Air Fryer Hack: Cookie Sheet Usage

Air fryers are a great alternative to conventional ovens when it comes to baking cookies. They are essentially tiny convection ovens that can bake cookies with gooey centres and crispy edges. While baking cookies in an air fryer, it is important to use a baking pan or parchment paper to avoid a mess as the dough can drip through the basket. It is also important to note that air fryers have limited space and heat up more efficiently than regular ovens, so it is recommended to bake in smaller batches and adjust the temperature and timing accordingly.

Air fryer cookies: gooey centres and crispy edges

Air fryers are great for making cookies with gooey centres and crispy edges. They are basically countertop convection ovens with a new look and PR push. They are tiny but mighty. Food is placed in a slotted basket surrounded by heating elements and high-powered fans that circulate heat around a small chamber. It is the intensity of this hot air that dries out and crisps the surface area of food so quickly, similar to frying.

Air fryer cookies bake into a crispy cookie shell that looks deceptively baked, but once bitten into, yields a molten, gooey, magic middle. This is achieved because of the close proximity of air circulation and the intense dryness of an air fryer’s heat, which cooks and crisps the entire exterior of the cookie. A standard oven cannot achieve this same effect because the chamber is larger and the heating elements are farther away, meaning only the edges of the cookie will crisp while the tops and middles stay soft.

Air fryer cookies are baked à la minute. There is no pressure to make a whole batch and there is very little clean-up. They are quick and easy warm cookies on demand for present company only.

How to make cookies in the air fryer

Line the bottom basket with a piece of foil that doesn’t ride up any sides, so the interior fan can't blow it around. Preheating is not necessary. If the cookie dough is freshly made (room temperature), bake three or four scoops at 320°F for 9 to 10 minutes, or until spread and just golden on top. If the cookie dough is already chilled or frozen, bake at a lower temperature (270°F) for 11 to 13 minutes.

Once baked, the cookies will beg you to lift them from their chamber and into your mouth, but a short 5-minute cooling process is key. The middle of the cookie is molten and needs to drop several degrees to allow the exterior to crisp enough to contain its innards and achieve peak air fryer-cookie heaven.

Tips

• Always line the bottom of the air fryer with foil to help with easy cleanup.
• Line the racks or basket with parchment paper, either buying paper that has holes in it, cutting some slits into the paper, or leaving room around it, which will allow for even cooking and air circulation.
• If you don't have a solid tray, you'll need to put some baking paper underneath to cover the holes.
• An air fryer heats up much more efficiently than a regular oven. Whatever temperature your recipe calls for, drop it by 15% and take a few minutes off the bake time.
• The first few times you bake something new, check regularly to see that things don't brown too quickly so you can adjust time and/or temperature if necessary.
• Air fry in batches. The cookies need enough room to spread or else they won’t cook all the way.
• For thicker cookies, refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
• Don’t skip the rest time. Letting the cookies rest in the basket keeps them from breaking. Plus, they’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
• Keep an eye on the cookies. Everyone’s air fryer is a bit different. If your cookies feel raw, continue air frying them in one-minute intervals until done.
• Switch up the mix-ins. Swap chocolate chips for walnuts, shredded coconut, candy buttons, or peanut butter chips.

Air fryer cookies: preparation and baking

Air fryer cookies are a quick and easy way to make a small batch of cookies. They are also a great option if you want to avoid heating up your kitchen with a conventional oven. Here is a guide to help you prepare and bake delicious cookies using your air fryer.

Preparation

First, gather your ingredients. A basic chocolate chip cookie recipe will require flour, baking soda, salt, butter, white and brown sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips. You can also get creative and experiment with different mix-ins like walnuts, shredded coconut, or peanut butter chips. Once you have your ingredients, mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine them to make the cookie dough.

Baking

Preheat your air fryer if necessary (some recipes recommend skipping this step). Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or foil—this will catch any drips and make cleanup easier. Form the cookie dough into balls, about 3-4 per batch, and place them in the air fryer basket, leaving enough room for the cookies to spread. Set the air fryer temperature to between 300°F and 350°F, and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden. For chilled or frozen dough, you may need to bake for a few minutes longer at a lower temperature (around 270°F).

Cooling and Storage

Remove the cookies from the air fryer and let them cool for about 5 minutes. This will help the cookies firm up and achieve the perfect texture. Enjoy your freshly baked cookies! If you have any leftovers, you can store them at room temperature for up to a week or freeze them for up to 6 months.

Air fryer cookies: baking times and temperatures

Air fryers are a great alternative to baking cookies in a conventional oven. They are basically small, mighty convection ovens, yielding thick, soft, and chewy cookies with a crispy exterior.

