Baking traditional cookies during the holiday season never fails to prepare us for the holidays, so when we came across this delicious Gingerbread Fry Cookie Recipe on Instagram, we couldn't wait to try it out. .
Quickly becoming the must-have small appliance this winter, one of the best air fryers is on many of us's wish lists. We're big fans of the latest air fryers for a number of reasons. Most importantly, their impressive time and money saving features make them a worthwhile investment and a useful countertop gadget to keep on hand.
We've seen plenty of cookie recipes online that allow you to easily bake in the air fryer, so when we saw Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies Recipe on @airfryingfoodie's Instagram (Opens in a new tab), we thought we'd give it a try. We've summarized the recipe below and given our verdict to include any adjustments you'd like to try and bake your gingersnaps to perfection. Read on to find out how we got away with it.
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If you're going to make these gingerbreads with an air fryer, you'll need an air fryer (if you don't already have one)...
Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
The Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies recipe we chose to follow for the holidays comes from @airfringfoodie on Instagram. It seems super easy to follow and the results look pretty tasty.
Make ahead and you can store the dough wrapped in cling film for up to 7 days. You can also freeze the no-bake cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once baked, you can store the cookies in an airtight bag or airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
We followed @airfryingfoodie's recipe for Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies, which we've jotted down below for you:
Ingredients:
- 2 x 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookie Method
We read that the recipe suggests baking the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 176°C (348,8°F). We used the Ninja Foodi Max Health Grill & Air Fryer AG551UKDBCP (opens in a new tab), which features variable temperature settings and up to 6 cooking functions for broiling, air frying, broiling, baking, reheating, and dehydrating. As the temperature rises in 10°C increments, we decided to bake at 170°F (338°C) for 8 minutes.
The method we followed was very simple and we even used the Reheat function on the deep fryer to melt the butter in the first stage. Once the butter was melted, all that was left was to mix everything together and chill the dough in the freezer before baking.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl, then set aside.
2nd step: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the butter and sugar. Beat together on medium speed. Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses. Continue mixing on medium speed until well blended.
Step 3: Slowly add the flour mixture and continue to mix until all the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the inside of the container if necessary.
Step 4: Film and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.
Step 5: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your favorite shapes.
Step 6: Place the cookies in the air fryer basket, lined with parchment paper.
Step 7: Air fry at 176°C for 8-10 minutes until the batter is cooked. Adjust as you see fit. We tested 5 minutes at 170°C
Step 8: Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from fryer basket. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Air Fryer Gingerbread Cookies Recipe Verdict
While it's best not to interrupt your baking cycle midway, we opened the fryer lid halfway through the six-minute cycle to see how well the cookies were doing. On our first try, we baked the cookies for 8 minutes at 170°F, but found they were a bit undercooked and too burnt on the sides. Once the cookies had cooled they started to get too hard for our liking.
Learning from our mistakes, we made a second batch and baked them for 6 minutes at 170°C and the results were much better. While the gingerbread cookies looked a bit paler than our first batch, they baked well and retained a hard, crisp exterior with a nice chewy center. We just had to wait for them to cool down and decorate.
A little trial and error gave us the results we were looking for when making our gingerbread cookies. Because air fryers are very powerful and cook food at high temperatures quickly, you'll need to be careful when choosing the ideal setting for baking a batch of cookies. Remember that the cookies will harden a bit more as they cool, so it's best not to overcook them in the deep fryer.
Yes, now we know. An air fryer can not only create quick appetizers and entrees, but the latest designs are also great for treats and baking. The focus here is on speed, without compromising flavor, which is why baking cookies in the air fryer is such an appealing idea.
If you're looking for more cookie ideas, we're also loving the look of @airfryongfoodie's White Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies (opens in a new tab). It's also worth trying the Air Fryer Christmas Brownie Mix cookies (opens in a new tab) and using the pre-made cookie mix for even faster results.
We found that as long as you get the temperature and timing right, you'll get that crunchy outer shell with a moist, chewy center that tastes delicious. Also, faster cooking times can mean lower energy consumption and therefore cheaper electricity bills too. If you're still sitting on the fence and wondering if you should buy an air fryer, you can read our article on deciding if air fryers are worth it.