spoon to drop the dough into the desired shape and size.
• The cook time may vary depending on your air fryer, so keep an eye on the cookies to ensure they don't overcook.
• For a chewier texture, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to overnight before baking.

Air fryer apple crisp

Air fryers are great for making desserts, and you can make an apple crisp in one in 20-30 minutes! Here's a recipe for Air Fryer Apple Crisp:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 medium apples (peeled, cored, and diced)
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
• 1/2 lemon or lime, juiced
• 2-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted) or coconut oil
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (make sure they're gluten-free if needed)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup nuts (chopped; use pecans, almonds, walnuts, or omit)
• 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
• 2-3 tablespoons butter (melted) or coconut oil
• A pinch of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

• Prepare a baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray, or grease it with butter or oil.
• Wash the apples and peel them (unless you want to keep the peel on). Cut the apples into bite-sized cubes and put them into the prepared baking pan.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon on top of the apples.
• Place the pan in the air fryer basket and cook the apples at 390°F for 12 minutes.
• Halfway through cooking, remove the basket and flip the apples over with a spatula so that they cook evenly. Then put the basket back into the air fryer to finish cooking.
• In a bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, nuts, maple syrup, flour, and melted butter or coconut oil. Mix until the oats are evenly coated.
• Put the oat mixture on top of the apples by the spoonful.
• Put the apple crisp into the air fryer and cook at 300°F for 4 minutes.
• When done, remove the pan from the air fryer and enjoy!

You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, or a dollop of yogurt on top.

Air fryer brownies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

• Prepare a 7-inch baking pan by greasing it generously with butter on the bottom and all sides. Set aside.
• Preheat your Air Fryer to 330 degrees Fahrenheit and let it run for about 5 minutes while you prepare the brownie batter.
• In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder. Stir until the batter is thick and well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top.
• Place the pan in the preheated Air Fryer and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
• Remove the brownies from the Air Fryer and let them cool in the pan before removing and cutting into squares.

Tips:

• You can add your favourite nuts or mix-ins to the batter before baking.
• If you prefer your brownies fudgy, reduce the baking time slightly, as they will continue to cook a little as they cool.
• For gluten-free brownies, use gluten-free flour with added xanthan gum.
• If you don't have a 7-inch pan, you can use smaller ramekins or other small air fryer-safe dishes. Adjust the baking time accordingly, checking frequently to avoid overcooking.

Enjoy your warm, fudgy Air Fryer Brownies!

Air fryer banana bread

Air fryers are great for making desserts, from apple fritters to chocolate chip cookies. They can even be used to make banana bread! Here is a recipe for Air Fryer Banana Bread:

Ingredients

• 1 small to medium-sized ripe banana (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (or more, depending on your preference)
• 2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable, light olive, canola, coconut, or melted butter)
• 1/4 cup of milk (any type, including non-dairy)
• 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour (or white, wholemeal, or coconut flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• Optional mix-ins: raspberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, coconut, or nuts

Instructions

• Line a small ovenproof baking pan, glass dish, or mini loaf pan (around 5 square inches) with baking paper and trim. Spray with a little oil.
• Preheat your air fryer to 320°F/160°C.
• In a small bowl, mash the banana. Then, whisk in the egg, sugar, oil, and milk.
• Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just combined. If the mixture seems dry, add a small amount of milk. Fold in any mix-ins, such as chocolate chips or nuts.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake in the air fryer for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Let the banana bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe yields a small banana loaf that is perfect for last-minute cravings or entertaining. It has a crisp outer crust and a soft, fluffy, and moist inside. The best part is that it only takes about 30 minutes to make!

Air fryer doughnuts

Air fryers are great for making desserts, and you can make doughnuts in them that are just as delicious as the deep-fried version! Here is a recipe for air fryer doughnuts:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lukewarm milk (about 100°F)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast or instant yeast
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• Oil spray (coconut oil works best)
• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons of hot water, or as needed

Method:

• Start by making the yeast dough. Activate the yeast by sprinkling it over lukewarm milk and adding a little bit of sugar. Gently stir with a fork.
• Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes. You will see the yeast particles popping, and it should become frothy and smell like yeast. If nothing happens after 15 minutes, your yeast may be too old or the milk was too hot.
• Add the remaining dough ingredients: sugar, melted butter, egg, and flour. You can use a stand mixer or mix by hand.
• Knead the dough until it is elastic and smooth, about 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer, use a low speed.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it has doubled in size.
• Roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-inch and a 1-inch biscuit cutter to cut out the donuts. You can also use a wide drinking glass or wide-mouth canning ring and a shot glass if you don't have biscuit cutters.
• Transfer the donuts to a lightly floured surface and cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let them rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Spray the air fryer basket with oil spray.
• Carefully transfer the donuts to the air fryer basket in a single layer, spraying them with oil.
• Cook the donuts at 350°F for about 4 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
• While the donuts are cooking, make the glaze by melting butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Then, stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the glaze is thin but not watery.
• Dip the hot donuts in the glaze and place them on a wire rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. Let them sit for about 10 minutes until the glaze hardens.

Your air fryer doughnuts are now ready to serve! They are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

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