Sugar Cookies in the Air Fryer
Air fryer sugar cookies bake in about 8 minutes, so you can have a small batch of warm, soft-centered cookies without heating the oven. This recipe uses a simple scratch dough that bakes up with golden edges and a tender middle, and it also covers premade and refrigerated dough. You will see how many fit per batch and how to keep them from spreading.
- Temperature
- 320°F160 °C
- Total time
- 1:09hrs
- Prep time
- 15min
- Servings
- 12
- Per serving
- 160kcal
Why the air fryer works for sugar cookies
Sugar cookies are mostly butter, flour and sugar, so they depend on quick, even heat. The fan in an air fryer moves hot air around the cookie, which sets the edges and browns the base in about 8 minutes. The small chamber heats quickly, so a batch of four cookies costs very little energy and time, which makes the method a good fit when you want a few warm cookies, not three dozen.
There are two limits. A basket holds 4 to 6 cookies, so a full recipe means three batches. And the moving air can dry a cookie surface, so the dough needs to be chilled and the time kept short. A cookie pulled when the edges are just golden will look slightly underdone and finish setting as it cools, giving a soft, chewy center rather than a crisp one.
How to make sugar cookies in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Cream the butter and sugar Beat the butter and ½ cup sugar in a bowl for , until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, then stir them into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Chill Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for . Cold dough spreads less in the hot air.
- Shape Roll the dough into 12 balls of about 2 tbsp each, then roll them in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Press each ball down gently to ¾ inch thick.
- Preheat and arrange Preheat the air fryer to 320 °F for . Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the basket with a small border, and set 4 cookies on it, 1 inch apart. Always place the cookies on the parchment before it goes in, so the paper cannot lift.
- Bake Cook for , until the edges are light golden and the centers look set but still soft. Let the cookies cool on the basket for , then move them to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining dough in 2 more batches.
Times and temperatures
| Sugar Cookies | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scratch, 2 tbsp balls4 cookies per batch | 320 °F (160 °C) | 8 min |
| Refrigerated dough | 320 °F (160 °C) | 6–8 min |
| Frozen dough balls | 320 °F (160 °C) | 9–11 min |
| Thin, cutout cookies | 300 °F (150 °C) | 5–6 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Tips
- Weigh or measure the dough. Balls of equal size bake at the same speed. Two tablespoons per cookie is a good guide.
- Bake one batch at a time. Leave the remaining dough in the refrigerator. Warm dough spreads and gives thin, greasy cookies.
- Cool on a rack. Cookies left on the basket continue to bake from residual heat and can turn too firm.
What to serve with sugar cookies
Serve sugar cookies with a glass of cold milk, hot chocolate or coffee. For a party, frost them with a simple buttercream or a glaze of powdered sugar and milk, and add sprinkles for Halloween or Christmas. They also pair with fresh strawberries and whipped cream for a quick dessert plate. If you want other cookie styles, the cookies page covers chocolate chip, and the dessert recipes offer cakes and muffins.
Storing and reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Put a slice of bread in the container if you want them to stay soft. Unbaked dough balls freeze for up to 3 months, and you can bake them directly from frozen with 2 to 3 extra minutes. To refresh a day-old cookie, warm it in the air fryer at 300 °F for 1 to 2 minutes.
Variations
- Brown sugar: Replace the granulated sugar in the dough with packed light brown sugar for a chewier cookie with more caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon sugar: Roll the balls in 2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Almond: Replace the vanilla with ½ tsp almond extract and press a sliced almond into the center of each cookie.
- Cutouts: Roll the chilled dough to ¼ inch, cut shapes that fit the basket and bake at 300 °F for 5 to 6 minutes.
If it does not turn out right
- The cookies spread too much
- The dough was too warm or the butter too soft. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and keep the unused dough in the refrigerator while each batch bakes.
- The bottoms are dark but the tops are pale
- Lower the temperature to 300 °F and add 1 minute. A piece of parchment under the cookies also protects the bottoms.
- The cookies are hard once cool
- They baked too long. Take them out when the centers still look slightly soft, because they keep firming for several minutes while they cool.
Questions and answers
How long do you cook sugar cookies in the air fryer?
Scratch cookies take 7 to 9 minutes at 320 °F. Refrigerated slice-and-bake or premade dough takes 6 to 8 minutes at 300 to 320 °F, depending on thickness.
Can I cook refrigerated or frozen sugar cookie dough in the air fryer?
Yes. Place the dough on parchment in the basket, 1 inch apart. Refrigerated dough bakes in 6 to 8 minutes at 320 °F. Frozen dough balls need 9 to 11 minutes.
Can I make sugar cookies in the air fryer without egg?
Yes. Replace the egg with 2 tbsp milk. The cookies are a bit more tender and slightly less puffy.
Do I need parchment for sugar cookies in the air fryer?
A small sheet of parchment, sized to fit under the cookies, prevents sticking. You can also use a lightly greased basket. Never preheat the basket with loose paper in it.
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