In recent years air fryers have rocketed in popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only are they one of the cheapest cooking appliances, they’re also one of the healthiest. Due to their innovative way of cooking, air fryers can give food that satisfying crisp texture without using a drop of oil. Plus, they’re also far more versatile than you might think.
While they’re known for quickly creating beautifully golden chips or giving vegetables, fish, or chicken that perfect crunch, they can also be put to good use in the morning. Whether it’s indulgent croissant sandwiches or crispy-fried bacon, there are many ways your air fryer can create a delicious breakfast.
So, to get you inspired, here are 10 airfryer breakfast recipes to jumpstart your day.
1. Air fryer croissant sandwiches
Golden, flaky, and buttery, there are few people who don’t love a croissant. But if you’ve bought a batch, you’ll probably know how quickly they can turn stale. Luckily, using an air fryer to reheat old croissants is a quick and easy way to restore them to their best. But why not go one better and make air fryer croissant sandwiches?
Traditionally, croissant sandwiches were made using a frying pan or sandwich press, which results in a rather sad, flattened croissant. But an air fryer ensures they remain perfectly fluffy! Because croissants are so indulgently buttery, less is more when it comes to making sandwiches. You definitely don’t need to go overboard with ingredients!
If you prefer savoury croissants, why not try adding some cheese and tomato? Brie and cranberry sauce is another classic. Just make sure you open the croissant up in the fryer if you want the cheese to melt properly. If you fancy something sweet, nutella, strawberries and/or bananas are breakfast staples. Or why not go all out and stuff your croissant with eggs and bacon?
To check out a selection of air fryer croissant sandwich recipes, head over to Happy Veggie Kitchen.
2. Air fryer French toast
French toast is the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch – and it’s also a total breeze to make in an air fryer. You can use any type of bread in this recipe, although brioche works especially well; its soft texture really soaks up the eggy mix. Just make sure you don’t over-soak it, as it may start to fall apart in the fryer. You can use any type of milk in this recipe too, from oat and almond to soya or dairy.
If your air fryer basket isn’t non-stick, it’s best to use parchment paper at the bottom of the basket, as this avoids any mess. Try to make sure that the slices of bread don’t touch, and cook for around three minutes; then, flip and cook for a further two. Your toast should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. You can always cook for an extra minute or two if you like your toast extra crisp!
To make air fryer French toast, try this recipe from Fork to Spoon.
3. Air fryer cooked fruit
If you prefer fresh, fruity dishes to carb-heavy breakfasts, you’ll be pleased to know you can use air fryers to elevate fruit too. Cooking boosts the flavours, making fruit taste sweeter, juicier, and more intense. It’s especially good during winter when fruit isn’t at its ripest.
You can cook pretty much any fruit in an air fryer, but stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines really come into their own after a blast in the fryer. All you need to do is cut the fruit, remove the stones, brush with something like maple syrup, then cook for 15 minutes, or until caramelised. You can sprinkle the fruit with sugar, salt, and cinnamon for extra flavour. Pineapple and banana work well, too!
Once your fruit is cooked, try adding it to yoghurt, cereal, or porridge, use to top smoothies, or simply eat by itself. To make perfect air fryer cooked fruit, try this recipe from Okonomi Kitchen.
4. Air fryer bacon
If you’re partial to some bacon in the morning, then making the switch from a normal frying pan to an air fryer will be a game changer. Not only does cooking bacon in an air fryer require less oil, it’s also a far tidier affair, and eliminates the need to deep-clean the hob after breakfast!
How long it takes to get perfectly crispy bacon will depend on the type you use: streaky bacon takes between six and ten minutes, while back bacon takes between four and eight minutes, depending on how crispy you like it. Just make sure you lay the bacon in a single layer, without any rashers overlapping, so that it cooks all the way through.
If you’re cooking batches of bacon, the best way to prevent smoking is to pour out the oil between each batch. Putting some water, or a slice of bread at the bottom of the basket, is another way to reduce smoke. To make perfect air fryer bacon, try this recipe from BBC Good Food.
5. Air fryer breakfast muffins
If you’re a fan of baking, why not try experimenting with your air fryer? The beauty of breakfast muffins is their versatility: you can make savoury muffins filled with veg, eggs, or cheese, healthy muffins packed with fruits, seeds, and nuts, or sweet muffins stuffed with chocolate chips or blueberries. Whatever recipe you go for, they only take around 15 minutes to bake in an air fryer.
Simply spoon your muffin mixture into either silicone cases or an air fryer muffin tin, and fill each muffin to three-quarters full. How many muffins you’ll be able to make each time will depend on how big your fryer is, but generally you’ll get at least six from each batch.
