Can You Really Bake Brownies In The Air Fryer?

Air fryers are all the rage these days and for good reason. It's a relatively hassle-free way to achieve the perfect bake on a huge variety of foods. Everything from cooking an entire steak to reheating a slice of pizza – air fryers can pretty much do it all. You could read every instruction manual and air frying blog and there would still be an entire world of hacks and recipes for you to discover. We know these handy little appliances can be used for baking cheesecake, but did you you can air fry brownies, too?

Whether you enjoy a boxed brownie mix or prefer making them completely from scratch, your air fryer will do what it does best: bake. For baking box mix-brownies in the air fryer, follow the instructions on the packet until the batter is ready. Then, transfer the batter into a small aluminum or Pyrex baking pan (depending on the size of your air fryer) and bake at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for about 36 minutes, checking periodically. While it may sound like yet another effective way to utilize your favorite kitchen tool, there are a few downsides to air fryer brownies.

There are varying reports across the internet of exactly what temperature you should air fry brownies at. One recipe booklet directly from Ninja instructs bakers to set the appliance at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, while another source advises setting it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for the same amount of time. One blog recommends air frying the brownies at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for just 10-12 minutes and another blog counsels baking at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. There doesn't appear to be a single correct temperature to air fry brownies, which can make baking all the more confusing.

On top of that, air fryer trays are usually quite small meaning that your brownie portions are going to be equally dainty. Air fryers come in multiple sizes, but the most common are 4-quart, 6-quart, or 8-quart baskets. A 4-quart air fryer basket can only hold about a 6-inch cake pan. This means that after all of your hard work, you're only left with a relatively small brownie batch or you have to wait another 30-45 minutes for a second pan to bake. For an appliance that's supposed to make life in the kitchen easier, using the air fryer to bake brownies can prove to be a time-consuming and frustrating process.