The popularity of the air fryer is growing and with good reason. It distributes heat to food quickly, cooks it evenly, uses a very small amount of oil, and is generally better for your health. But can you bake bread in an air fryer?
Yes, you can bake bread in an air fryer, but it is not the same as a conventional oven. This is because air fryers cook food using a convection set-up and this can be different from traditional ovens. While there may be some similarities between baking in an air fryer and a conventional oven, the results will not be exactly the same.
Most bread made in air fryers is round buns or smaller loaves of bread-like rolls that have been sliced down the middle. When baking round buns, the concept is roughly the same as making a turnover in a conventional oven. Round buns are placed on a baking pan, covered with tin foil, and popped into your air fryer.
The pieces of bread are cooked one side at a time; preheat an air fryer to 340° F for approximately 10 minutes (this is your preheat temperature). The round bun bakes for approximately 5-10 minutes until crisp then reverses the cycle and bake another side at 340° F for another 10 minutes.
You should only cook the bread 1/4 of the way through when baking before transferring to a baking sheet to finish cooking. If you leave the bread in the air fryer too long it will get soggy and tough.
A more common type of recipe for bread you can make in an air fryer is pizza dough. This is one of the easiest recipes you can make in an air fryer; simply cut a ball of dough into squares, place it on parchment paper, and cook as instructed by your recipe.
This works best if you are making your own dough but if you are using store-bought dough it will still work, just make sure it is not too thick. If you purchase pre-made pizza dough that is already rolled out, make sure there is at least an inch of dough on either side of the paper or else it will have trouble cooking through.
A more difficult recipe through which to bake bread in an air fryer is loaves of bread. Loaves of bread cannot be placed directly into an air fryer as they will burn. To bake bread in an air fryer you need to create a plan for the loaves; it is best to use something sturdy but not thick.
You can use a metal baking pan and then cut out the bottom with a kitchen shear. The size of your pan will depend on how big your loaf of bread is; please note that if you make your loaf much bigger than normal, then it will not fit into the air fryer in its entirety.
How do you bake bread in an air fryer?
Bake the bread first. Set the desired temperature for the air fryer and preheat it. Once the air fryer is hot, open the lid and place your dough on top of it. Close the lid, and cook until done. Let stand for about 5 minutes after removing from heat.
The bread may be cooked directly on the rack so that the bottom does not burn. The top will brown just as it would in a conventional oven. If you want to brown only the top of the bread, place parchment paper on top of the bread and set for a longer time so that the heat can penetrate through the paper and brown only the top of your bread.
Experiment with different temperatures, times, and distances from the heating element to get your desired results.
Air Fryer Bread Recipe (Step by Step)
Ingredients:
- 6-by-3-inch round pan
- A 3.5-quart air fryer
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional butter for the pan
- One and a half tablespoons yeast (active dry)
- A half teaspoon of sugar
- One and a half tablespoons salt (kosher)
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
- Set aside a 6-by-3-inch round pan that has been brushed with butter.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the butter, yeast, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of warm water.
- Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time to the mixer on low speed, allowing for each addition to be thoroughly integrated before adding more.
- Knead for 8 minutes on medium speed after adding all of the flour.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, cover, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Set a 3.5-quart air fryer to 380 degrees F and place the pan with the dough inside.
- Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the bread is dark brown and the interior temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
What temperature should I set the air fryer to bake bread at?
The temperature of your air fryer should be between 140F and 350F. If you hover around the middle of this range, you will get a nice golden brown color. If you want to bake the bread at a lower temperature, you will get a darker color. If you bake it at a higher temperature, the outside of the bread will get dark brown/black but will be cooked more on the inside.
Can I freeze bread that has been baked in my air fryer?
Yes, you can freeze bread that has been baked in your air fryer. To freeze, simply mold the bread into sandwiches or store it in bags/boxes for later use. Whichever way you choose, just make sure to wrap the bread well so that it doesn’t get freezer burn.
You can also freeze bread slices. To do so, make 2-3″x 1″ or 4″x1.5″ slices of the bread and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer for about 2 hours depending on the thickness of your slices. After the bread has thawed, you can store them in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Conclusion: Can we bake bread in an Air Fryer?
Yes, an air fryer can be used to bake bread. Some people even say the air fryer makes better-tasting bread as the bread doesn’t dry out. Air frying is healthier than deep-frying and less messy than baking in the oven because there is no need to flour or sprays with oil before baking. The result is that your home doesn’t smell like cooking oil all day long.
- Air Fryer Vs Microwave Power Consumption - January 4, 2024
- Can You Put Tupperware In The Air Fryer? - December 2, 2023
- Cosori Airfryer Vs Instant Pot - November 11, 2023