Cookies in the Air Fryer
Air fryer cookies bake in roughly 9 minutes a batch at 160 °C, with golden edges and a chewy middle, and the dough can be made and chilled ahead. The basket only holds five or six at a time, so the recipe makes 16 cookies in three batches. You get the right size, the baking paper trick and a safe way to bake from frozen.
- Temperature
- 160°C
- Total time
- 1:17hr
- Prep
- 15min
- Servings
- 16
- Per serving
- 185kcal
Why the air fryer works for cookies
Air fryer cookies suit a small household. The chamber heats in a couple of minutes, so you can bake a few fresh cookies at a moment's notice instead of heating the oven, and the fan browns the edges while the middle stays chewy. Cookies in air fryer baskets are also easy to make from frozen dough, so you can bake just two or three whenever you like.
The catch is capacity. A 5–6 litre basket holds five or six cookies and a 4 litre one holds four, so this recipe makes 16 cookies in three batches. Use baking paper cut to fit and keep the cookies well apart, since they spread. A lower 160 °C stops the outsides from setting before the centres are cooked.
How to make cookies in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Cream the butter and sugars Beat the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar for until light. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for so the cookies spread less.
- Shape Roll the dough into 16 balls of about 40 g each and flatten them slightly with your palm.
- Bake in batches Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C for . Cut a sheet of baking paper to fit the basket, leaving the edges clear, and put 5–6 cookies on it, 4–5 cm apart. Never preheat with loose paper in the basket, because the fan can lift it. Cook for until the edges are golden and the centres look just set.
- Cool Leave the cookies on the paper for . They firm up as they cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cooking times and temperatures
| Cookies | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate chip cookies, 40 g5–6 per batch | 160 °C | 8–10 min |
| Large bakery-style, 80 g3–4 per batch | 160 °C | 12–14 min |
| Cookies from frozen dough | 160 °C | 10–12 min |
| Shop-bought cookie dough | 160 °C | 8–10 min |
| One big cookie for one | 160 °C | 7–8 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size of the food and the power of your air fryer. See also cooking times and temperatures for all dishes.
You may also like: Baking paper and foil in an air fryer
Tips
- Chill the dough. Cold dough spreads less and bakes thicker and chewier. Even 30 minutes helps.
- Weigh the balls. Equal 40 g balls bake at the same speed, so every cookie in the batch is done at once.
- Underbake slightly. Cookies that look just set in the middle will be soft and chewy once cooled.
Serving
Eat the cookies warm with a glass of milk or crumble one over vanilla ice cream. They sit well on a plate with brownies and cupcakes, and the dessert section has more bakes to try. Air fryer cookies are also a good last-minute option when guests drop in. For a buttery biscuit instead, try shortbread.
Storing and reheating
Keep the cooled cookies in an airtight tin for up to 5 days. Raw dough balls freeze for up to 3 months and can be baked from frozen with 2 extra minutes. To refresh a cookie, put it in the air fryer at 160 °C for 1–2 minutes.
Variations
- Oat and raisin: Replace 50 g of the flour with porridge oats and the chocolate with 100 g raisins, and add ½ tsp cinnamon.
- Double chocolate: Replace 20 g of the flour with 20 g cocoa powder and use white chocolate chips.
- Nutty: Swap half the chocolate chips for 60 g chopped hazelnuts or pecans.
Troubleshooting
- The cookies spread into one flat sheet
- The dough was too warm. Chill it for 30 minutes and leave 4–5 cm between the cookies.
- They are hard and dry
- They were baked too long. Take them out when the centres still look soft, as they continue cooking on the paper.
- The paper lifts and touches the element
- Use a sheet cut to size and weigh it down with the dough balls before the basket goes in. Never put loose paper in a preheating air fryer.
Frequently asked questions
How long do cookies take in an air fryer?
About 9 minutes at 160 °C for a 40 g cookie. Large 80 g cookies take 12–14 minutes and need to be baked 3–4 at a time.
Can you cook cookies from frozen in the air fryer?
Yes. Freeze dough balls on a tray, then bake them straight from frozen at 160 °C for 10–12 minutes.
Can you bake cookies in an air fryer without baking paper?
You can use a greased silicone mat or a perforated baking liner. Placing dough straight onto a bare basket makes the cookies stick and tear.
Can you make air fryer cookies without egg?
Yes. Replace the egg with 2 tbsp milk and add an extra tablespoon of flour. The cookies are a little crisper and less chewy.
How many cookies fit in an air fryer at once?
Five or six 40 g cookies fit in a 5–6 litre basket, with four in a 4 litre. Leave 4–5 cm between each, since they spread.
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