The air fryer has become an incredibly popular kitchen appliance in recent years. Its ability to make crispy “fried” foods using little to no oil is a game-changer for many home cooks.
From french fries to chicken wings, there are tons of recipes that work well in the air fryer. But what about biscuits? Can these fluffy baked goods handle the hot air-circulating environment of an air fryer?
How Do Air Fryers Work?
Before diving into air-frying biscuits, it helps to understand how air fryers work. Air fryers use rapid air circulation technology to quickly cook foods.
A heating element and fan are used to circulate hot air around the food at high speeds, resulting in a crispy exterior similar to deep frying.
However, air fryers use little to no oil, making the cooking process much healthier. The basket design allows air to freely circulate around all surfaces of the food. This allows for even browning and crispiness.
Benefits of Cooking Biscuits in an Air Fryer
Cooking biscuits in the air fryer has several potential benefits:
- Faster cooking time: The rapid air circulation technology of an air fryer can decrease biscuit cooking time significantly compared to using the oven. Biscuits can be cooked in an air fryer in under 10 minutes.
- Crispy exterior: The circulating hot air will help create a nice crispy, golden brown exterior on all sides of the biscuits.
- Moist interior: Since biscuits are thick and dense, the inside can remain tender and moist while the outside gets crispy.
- Oil-free cooking: air frying avoids the need for extra oil, keeping the biscuits lighter than deep frying.
- Smaller batch cooking: Air fryers take up less space than an oven, so you can conveniently cook a small batch of biscuits.
Potential Drawbacks to Air Frying Biscuits
However, there are also a few potential drawbacks to consider:
- Uneven cooking: dense biscuits may cook unevenly in spots without the all-around heat of an oven.
- Altered texture: The rapid hot air may result in a different, lighter texture than oven-baked biscuits.
- Small batches only: Most air fryers only hold 2–6 biscuits at a time, so you’ll need to cook multiple batches for larger servings.
- Limited rising room: There may not be enough vertical space for biscuits to properly rise, resulting in flatter biscuits.
Tips for Air Frying Biscuits
If you want to give air-frying biscuits a try, follow these tips for the best results:
- Use a recipe formulated for air frying. Look for biscuit recipes developed specifically for the air fryer. These often contain adjustments to leavening and liquids to account for the cooking method.
- Brush with butter or oil: lightly brushing the biscuit tops with butter or oil will help promote browning in the air fryer.
- Don’t overload: Cook biscuits in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. This allows for proper air circulation.
- Flip halfway: Flip the biscuits about halfway through cooking for even browning and cooking on both sides.
- Check early and often. Monitor biscuits closely and check them early to prevent overbrowning. Air fryers cook very quickly.
- Adjust the temperature if needed. Try lowering the temperature by 25°F if the biscuits are browning too quickly before the centers are done.
Air Fryer Biscuit Recipe
This simple 2-ingredient biscuit recipe turns out hot, fresh biscuits in the air fryer in just minutes.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter or oil for brushing
Instructions:
- Mix together self-rising flour and milk until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat or roll to 3/4-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, rerolling scraps to cut additional biscuits.
- Brush the tops lightly with melted butter or oil. Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, evenly spaced.
- Air fry at 370°F for 4-6 minutes until starting to brown. Flip and air fry 3-5 minutes more until golden brown.
- Serve biscuits warm right out of the air fryer. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Frying Biscuits
Here are answers to some common questions about making biscuits in the air fryer:
Can any biscuit recipe be cooked in an air fryer?
No, traditional biscuit recipes meant for oven baking likely won’t work as well. Look for recipes specifically formulated for the air fryer to ensure proper rising and texture.
Is there any difference between baked and air-fried biscuits?
Yes, air-fried biscuits will have a crisper, browner exterior due to the circulating hot air. The interior crumb may also be a little bit lighter and fluffier.
How long does it take to cook biscuits in an air fryer?
Cooking time can range from 6 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Expect air-fried biscuits to cook in about half the time of oven baking. Watch closely to prevent burning.
Should you flip biscuits during air-frying?
Yes, flipping the biscuits halfway through is recommended to promote even cooking and browning on both sides.
Do you need to use oil or butter when air-frying biscuits?
A small amount of oil or butter brushed on top is helpful for achieving a nice browning. But no added fats are required since the air fryer cooks without oil.
Can you reheat leftover biscuits in an air fryer?
Yes, air fryers work great for reheating leftover biscuits to restore their crispness. Reheat at 300°F for a few minutes until warmed through.
Conclusion
Air-frying is a quick and convenient way to cook up fresh, hot biscuits at home with very little oil. While the texture may differ slightly from oven-baked biscuits, the air fryer can still produce delicious results in record time.
With a bit of experimenting to get the cook time just right for your particular air fryer and recipe, you can easily achieve tender, flaky biscuit interiors with crispy, golden exteriors.
Give air-fried biscuits a try for an easy weeknight side or on busy weekend mornings!
Hi, I’m Julie, the passionate foodie and founder of Juliesfamilykitchen.com. I created this blog out of a drive to prove someone wrong, and then I realized how much I truly enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. In my free time, when I’m not running around after my kids or spending quality time with my partner, you can usually find me in the kitchen experimenting with new dishes.