Your air fryer isn’t just for crispy fries and chicken wings — it’s secretly the fastest dessert machine in your kitchen. These air fryer dessert recipes deliver cookies, brownies, churros, and even full cheesecake without heating up your oven. Most take under 30 minutes, several need fewer than 5 ingredients, and every recipe below includes real temps and times so your sweet craving is satisfied tonight.
1. Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo credit: Serious Eats — seriouseats.com
The classic that proves your air fryer can bake. Crisp edges, molten chocolate centers, and zero oven preheating.
- Ingredients: 1 batch chocolate chip cookie dough (store-bought or homemade), parchment liner
- Method:
- Scoop dough into balls and place in the basket, well spaced.
- Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes; cool 3–5 minutes to set. The Kitchn
- Temp/Time: 325°F (160°C) for 5–7 minutes Gimme Delicious
- Tip: The sweet spot for most doughs is 325°F — check early, because every machine runs a little differently. Serious Eats
2. Air Fryer Brownies
Photo credit: Texanerin Baking — texanerin.com
Super fudgy, quick, and shockingly easy — from scratch or from a box mix.
- Ingredients: Brownie batter (homemade or boxed), 6–7″ pan lined with parchment
- Method:
- Pour batter into the prepared pan; add chocolate chips on top.
- Bake until the edges are set and the center is just done. Texanerin
- Temp/Time: Preheat to 340°F (170°C), then bake ~20 minutes (leftover brownies reheat at 325°F for 6 minutes) Texanerin · Colleen Christensen
- Tip: Let brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing — they firm up as they cool and cut cleaner.
3. Air Fryer Cheesecake
Photo credit: Supergolden Bakes — supergoldenbakes.com
Yes, a full cheesecake — creamy, crack-free, and your oven stays cold.
- Ingredients: Graham cracker crust, cream cheese filling (cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla)
- Method:
- Press crust into a 6″ springform pan; add filling.
- Bake until the center barely wobbles; chill before slicing. Preppy Kitchen
- Temp/Time: Bake setting at 300°F (150°C) for ~20–30 minutes, continuing in 2-minute bursts if needed Preppy Kitchen · Bake to the Roots
- Tip: Don’t preheat — a gentle start at 300°F helps prevent cracks. Cool completely, then chill at least 2 hours.
4. Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Photo credit: Tastes of Homemade — tastesofhomemade.com
Warm, gooey cinnamon rolls in under 10 minutes — faster than your oven even preheats.
- Ingredients: 1 tube refrigerated cinnamon rolls (with icing), or homemade dough
- Method:
- Place rolls in a greased basket, leaving room to puff.
- Cook until puffed and golden, flipping halfway; frost while warm. A Taste of Madness
- Temp/Time: 320–340°F (160–170°C) for 8–9 minutes, flipping halfway Tastes of Homemade · Chenee Today
- Tip: From-scratch rolls? Bake at 320°F for 8 minutes until puffed and golden. Tastes of Homemade
5. Air Fryer Banana Bread
Photo credit: The Country Cook — thecountrycook.net
The best use of those three sad, spotty bananas on your counter.
- Ingredients: 2–3 ripe bananas, flour, sugar, egg, butter, baking soda, vanilla
- Method:
- Mash bananas and stir together the batter; pour into a lined loaf pan that fits your basket.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The Country Cook
- Temp/Time: 330°F (165°C) for 20–25 minutes (mini loaves ~25 minutes at 320°F; full loaves up to 35 minutes) The Country Cook · Scrummy Lane
- Tip: Tent with foil if the top browns before the middle is done — air fryers bake from the top down.
6. Air Fryer Apple Fritters
Photo credit: Just As Tasty — justastasty.com
All the apple-cinnamon goodness of the fair classic — without a vat of oil.
- Ingredients: Diced apples, flour, sugar, egg, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla glaze
- Method:
- Fold diced apple into a thick batter; drop spoonfuls onto parchment.
- Air fry, flip, cook until golden, then glaze. Allrecipes
- Temp/Time: 350°F (175°C): 5 minutes, flip, then ~5 minutes more until golden Allrecipes
- Tip: Pat the diced apple dry first — extra moisture makes fritters gummy instead of crisp.
7. Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts
Photo credit: Erhardts Eat — erhardtseat.com
A tube of biscuit dough plus cinnamon sugar equals hot donuts before your coffee finishes brewing.
- Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated biscuits, melted butter, cinnamon sugar (or glaze)
- Method:
- Cut a hole in each biscuit (save the holes for donut “munchkins”).
- Air fry until golden, brush with butter, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Recipe Boy
- Temp/Time: 360°F (182°C) for ~5 minutes Recipe Boy
- Tip: These keep frozen up to 3 months — thaw and re-air-fry for an instant donut refill. Devour Dinner
8. Air Fryer Churros
Photo credit: Plated Cravings — platedcravings.com
Crisp-outside, fluffy-inside churros with a fraction of the frying oil.
