Air-Fryer Croissants: A Quick, Crispy Treat?

Air fryers are a convenient and energy-efficient alternative to ovens for cooking croissants. They can be used to cook croissants from frozen, or to reheat stale croissants to restore their flaky, buttery texture. Air fryers can also be used to cook croissant sandwiches, with sweet or savoury fillings, and to cook crescent rolls from ready-made croissant dough.

Air fryer temperature and timing

The ideal temperature to heat croissants in an air fryer is around 325°F (160-170°C). This temperature allows for even heating without overcooking the outer layers, ensuring that the croissant maintains its flaky texture.

If you are using the air fryer to reheat croissants, preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). This temperature is hot enough to achieve a crispy exterior without burning your pastries.

The cooking time for croissants in an air fryer depends on the type of croissant and the specific air fryer model. For instance, frozen croissants will take longer to cook than fresh croissants. The cooking time also depends on the size and thickness of the croissants.

• Fresh croissants: 3-5 minutes
• Frozen croissants: 7-10 minutes at 350°F (175°C) or 7-9 minutes at 325°F (160°C)
• Ham and cheese croissants: 2-5 minutes
• Crescent rolls: 6-7 minutes at 350°F (175°C)

It is important to keep an eye on your croissants while they are in the air fryer, as the cooking time can vary, and you don't want them to overcook or burn.

Air fryer frozen croissants

Air-Fryer Frozen Croissants

If you're looking for a quick and easy breakfast or brunch, air fryer frozen croissants are a great option. They're ready in minutes and are a more energy-efficient alternative to using an oven.

How to Cook Frozen Croissants in an Air Fryer

The process is simple. First, preheat your air fryer to 180°C/350°F for 5 minutes. While you're waiting for it to heat up, you can prep your croissants. Take them out of the freezer and place them in the air fryer basket, making sure to leave enough space between each one so that hot air can circulate.

Once your air fryer has preheated, place the croissants inside and set the timer for 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them, and check again after 8 or 10 minutes to make sure they're not burning. If they're not quite golden brown after 12 minutes, put them back in for another minute or two.

Tips and Variations

• Different brands of frozen croissants and different models of air fryers may vary in cooking times, so keep a close eye on them the first time you cook them.
• If you're making croissant sandwiches, slice the croissants open, add your fillings, and air fry them until the cheese is melted.
• For a sweet croissant, try filling it with Nutella, strawberries, or bananas and peanut butter.
• For a savoury croissant, add cream cheese, tomato, herbs, and pesto, or try a mushroom Swiss cheese combination.

Air fryer croissant sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 4 full-sized croissants
• 8 slices of turkey
• 4 slices of black forest ham
• 4 slices of Havarti cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• Honey

Instructions:

• Preheat your air fryer to 350°F.
• Slice the croissants in half.
• Layer two slices of turkey, followed by two slices of ham, and then a slice of cheese on the bottom half of each croissant.
• Prepare a sauce by mixing mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and honey.
• Spread the sauce on the cut side of the croissant tops.
• Place the croissant tops on the assembled bottoms.
• Put two croissants in the air fryer at a time to avoid overcrowding.
• Air fry for 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the croissants are golden.
• Serve immediately.

Tips:

• If your croissant tops float up in the air fryer, try leaving them slightly attached to the bottoms or use a toothpick to secure them.
• For a vegetarian option, fill your croissants with fried mushrooms and Swiss cheese.
• You can also make sweet croissant sandwiches with fillings like Nutella, strawberries, bananas, and peanut butter.

Air fryer canned croissants

Air-Fryer Canned Croissants

Air-frying croissants is a great way to make a bakery-style breakfast at home. You can cook them from fresh or frozen, and even reheat stale croissants to restore their flaky, buttery goodness.

Cooking Canned Croissants in an Air Fryer

When cooking canned croissants in an air fryer, it's important to ensure that the dough has room to expand and cook through. Roll the dough slightly loose, so you get fluffy rolls instead of dense, raw centres.

Spray the air fryer basket or racks with oil to prevent sticking, and lay the croissants in a single layer, ensuring they aren't touching and have room to rise and expand.

Air fry at 330°F/165°C for about 6-7 minutes. You can then air fry for another 1-3 minutes if needed, until they are crispy brown and cooked through.

Reheating Canned Croissants in an Air Fryer

If you have stale croissants, you can reheat them in the air fryer to restore their freshness. This is also a great way to melt cheese inside a croissant sandwich.

Slice the croissant down one side and open it up. Add your desired fillings, such as cheese and tomato, and air fry for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the croissant is warmed through.

Tips

• If you are using an oven-style air fryer, you may encounter issues with the croissants burning or remaining raw in the middle. Test one or two first before cooking a whole batch.
• It is not recommended to use parchment paper, as this prevents maximum airflow and can lead to uneven cooking.
• If you are cooking multiple batches, you may need to reduce the timing by a few minutes.
• Different brands of frozen croissants and different models of air fryers may vary in cooking speed, so keep a close eye on your croissants the first time you cook them.
• If you are making croissant sandwiches, don't assemble the sandwich and put it in whole. The cheese won't melt, so it's best to slice the croissant open, add the cheese, and air fry it while still open.
• Keep the temperature somewhat low to prevent the croissant from burning or drying out. A temperature of around 170-180°C/340-350°F is recommended.

Air fryer crescent rolls

Ingredients

• 1 can crescent rolls
• Pinch of salt or sugar (optional)
• Melted butter and garlic powder (optional)

Method

• Pop open the can of crescent rolls.
• Roll out the sheet and carefully separate the triangles.
• Roll up each triangle into a crescent shape, starting with the long end and rolling towards the narrow point.
• Brush/spray the air fryer basket with oil or line it with air fryer parchment paper.
• Place the crescent rolls in the air fryer basket, leaving room for them to expand.
• Air fry at 330°F/165°C for 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn.

Tips

• You don't need to preheat your air fryer.
• If you want to add some extra flavour, brush the crescent rolls with a mixture of melted butter and garlic powder before cooking.
• If all your crescent rolls don't fit in the air fryer, you'll need to cook them in batches.
• You can store leftover crescent rolls at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Frequently asked questions