Air Fryer Cookies: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Air fryers are a convenient alternative to baking cookies in a traditional oven. They can bake a few cookies in about half the time, and there is minimal preheating required. The circulating air in the air fryer cooks the food faster and at a lower temperature, yielding thick, soft, and chewy cookies with gooey centres and crispy edges.

Mixing the ingredients

To make a cookie in an air fryer, you'll need to mix both wet and dry ingredients. For the dry ingredients, you'll need flour, baking soda, and salt. For the wet ingredients, you'll need butter, sugar (both white and brown), milk, and vanilla extract. Optionally, you can add chocolate chips or similar treats.

Begin by whisking the dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this. Then, stir in the milk and vanilla extract.

Now it's time to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they're combined. If you're adding chocolate chips or another treat, stir them through at this point.

If you want thicker cookies, cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour.

Making the dough

Ingredients

First, gather all the necessary ingredients. The exact quantities may vary depending on the recipe and the number of cookies you intend to bake. However, the standard ingredients include:

• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter, according to your preference.
• Sugar: A combination of light brown soft sugar and white granulated sugar is ideal for a balanced flavor and texture.
• Egg: A medium or large egg will work.
• Vanilla extract: This ingredient is optional but adds a delightful flavor to your cookies.
• Flour: Always opt for plain all-purpose flour. Avoid self-raising flour as it will make your cookies cakey.
• Raising agents: Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda are classic choices to ensure your cookies rise beautifully during baking.
• Chocolate chips: Feel free to use any type and flavor of chocolate chips you prefer. You can also experiment with different mix-ins, such as crushed Oreos, different flavored chips, or even chopped candy bars.

Mixing the Ingredients

Once you have gathered all the ingredients, it's time to mix them together to form a cohesive dough:

• Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, light brown sugar, and white granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer to beat the ingredients until they are well creamed, usually for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add Wet Ingredients: To the creamed mixture, add the egg and vanilla extract. Continue beating until all the wet ingredients are well combined.
• Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour, salt (if desired), and baking soda to the mixing bowl containing the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly until a cohesive dough starts to form. Make sure there are no lumps in the dough.
• Mix-ins: Finally, add your chosen mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, to the dough. Stir or beat the mixture until the mix-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Chilling the Dough (Optional)

At this stage, your dough is ready to be shaped and placed in the air fryer. However, some bakers suggest chilling the dough before baking to help the cookies retain their shape. This step is optional but can be beneficial if you want to bake the cookies in batches or ensure they hold their form. Simply cover the bowl of dough and place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 48 hours.

Now that your dough is ready, you can proceed to shape it and place it in your air fryer, following the remaining steps of your chosen air fryer cookie recipe. Remember to adjust the temperature and timing according to your air fryer's specifications and always ensure your air fryer basket is properly lined to avoid any messes or dough sticking to the base. Enjoy the process and indulge in the delicious cookies you've created!

Shaping the dough

Start by lining the air fryer basket with parchment paper. This is crucial, as it will prevent your dough from sticking to the basket and make it easier to remove the cookies once they're baked. Some people recommend poking holes in the parchment paper to allow for better air circulation, but this isn't necessary as long as you weigh down the paper with dough.

Next, use a cookie scoop or your hands to form the dough into balls. For consistency, aim for a uniform size and shape—a standard size is about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball. If you're making chocolate chip cookies, this is also the time to add your chocolate chips or chunks to the dough and give it a final stir to distribute them evenly.

Place the dough balls into the prepared air fryer basket, leaving some space between each one. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you'll likely be able to fit around 3-4 cookies at a time. If you're using a larger scoop or making bigger cookies, adjust the number accordingly.

At this point, you can choose to chill the shaped dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour if you prefer thicker cookies. Chilling the dough can also help them retain their shape, especially in warmer months or if your kitchen is particularly warm.

Once you're ready to bake, follow the instructions for your specific air fryer model regarding preheating and cooking time and temperature. As a general rule, air fryers cook cookies faster than a conventional oven, so keep a close eye on them to avoid overcooking.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to shaping the perfect dough for air fryer cookies.

Baking the cookies

Now that you have your cookie dough ready, it's time to bake those cookies in the air fryer!

• Line the bottom of your air fryer basket with a piece of foil or parchment paper. Foil is best as it doesn't need to be weighed down with dough like parchment paper. However, if you use parchment paper, make sure to poke holes in it.
• Place 3-4 balls of cookie dough into the air fryer basket, leaving enough room for the cookies to spread.
• If you want to bake more cookies, you will need to work in batches.
• Preheat your air fryer to 300°F for 4-5 minutes. This step is optional, but it helps to ensure even cooking.
• Air fry the cookies at 325°F for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly firm. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookies and the type of air fryer you have.
• Remove the cookies from the air fryer basket and let them cool for 5 minutes. This helps the cookies to firm up and prevents them from breaking.
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to continue cooling.
• Repeat the process for the remaining cookie dough.

Tips for Success

• If you prefer thicker cookies, refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking.
• Don't skip the resting time after baking. This allows the cookies to firm up and prevents them from breaking.
• Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake. Different air fryers may produce different results, so adjust the baking time as needed.
• Experiment with different mix-ins like walnuts, shredded coconut, candy buttons, or peanut butter chips.

Cooling the cookies

Once you've baked your cookies, it's important to let them cool. Remove the cookies from the air fryer basket and let them sit for about five minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to continue the cooling process.

The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, so don't skip the rest time. If you've baked a large batch, you'll need to work in batches, transferring the baked cookies to a wire rack while the remaining cookies continue to air fry.

The middle of the cookies will be molten, so a short cooling process is key. Leaving the cookies to cool for around five minutes will allow the exterior to crisp up enough to contain the soft centre.

Once they've cooled, your cookies will become more firm and are ready to be devoured!

Frequently asked questions