- Ingredients: Choux dough (water, butter, flour, eggs) piped into churro shapes, cinnamon sugar
- Method:
- Pipe dough onto parchment rounds.
- Air fry until puffed and golden, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Allrecipes
- Temp/Time: 375°F (190°C) for 8–12 minutes until golden Preppy Kitchen · Plated Cravings
- Tip: Lightly spray the churros with oil before cooking — it’s the trick for that authentic fried-crisp exterior.
9. Air Fryer Chocolate Lava Cakes
Photo credit: Our Balanced Bowl — ourbalancedbowl.com
A restaurant-caliber molten chocolate dessert from your countertop appliance. Date night: solved.
- Ingredients: Butter, dark chocolate, eggs, sugar, flour, cocoa powder
- Method:
- Melt chocolate and butter, whisk in eggs, sugar, then flour.
- Pour into greased ramekins and air fry until the edges are set but the center is molten. Allrecipes
- Temp/Time: 350°F (175°C) for 7–10 minutes — different air fryer brands bake differently; never over 10 minutes My Forking Life
- Tip: Loosen the cakes around the edge with a knife right out of the basket, then invert onto plates while hot for the perfect lava flow.
10. Air Fryer S’mores
Photo credit: Preppy Kitchen — preppykitchen.com
Campfire s’mores in 3 minutes, no fire pit (or mosquitoes) required.
- Ingredients: Graham cracker halves, chocolate squares, large marshmallows
- Method:
- Top each graham half with chocolate and a marshmallow.
- Air fry until the marshmallow tops are golden and puffed, then cap with the other cracker half. Preppy Kitchen
- Temp/Time: 350–390°F (175–200°C) for 2–4 minutes until marshmallows are golden Preppy Kitchen · Everyday Family Cooking
- Tip: Marshmallows catch fast at high heat — pull them out the second the tops turn golden, and add 1 more minute at 350°F if the chocolate needs melting. Preppy Kitchen
11. Air Fryer Baked Apples
Photo credit: This Healthy Kitchen — thishealthykitchen.com
Tastes like apple pie filling, and it’s basically a fruit serving. A naturally lighter dessert option.
- Ingredients: Apples (sliced or cored whole), cinnamon, brown sugar or honey, butter
- Method:
- Core the apples (or slice thickly), stuff or toss with cinnamon-sugar and butter.
- Air fry until tender and caramelized. Olives ‘n Thyme
- Temp/Time: 375–400°F (190–200°C) for 10–14 minutes until tender Olives ‘n Thyme · Foodtastic Mom
- Tip: Use firm baking apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith — soft varieties turn to sauce.
12. Air Fryer Chocolate Mug Cake
Photo credit: Sandhya’s Kitchen — sandhyahariharan.co.uk
Single-serving chocolate cake with no microwave, no oven, and no leftovers to tempt you tomorrow.
- Ingredients: Flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, milk, oil, vanilla, chocolate chips
- Method:
- Mix batter right in the mug, filling no more than half full.
- Air fry until the top is set but the center is still moist. Sandhya’s Kitchen
- Temp/Time: 340°F (170°C) for 13–16 minutes in a mug — or 5–6 minutes in a 4″ ramekin at 350°F Sandhya’s Kitchen · Air Fryer Baking
- Tip: In a hurry? Mix a box of chocolate cake mix with ½ cup oil and 1 egg, then air fry at 350°F for just 5 minutes. Air Fryer Facebook community
13. Air Fryer Lemon Bars
Photo credit: Fork To Spoon — forktospoon.com
Tangy curd, buttery shortbread, and not a water bath in sight.
- Ingredients: Shortbread crust (butter, flour, sugar) + lemon filling (eggs, sugar, lemon juice, zest)
- Method:
- Blind-bake the crust first, then pour in the filling.
- Bake at a lower temp until just set; chill before cutting. Air Fryer Baking
- Temp/Time: Crust at 320°F for 10–12 minutes, filling at 300°F for 12–15 minutes Air Fryer Baking
- Tip: The bars harden as they cool — pull them while the center still slightly jiggles, then chill 2 hours. Sweet and Savory Meals
14. Air Fryer Fried Oreos
Photo credit: The Recipe Critic — therecipecritic.com
State-fair fried Oreos with a golden, puffed batter shell — made with almost no oil.
- Ingredients: Oreo cookies, pancake or crescent batter, powdered sugar
- Method:
- Coat each Oreo in batter and place on parchment.
- Air fry until the coating is golden brown and puffed, then dust with powdered sugar. Food Network
- Temp/Time: 350°F (175°C) for 5–7 minutes (pancake-batter version at 375°F, flipping at 4 minutes) Food Network · Air Fryer Baking
- Tip: Freeze the battered Oreos on a plate for 30 minutes before cooking — it helps the coating set and puff evenly. Air Fryer Baking
15. Air Fryer Beignets
Photo credit: Allrecipes — allrecipes.com
Bring New Orleans to your kitchen — pillowy squares, blizzard of powdered sugar, zero deep frying.