Baking Times and Temperatures

The baking times and temperatures for cookies in an air fryer will depend on the type of cookie you are making, the size of your air fryer, and the number of cookies you are baking at once.

For example, when making chocolate chip cookies, it is recommended to bake three or four scoops of room-temperature cookie dough in the air fryer at 320°F for 9 to 10 minutes, or until spread and just golden on top. If you are baking with chilled or frozen cookie dough, it is recommended to bake at a lower temperature of 270°F for 11 to 13 minutes.

If you are making air fryer cookies with a different recipe, you may need to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly. For instance, one recipe for air fryer cookies instructs to bake the cookies at 170°C/325°F for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are slightly firm.

It is important to note that air fryers heat up more efficiently than regular ovens, so it is generally recommended to reduce the temperature and baking time specified in a traditional recipe by about 15%. For example, if a recipe calls for baking cookies at 350°F in a conventional oven, you may want to reduce the temperature to around 300°F and start checking the cookies after 5 minutes or so in your air fryer.

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that different types of air fryers may yield different results. Some air fryers have fans located at the top, which can result in the bottom of the cookies not cooking evenly. In this case, you may need to flip the cookies over halfway through the baking process.

Tips for Baking Cookies in an Air Fryer

• Line the bottom basket of the air fryer with foil or parchment paper to prevent the cookie dough from sticking and make clean-up easier.
• There is no need to preheat the air fryer before baking cookies.
• Air fry the cookies in batches to ensure they have enough room to spread and cook evenly.
• Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes after removing them from the air fryer. This will help them to firm up and achieve the perfect texture.
• Experiment with different recipes and adjust the temperature and baking time as needed until you find the sweet spot for your particular air fryer model.

Air fryer cookies: baking sheets and alternatives

Air fryers are a great alternative to baking cookies in a conventional oven. They are essentially tiny convection ovens, so they can bake cookies with gooey centres and crispy edges in half the time. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to the type of baking sheet or alternative you use.

Firstly, it is important to note that air fryers are small and have limited space, so you will only be able to bake a few cookies at a time. If you have a basket-type fryer, you will need a round or square cake pan. If your fryer is larger, a small cookie sheet or quarter sheet pan is ideal.

If you don't have a solid tray, you can use baking paper or parchment paper underneath the cookies to cover the holes in the air fryer basket. However, be careful with parchment paper as it can pose a fire risk. Make sure you use food-grade parchment paper and cut it to size so that it doesn't obstruct the air circulation. Perforating and trimming the paper can further assist with air circulation and prevent it from flying around inside the unit.

Another alternative is to use aluminium foil, but be aware that this can have negative effects. You can also buy special sheets of parchment with holes in them to allow for air circulation, but some dough may still fall through.

If you want to avoid the hassle of using paper or foil, you can buy special pans that fit into your air fryer. If you have a bucket-style air fryer, there are pans available that fit into the bucket. If you have an air fryer/toaster oven, a quarter baking sheet will fit great.

So, while you can use a baking sheet in an air fryer, there are also several alternatives to consider, depending on the type of air fryer you have and how much time and effort you want to put into the preparation process.

Air fryer cookies: pros and cons

Air fryers are a convenient alternative to conventional ovens for baking cookies, but there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros:

• Air fryers are small and mighty, taking up minimal counter space and producing mighty results.
• They can bake cookies in about half the time of a conventional oven, with no need for lengthy preheating.
• Air fryers create a desirable cookie texture: crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.
• You can bake just a few cookies at a time, making it ideal for small batches or when you want to treat yourself to a couple of warm, freshly baked cookies.
• Air fryers are excellent for achieving a crispy/fudgy texture for cookies like chocolate chip cookies.
• They are perfect for those who live in small apartments or don't have access to a full-size oven.
• Air fryers are versatile and can handle almost any cookie recipe, from meringues to drop cookies.
• They are a great option for those who want to reduce their energy consumption, as they cook faster and at lower temperatures than traditional ovens.

Cons:

• Air fryers have limited space, so you can only bake a small number of cookies at a time.
• They heat up more efficiently than regular ovens, so you need to adjust the temperature and baking time to avoid overcooking or burning your cookies.
• The intense heat and convection fan can cause issues with certain types of cookies, such as those with gooey toppings or those that rise too high.
• The basket-type air fryers may not be suitable for baking cookies as the dough can drip through the basket.
• Using parchment paper or aluminium foil in an air fryer requires extra precautions to ensure safety and avoid mess.
• Air fryers don't have the same capacity as a range or wall oven, so they are not ideal for baking large batches of cookies.
• The intense heat and small space of an air fryer may be too much for certain types of cookies, causing them to burn or cook unevenly.

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