If you fancy making some blueberry muffins, try this recipe from Stay Snatched. To make a batch of savoury breakfast muffins stuffed with vegetables, you might like this recipe from Fork to Spoon.
6. Air fryer breakfast quesadillas
If you love Mexican food – particularly gooey quesadillas – this next recipe should be right up your street. While traditional quesadillas are usually packed with cheese and an array of veggies and/or beans, breakfast-inspired quesadillas also contain scrambled eggs for that morning protein hit.
Quesadillas are famously adaptable, so you can swap ingredients as you see fit. If you want to add meat, why not add some bacon or sausages? To keep things plant-based, throw in some pinto beans, veggie sausages, or extra veg like spinach, tomatoes, or mushrooms. You can even swap out the scrambled egg for scrambled tofu, which means you don’t even have to dirty a pan!
To make these easy breakfast quesadillas, lay one tortilla at the bottom of the air fryer, spread with your ingredients (leaving a half inch border), top with your second tortilla, spray with oil, and cook for around four minutes. Then, cut into quarters and enjoy! To make air fryer quesadillas, check out this recipe from Brooklyn Active Mama.
7. Air fryer pancakes
Pancakes are one of the most popular weekend breakfasts…and good news for pancake fans is that making them in the air fryer is incredibly easy. You don’t have to flip them, you don’t have to cook them one at a time, and you don’t have to worry about keeping them hot. This is batch cooking at its simplest!
To make air fryer pancakes, just make your batter as normal, then pour a layer on top of a sheet of greaseproof paper at the bottom of the fryer. Add another layer, an extra sheet of greaseproof paper, and repeat. Cook for around five minutes, flipping halfway if you like, then add your favourite toppings and enjoy.
To make air fryer pancakes, try this recipe from Good Homes Magazine.
8. Air fryer cheese and vegetable omelette
If you think you can’t make eggs in an air fryer, think again. While stove-top omelettes are usually the go-to, they often result in a texture more akin to scrambled eggs. But if you make it in the air fryer, that’s definitely not the case with this healthy spinach, roasted red pepper, and goat’s cheese omelette.
All you need to do is whip up your egg mix, pour it into a pan, and place it into your air fryer for six minutes. If it’s still too runny after six minutes, just pop it back in for another minute or so. This recipe is also super versatile, so if you have other ingredients that need using up (onions, mushrooms, or tomatoes, for example), just tweak the recipe as you see fit.
To make a spinach, red pepper, and goat’s cheese omelette, try this recipe from Delish.
9. Air fryer courgette and corn fritters
If you fancy something a bit different from the usual breakfast dishes, why not make these delicious air fryer courgette and corn fritters? Despite looking (and tasting!) pretty special, they take only ten minutes to prepare, and require only five to six ingredients. Plus, because the recipe uses chickpea flour rather than eggs, it’s vegan and gluten-free too.
Simply grate the courgettes, then mix with sweetcorn, potato, chickpea flour, garlic, and seasoning. Shape into patties and pop them into your fryer for ten minutes, flipping after seven minutes to make sure they’re golden on both sides. While the recipe suggests pairing them with tahini or ketchup, they work well with just about any sauce – from mayonnaise to sriracha. They’re delicious hot or cold too.
To make courgette and corn fritters, check out this recipe from Watch What U Eat.
10. Air fryer frittata
Frittatas are Italian-inspired egg dishes that are the perfect healthy breakfast. They’re high in protein, low in carbs, and an excellent way to use up any ingredients you have. They can be eaten hot or cold, and if you whip up one for breakfast, you may end up having leftovers to enjoy for lunch too.
Traditionally, frittatas are made on the stove and finished in the oven, so making them in the air fryer is an easy way to simplify the process. Just beat your eggs, add in your other ingredients (vegetables, cheese, etc.), then pour into your air fryer – either into a cake liner tin or onto parchment paper. Cook for ten minutes, add extra cheese if you wish, then cook for a further six minutes, until golden.
To make an easy air fryer frittata, try this recipe from Tesco.
Final thoughts…
From indulgent weekend-style breakfasts like pancakes and French toast to quick and simple egg dishes, there are many ways you can use your air fryer to cook up a storm in the morning.
Not only is cooking in an air fryer quicker and cheaper than oven or stove-top cooking, it usually means there’s less washing up to tackle too!
For more breakfast inspiration, you might like to have a read of our article; 9 healthy breakfast ideas to kickstart your day. If you’re interested in purchasing an air fryer but aren’t sure which model is right for you, check out our guide to 13 best air fryers 2024.
Do you have an air fryer – and if so, do you use it to make breakfast? Are you tempted to make any of the recipes above? We’d love to hear about your culinary experiences, so please leave us a comment below.