- Ingredients: Beignet dough (flour, yeast, milk, egg, butter) or 2-ingredient puff pastry version
- Method:
- Cut dough into squares, spray lightly with oil.
- Air fry in batches until puffed and golden, then drown in powdered sugar. Food Network
- Temp/Time: 350–375°F (175–190°C) for 5–6 minutes, flipping halfway if you like Food Network · Blue Jean Chef
- Tip: A 2-ingredient puff-pastry shortcut works too — air fry at 400°F for 5–7 minutes until golden. The Bitter Side of Sweet
16. Air Fryer Grilled Pineapple
Photo credit: Mantitlement — mantitlement.com
The caramelization concentrates the pineapple’s sweetness into candy territory — no added sugar needed.
- Ingredients: Fresh pineapple rings (or spears), optional honey and cinnamon
- Method:
- Arrange rings in a single layer in the basket.
- Air fry until golden and caramelized, flipping at the halfway point. This Healthy Kitchen
- Temp/Time: 400°F (200°C) for 10–16 minutes total Airfried.com · This Healthy Kitchen
- Tip: Serve warm with vanilla ice cream — hot caramelized pineapple over cold cream is the easiest fancy dessert there is.
17. Air Fryer Peach Cobbler
Photo credit: Food Banjo — foodbanjo.com
Golden, bubbling cobbler in a dish that fits your basket — summer dessert, any season.
- Ingredients: Canned or fresh peaches, sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, baking powder, milk
- Method:
- Layer peaches in a cake pan or ramekin; top with cobbler batter.
- Air fry until the top is nicely browned and the fruit bubbles at the edges. Food Banjo
- Temp/Time: 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes (smaller pan) or 320°F for 22–24 minutes (deeper dish) Food Banjo · Bites with Bri
- Tip: If the topping browns too fast, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan for the last few minutes. Bites with Bri
18. Air Fryer Cherry Hand Pies
Photo credit: Dessert for Two — dessertfortwo.com
Flaky, portable, cherry-packed little pies — made with store-bought puff pastry in about 10 minutes.
- Ingredients: Puff pastry sheet, cherry pie filling (or fresh cherries + sugar), egg wash, coarse sugar
- Method:
- Cut pastry into rectangles, spoon in filling, seal the edges with a fork, and brush with egg wash.
- Air fry until golden and crisp; cool briefly before eating. The Country Cook
- Temp/Time: 360°F (182°C) for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway The Country Cook
- Tip: Vent each pie with 2 small slits on top — trapped steam is the #1 cause of burst hand pies.
19. Air Fryer Snickerdoodles
Photo credit: The Soccer Mom Blog — thesoccermomblog.com
Cinnamon-sugar crackle tops, chewy centers, and your whole kitchen smells like a bakery.
- Ingredients: Cookie dough (butter, sugar, egg, flour, cream of tartar), cinnamon-sugar coating
- Method:
- Roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar; place spaced apart on parchment.
- Air fry until the edges are golden and centers look slightly underdone. Upstate Ramblings
- Temp/Time: 300–325°F (150–160°C) for 7–10 minutes, then rest 1–2 minutes in the basket Air Frying Foodie · Upstate Ramblings
- Tip: Slightly underdone-looking cookies finish setting as they rest in the hot basket — pulling them “too early” is the secret to a chewy center.
Tips for Air Fryer Baking Success
- Drop the temp ~25°F below oven recipes. The concentrated circulating heat browns faster than a conventional oven.
- Always use a parchment liner or small pan for loose batters, and weight it down with batter before the fan kicks on.
- Don’t crowd the basket. Airflow is the oven — leave space between cookies, churros, and fritters.
- Check at the early end of every time range. Models vary widely; a 2-minute difference can swing from golden to burnt.
- Flip halfway on items that brown on top only (cinnamon rolls, donuts, fritters).
- Let baked goods rest in the basket 1–3 minutes before removing — carryover heat finishes the centers gently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What desserts can I make in an air fryer? Cookies, brownies, cheesecake, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, churros, lava cakes, fried Oreos, beignets, hand pies, fruit desserts, and even s’mores all work beautifully — anything that fits a small pan or bakes in batches.
What temperature do you bake desserts in an air fryer? Most air fryer desserts bake between 300–375°F (150–190°C). Delicate bakes like cheesecake do best at 300°F; cookies and bars at 320–350°F; pastries and fritters at 350–400°F.
Do air fryer desserts taste fried or baked? Baked — the circulating hot air crisps exteriors like frying but without oil, so items like churros and fried Oreos come out lighter than the deep-fried originals.
Can I use foil or parchment paper in an air fryer? Yes, both — but always weigh the liner down with batter or food so it can’t fly up into the heating element, and never preheat an empty lined basket.
Are air fryer desserts healthier? They use a fraction of the oil of deep frying (often just a spray), so fair-style treats like beignets, churros, and fried Oreos come with far less added fat — though baked goods still contain their usual sugar and butter.