What can you bake in an air fryer?

Many customers have asked whether an air fryer can be used for baking; the answer is yes. If you do not have an oven home, you can still make delicious baked goods with an air fryer.

As an air fryer does not have the same capacity as a conventional oven, you will need to bake in multiple batches when using an air fryer. Additionally, you will need to make size adjustments to accommodate your baked goods.

Online recipes are typically written for conventional ovens, so if you’re using an air fryer for baking, you’ll need to adjust the baking time and temperature slightly.

In this guide on how to bake with an air fryer, you will gain a deeper understanding of how an air fryer works, what can and cannot be baked in an air fryer, and how to convert standard oven recipes for your air fryer. These are only guidelines; unique recipes may yield slightly different results!

What does the air fryer do?

Air fryers are typically used for cooking “fried” foods without adding oil, fat, or calories.
However, the process within an air fryer is not frying at all. Inside the cooking, the chamber is a heating element and a fan that circulates hot air.
The cooking process is similar to a convection oven (fan-forced setting). Still, in an air fryer, the hot air circulates much more quickly, allowing it to come into contact with the entire surface of the food more efficiently, resulting in a crispy exterior.
Notice the holes in the basket of your air fryer upon close inspection. These holes increase the contact between the food and the hot air, allowing the food to cook more quickly and uniformly.
Some air fryers may be able to cook food more evenly than others. If your air fryer produces unevenly cooked food, keep the following in mind: Always preheat your air fryer before use, and stop halfway through cooking to rotate the pan, just as you would when baking in an oven.

What Can and cannot bake with an air fryer

What Can Bake

Cookies

As previously stated, an air fryer circulates hot air more rapidly; consequently, a small batch of cookies can be cooked in as little as five minutes.

Butter or cooking spray should coat the air fryer basket to prevent cookies from sticking. You can also use foil or parchment paper to line the base.

Aside from minor baking time and temperature adjustments, which will be covered later in the article, using an air fryer for baking cookies is identical to using an oven. Please avoid toppings that may melt, as they may catch fire.

Cakes, cupcakes, and quick breads

These relatively dense batters are one of the most straightforward baked goods to prepare. Due to the proximity of the surface of these batters to the air fryer’s heating element, baking them in an air fryer will result in slightly caramelized, crisp tops. However, the centers will remain soft and airy, just as they are when baked.

Cinnamon rolls

Surprisingly, cinnamon rolls are one of the best foods baked in an air fryer. Just be sure to do it properly by cutting them into smaller pieces and not baking too many.

If you use frozen cinnamon roll dough, it will be perfectly baked in approximately 9 to 11 minutes.

Doughnuts

Deep-frying is the conventional method for preparing doughnuts. In addition to a large amount of sugar used to coat them, the additional oil prevents us from overeating. What if we told you that using an air fryer would produce equally delicious treats without the added fat and calories?
You can make healthier doughnuts at home by adjusting the time, temperature, and distance between doughnuts.

Chiffon and Sponge Cakes

Cakes with a relatively thin batter can be difficult to bake in an air fryer because the batter can become dispersed and create a mess.

However, this can be avoided by baking the cookies in a tall, sturdy metal pan. The only additional step required to bake a chiffon cake in an air fryer is to line the pan with aluminum foil and poke holes in it. Remove the foil and bake the cake for an additional 5 minutes. The outcome will be just as fluffy as those baked in the oven!

What You Shouldn’t Bake

Smaller baked goods

Although it is recommended to reduce the size of standard-sized baked goods to fit in an air fryer, there are better choices than air fryers for baking small items such as choux pastry (cream puffs), madeleines, or mini-cupcakes.
Because each item is so small and must be baked separately with sufficient space between them, you will need to bake them in multiple batches. This could result in leaving the remaining batter out for too long.
If you leave out choux pastry dough or any batter for too long, it will lose its ability to rise. Leavening agents such as baking powder and baking soda have a relatively short duration of action, so their effect may have diminished significantly by the time the last batch is baked.
This is also true for miniature cakes that require meringues for volume. If the batter is not baked immediately, the beaten egg whites will begin to deflate, resulting in a flatter and denser cakes.

Everything with cheese

If you’re considering using your air fryer for baking something with cheese on top and want to avoid dealing with a mess later, we advise against it. As soon as cheese comes into contact with the air fryer’s hot surface, it will melt, creating a difficult-to-clean mess. However, you can still try baking with cheese if it is not exposed to air (e. g., for muffin filling).

Important Guidelines Before Beginning

Start by Cleaning Your Air Fryer

It is essential to clean your air fryer before, and after cooking, regardless of the function you are using. If you don’t, outside flavors can seep into your baked goods, and you don’t want old food particles in your baked goods!

Smaller batches may be required.

Before baking, it is essential to consider the size of your air fryer and realize that if you want to make a large number of baked goods, you will have to bake in multiple batches. Small batches are recommended, as overcrowding can result in uneven cooking or undercooked food.

Adjust Bake Time and Temperature as Necessary

Traditional recipes assume that you are baking in an oven; therefore, you will need to adjust the ingredients and cooking time to achieve the best results. Because air fryers circulate hot air, they cook food more quickly than conventional ovens. There are some general guidelines to keep in mind when adjusting time and temperature.

Reduce the recommended temperature by approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit and the cooking time by about 20%. Due to the increased heat and circulation, Neal warns that it is easy to overbake in an air fryer and advises checking for doneness frequently to avoid burning.

Do Not Eliminate Oil Entirely

Even though we are “air” frying, we cannot eliminate oil. Even if your air fryer baskets are nonstick, you will need to grease your pan just as you would for traditional baking. We advise avoiding using nonstick sprays, as they can damage the nonstick surface. Instead, we suggest greasing or lining your air fryer baskets with perforated parchment paper, similar to how you would prepare a steamer basket. According to Neal, this method is ideal for cookies and other baked goods that may stick to the basket, as the perforations allow hot air to circulate correctly and evenly cook the food.

You might require additional supplies.

Typically, the same materials used in a conventional oven can also be used in an air fryer. This means that an air fryer can use high-quality, heat-resistant silicone, stoneware, and aluminum pans.

However, it is essential to consider the size of your supplies. Check the dimensions of your air fryer to ensure that your pans and tools fit (the most common fitting dimensions include a 6-by-3-inch round cake pan), and choose shallow pans so that they will do and the baked goods will cook more quickly.

Perforated parchment paper, nonstick silicone spatulas, silicone tongs, and a silicone egg bite mold are additional baking supplies that will assist you with your air fryer.

With an Air Fryer, baking couldn’t be more straightforward.

Air fryers are highly efficient and can help you save time in the kitchen, but keep in mind that their baking capabilities are somewhat limited compared to those of a traditional oven.

However, you can still produce delectable baked goods with a few modifications and adjustments! Remember the most important rules: never overcrowd and adjust cooking time and temperature accordingly.

Want to bake with your air fryer? Consider baking the Citrus Cream Cheese Cupcakes, Gula Melaka Brown Butter Brownies, and Orange Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipes.