Why You Can't Make Fried Dough In Your Air Fryer

It sometimes seems like there is nothing an air fryer can't do. Egg toast in the morning? No problem. Homemade potato chips for a movie night snack? Easy peasy. It can even ripen unripe bananas in a pinch. Yet, an air fryer isn't quite a jack-of-all-trades. If you have a hankering for a taste of the fair and fried dough is calling your name, you're much better off cooking it the traditional way.

According to Lynne Just, chef and consumer test kitchen manager at Hamilton Beach, only a bona fide deep fryer can handle some types of pastries. "Air fryers can get dough crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, creating a satisfying texture that mimics traditional frying," she said. "However, deep frying imparts a rich golden color, ultra-crunchy crust, and slightly chewy bites that air fryers can't replicate."

She emphasized that assessment by explaining the difference between cooking a beloved pastry in an air fryer versus a traditional fryer. "For example, if you were to deep fry a donut, it would be completely surrounded by hot oil," Just said. "This quickly seals the exterior, locking in moisture and creating a golden, crispy crust with a soft, fluffy interior. The oil also contributes to a richer flavor and mouthfeel."

And herein lies the problem: An air fryer doesn't actually fry food. "In contrast, an air fryer relies on circulating hot air, which doesn't conduct heat as effectively or evenly as oil," Just explained. "As a result, donuts may brown unevenly, develop a drier exterior, or even appear done on the outside while remaining undercooked inside." In addition, "Air frying also tends to pull moisture from the dough too quickly, leading to a dense or dry interior."

While those hopes of making fried dough quickly and conveniently are shattered, there are still some types of dough that perform well in the air fryer. Lynne Just said, "Because an air fryer provides very dry heat, this environment works well for puff pastry, pie dough, and biscuit dough."

Still, simply popping these doughs in the basket without some special attention beforehand won't yield the results you are hoping to achieve. "The key to air frying these doughs is brushing or spraying with butter or oil to enhance the crispiness," Just said. "A watchful eye is also important to avoid overcooking." If you take the extra time to butter up your dough, the accelerated heat circulation an air fryer utilizes to cook food can generate the exact textures you are looking for. "The layers of a puff pastry crisp up beautifully without becoming soggy. Pie crusts and biscuits get a nice crunchy exterior while staying tender inside," Just shared.

However, there is one caveat regarding everyone's favorite appliance. "Air fryers require food to be cooked in small, well-spaced batches to allow proper air circulation," Just said. "Overcrowding leads to poor browning and uneven cooking." You can make a pie in the air fryer, but only one at a time. And depending on the size of your appliance, you might have to make it a personal pie. Still, if you're short on time and perhaps willing to make smaller batches of goodies, an air fryer will get the job done as long as what you're cooking doesn't require being submerged in hot oil to meet expectations.