Yorkshire Puddings in the Air Fryer
Yorkshire puddings in the air fryer are a handy way to get a Sunday lunch on the table when the oven is full of roast potatoes and a joint. Small metal tins, batter that has rested and oil that is properly hot give you tall, crisp puddings with a soft middle in about 15 minutes. The method is simple, but it only works if you follow a few rules, and this page is honest about what a basket can and cannot do.
- Temperature
- 200°C
- Total time
- 55min
- Prep
- 10min
- Servings
- 4
- Per serving
- 180kcal
Why the air fryer works for Yorkshire puddings
Cooking Yorkshire puddings in air fryer baskets makes sense when your oven is busy. A Sunday lunch usually needs the oven at full tilt for the roast potatoes and the joint, and Yorkshire puddings need the hottest, most reliable heat of all. The air fryer heats up in minutes, reaches 200 °C quickly and has strong airflow, which crisps the outside of the puddings while they climb up the sides of the tins.
There are limits. The basket holds four small tins at a time, so you will cook in two batches for eight puddings. A big tray of a dozen is easier in the oven, and the tins must be metal for a good rise. If you are cooking for a crowd, use the oven for the main batch and keep the air fryer for a quick top-up, or for reheating yorkshire puddings in air fryer style when the last guest is late to the table.
How to make Yorkshire puddings in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Make the batter ahead Whisk the flour and salt in a bowl, make a well, add the eggs and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the milk and water. Pour it into a jug and leave it to rest for at least , or overnight in the fridge. Rested batter rises higher.
- Choose the tins You need small metal tins that fit in the basket with a little space around them, about 8–9 cm across. Four at a time is usual. Metal heats up much faster than silicone, which is why it gives a better rise.
- Heat the oil Put 1 tsp of oil in each tin. Set the tins in the basket and preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for , until the oil is smoking hot. Use the tin handles or oven gloves from here on.
- Add the batter Pull out the basket and quickly pour the batter into each tin until it is about two-thirds full. It should sizzle as it goes in. Slide the basket back straight away.
- Cook without peeking Cook for at 200 °C. Do not open the drawer for the first , as the puddings collapse if the hot air escapes. They are ready when they are tall, deep golden and firm to the touch.
- Cook the second batch Tip the first puddings out onto a wire rack, wipe the tins if needed, add fresh oil and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the puddings while they are still hot and crisp.
Cooking times and temperatures
| Yorkshire Puddings | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Small puddings, fresh batterMetal tins, do not open early | 200 °C | 15 min |
| Frozen Yorkshire puddingsSingle layer, no oil needed | 180 °C | 4–5 min |
| Reheating cooked puddingsSteaming hot, 75 °C | 160 °C | 2–3 min |
| Large pudding, 15 cm tinNeeds a tin that fits the basket | 190 °C | 22–25 min |
| Mini puddings in a 12-hole tinOnly if the tin fits | 200 °C | 10–12 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: Christmas dinner in an air fryer
Tips
- Rest the batter. Thirty minutes is the minimum and overnight in the fridge is better. The flour absorbs the liquid and the puddings rise higher and more evenly.
- Use oil with a high smoke point. Rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil cope with 200 °C. Olive oil can smoke too early, and beef dripping gives the best flavour if you have some from the roast (not vegetarian).
- Work quickly and keep the drawer shut. Pour the batter in within 10 seconds of taking the basket out, and resist the urge to look until at least 10 minutes have passed.
Serving
Serve the puddings straight away with roast beef, gravy and vegetables. The roast beef in the air fryer and a tray of roasted carrots make a good partner, and a pork roast works equally well. They also make a good main course on their own, filled with sausages and gravy. For the best texture, serve them within a few minutes of cooking.
Storing and reheating
Cooked Yorkshire puddings keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge, and they freeze well for up to a month. To reheat, put them in the air fryer at 160 °C for 2–3 minutes, or 4–5 minutes at 180 °C from frozen, until crisp and steaming hot all the way through (75 °C). If you buy frozen Yorkshire puddings, the same timings apply. For other frozen products see frozen food in the air fryer.
Variations
- Frozen Yorkshire puddings: Place up to 6 in a single layer without oil and cook at 180 °C for 4–5 minutes. Check the pack, as sizes vary.
- Herb puddings: Stir 1 tsp of chopped thyme or chives into the batter for a savoury lift that suits roast chicken or lamb.
- Toad in the hole for two (not vegetarian): Cook 4 sausages for 8 minutes first, put them in a small hot tin with oil and cover with batter. Cook at 190 °C for 20 minutes until the sausages reach 75 °C and the batter is golden.
Troubleshooting
- The Yorkshire puddings did not rise
- The oil was not hot enough or the drawer was opened too early. Preheat the tins with the oil for the full 5 minutes, pour in the batter quickly and leave the drawer shut for the first 10 minutes.
- The puddings are soggy in the middle
- They came out too soon, or the tins were overfilled. Fill to two-thirds only, cook until deep golden and wait for them to feel firm before you take them out.
- The tops are dark but the sides are pale
- The tins were too close to the heating element or too crowded. Leave a gap between the tins and, if the tops brown early, cover them loosely with a small piece of foil for the last 3 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make Yorkshire puddings in an air fryer?
Yes, as long as you use small metal tins that fit the basket and heat the oil first. A large roasting tin will not fit, so a big batch is easier in the oven.
How long do Yorkshire puddings take in an air fryer?
About 15 minutes at 200 °C for small puddings made with fresh batter. Frozen Yorkshire puddings take 4–5 minutes at 180 °C.
Can you cook frozen Yorkshire puddings in an air fryer?
Yes. Place them in a single layer at 180 °C for 4–5 minutes, until crisp and steaming hot all the way through (75 °C). They cook quickly, so check them after 3 minutes.
Can you make a large Yorkshire pudding in an air fryer?
Only if the tin fits the basket, for example a small 15 cm round cake tin. Use 2 tbsp of oil, fill it to a third and cook at 190 °C for 22–25 minutes.
Can I use a silicone muffin tray?
It works, but the puddings rise less and brown more slowly, because silicone does not hold heat the way metal does. Use a metal tin if you have one.
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