Air-Fried Chocolate Chip Cookies: Quick, Easy, Delicious!

Air fryers are a great alternative to traditional ovens when it comes to baking chocolate chip cookies. Not only do they yield a crispy exterior and a soft, gooey interior, but they also cut down on baking time and prevent your kitchen from overheating. Here's a step-by-step guide to making chocolate chip cookies in an air fryer, along with some tips and tricks to ensure perfect results.

Preheat your air fryer to 300–325°F

Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in ensuring your chocolate chip cookies turn out perfectly. While some recipes suggest that preheating is not necessary, others emphasise its importance. The ideal temperature range for preheating is between 300°F and 325°F. This temperature range is high enough to cook the cookies through without burning them.

Preheating your air fryer to the correct temperature ensures that your cookies are cooked evenly, achieving the desired texture of crispy edges and a soft, gooey centre. The preheating process also helps to reduce the risk of undercooking or overcooking your cookies, as the air fryer has already reached the optimal temperature for baking.

The preheating time will vary depending on your air fryer model, so it is essential to refer to the user manual for specific instructions. However, as a general guideline, preheating your air fryer to 300°F to 325°F should take around 4 to 5 minutes.

Once your air fryer has preheated, you can proceed with placing the cookie dough into the basket and following the remaining steps to achieve delicious, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

Combine wet ingredients

To combine the wet ingredients for your chocolate chip cookies, you'll need butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.

First, place your butter in a bowl and let it soften. Add the sugars (granulated and brown) and beat the mixture until it's smooth and creamy. You can use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer for this.

Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat the mixture until it's just combined. You can also add a pinch of salt at this stage, if desired.

If you're using melted butter, simply combine all the wet ingredients in a bowl and mix until they're well incorporated.

Add dry ingredients

Now it's time to add the dry ingredients to your chocolate chip cookie dough. For this recipe, you will need all-purpose flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. You can also add in a teaspoon of kosher salt if you wish. If you want to make your cookies extra fluffy, add a teaspoon of baking powder as well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in your large bowl. You can use a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer, or a spatula to combine the ingredients. Mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated and you have a thick and creamy cookie dough.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can also add some mix-ins to your cookie dough at this stage. Try throwing in some chopped walnuts, pecans, or even crushed Oreos! Just stir them into the dough until they're evenly distributed.

Your cookie dough is now ready to be shaped and placed in the air fryer!

Mix in chocolate chips

Once you've prepared your cookie dough, it's time to mix in the chocolate chips. For this, you can use milk, white, or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or even chocolate chunks. You can also add chopped pecans or walnuts for some extra texture and flavour. The amount of chocolate chips or chunks you add is up to you, but a good rule of thumb is to add enough so that they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

If you're using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the chocolate chips into the dough on a low speed until they're combined. You can also stir in the chocolate chips by hand if you prefer. Once the chocolate chips are mixed in, your dough is ready to be shaped into cookies and placed in the air fryer.

If you're using a multi-function air fryer, you can bake the cookies at 320°F for 5-6 minutes, or air fry them at 300°F for 7-8 minutes. For a gooey centre, reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. If you prefer crispy cookies, add an extra minute to the cooking time.

When the cookies are golden brown, let them sit in the air fryer basket for an additional 1-2 minutes. Then, gently lift the parchment paper out of the basket and let the cookies cool on a wire rack or the counter for a few minutes. This extra cooling time is key, as it allows the molten centre to drop a few degrees in temperature and the exterior to crisp up.

Bake for 5–10 minutes

Now it's time to bake your chocolate chip cookies in the air fryer! Place your cookie dough in the air fryer and bake for 5–10 minutes. The exact time will depend on the type of air fryer you have and whether you're using the bake or air fry setting. For example, if you're using the bake feature on a multi-function air fryer, bake your cookies at 320°F for 5–6 minutes. If you're using the air fry feature, 300°F for 7–8 minutes should do the trick. You can also bake cookies in an air fryer oven at 350°F for 9–10 minutes.

While your cookies are baking, be aware that they may brown more quickly on top due to the circulation of air in the air fryer. Don't be fooled by their colour—make sure they bake for the full amount of time!

Once your timer goes off, let the cookies sit in the air fryer basket for an additional 1–5 minutes. This will give them time to set and make them easier to remove from the basket. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack or eat them warm!

Frequently asked questions