Air Fryer Brownies have a rich and fudgy center, plenty of melty chocolate chips, and a crackly top. You may never have thought of using your air fryer for baking, but with this recipe, you can bake brownies quickly without heating up the oven! The batter stirs together quickly by hand and cooks in a cake pan, making this recipe perfect for kids, amateur bakers, or whenever you want a chocolate treat with minimal cleanup!
Made with chocolate chips and cocoa powder, this dessert will satisfy chocolate lovers of all ages and is so much better than box brownies. The circulating hot air in the air fryer bakes these delicious chocolate chip brownies in about 15 minutes, so make this your go-to recipe whenever you need a convenient dessert you can prepare ahead of time. Top an air fryer brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect indulgent treat! For more chocolate desserts, try my chocolate crinkle cookies, slutty brownies, or chocolate lava cake.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chocolate chips – semisweet chocolate chips offer just the right sweetness. Some of the chips are melted for the batter and more are added to the brownie mix. Substitute white chocolate or dark chocolate for the additional chips stirred into the batter if preferred.
Cocoa powder – use a good-quality Dutch process cocoa powder to double up on the chocolate taste. A natural unsweetened cocoa powder can also be used.
Butter – unsalted butter is best for baking, as it allows you to control the seasoning of the recipe. The butter is melted in the microwave with the chocolate chips, so there’s no need to soften it ahead of time. Use additional butter to grease the cake pan.
Sugar – white granulated sugar works best for this recipe. If you want an extra gooey brownie, you can use light brown sugar instead or half of each kind.
How to Air Fry Brownies
1. Prepare a 6-inch round cake pan by buttering it and lining it with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave in 30-second increments in a medium microwave-safe bowl, stirring between the intervals until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
2. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and mix until well combined.
4. If using, stir in an additional ¼ cup of chocolate chips.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Preheat air fryer to 330°F. Place the pan in the air fryer basket and cook for about 15 minutes, until the top has a crackly appearance, the edges are set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a fudge batter consistency. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and cool completely before cutting and serving.
Pan Size
A 6-inch baking pan is ideal to fit in most air fryer models. You can use either a round or square pan. I used a round pan since I have 6″ cake pans on hand, but feel free to use what you have.
What other pans can I use to make air fryer brownies?
If you have a larger air fryer, you can double this recipe and make it in an 8″ pan. Or, if you don’t have a 6″ round or square pan, use a loaf pan!
Can I use a silicone insert?
Yes, you can bake air fryer brownies in silicone baking trays. However, the edges will not be crisp since silicone doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal. If you prefer soft brownies, then definitely try it out! If you love a crisp brownie edge, then use a metal pan.
What toppings can I add to air fryer brownies?
Any flavor of chocolate chip will work great in this recipe! You can also swap them out for candies like M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces. I also love adding nuts like roasted peanuts, toasted pecans, or toasted walnuts. Other mix-ins like flaked coconut, freeze-dried raspberries, or crushed Oreos are all wonderful additions. For peanut butter lovers, dollop 2 tablespoons on top of the batter and swirl it in with the tip of a knife before baking.
What if I don’t have an air fryer?
Bake these brownies in a regular oven preheated to 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes for a fudgy center.
Can I bake this in a toaster oven with an air fryer setting?
Yes! If using a toaster oven with an air fry setting, bake the brownies at the same temperature and time directed in the recipe.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Brownies?
I love an air fryer brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream! You can make a sundae by adding a dollop of whipped cream, hot fudge, and sprinkles for an extra special dessert.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Add nuts. If you like nutty brownies, add ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter in place of or in addition to the extra chocolate chips.
- Use caution when putting the pan in and out of the air fryer. Many air fryers won’t preheat without the basket inside, so it will be very hot to the touch. Wear a silicone baking mitt that’s rated for high-heat use, or use a long-handled pair of heat-safe tongs to transfer the cake pan in and out of the air fryer basket.
- Cook until fudgy and allow to cool fully before serving. The brownies will firm up as they cool because the pan will continue transferring heat, so I recommend cooking until the edges are set and the center is fudgy. Cool completely before cutting because the brownies will firm up as they cool.
- For a less fudgy center, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. If you prefer the texture to be firmer, add 3-5 minutes to the cooking time before cooling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap the brownies individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost for a few hours or overnight at room temperature.
One of the best indications that brownies are done is a crackly top. The top should appear shiny and cracked, not like uncooked batter in any portion of the top. The edges should also appear firmer and set, and the center should be fudgy, not liquidy, when a toothpick is inserted. Brownies, especially this recipe, will continue to set up after being removed from the oven, so it’s best not to overbake them.
No. Since the brownies are cooked in a baking pan, there is no need to line the basket.
Any pans that can be used in a regular oven can be used in an air fryer. Check the size of your oven-safe pans to ensure they fit in the air fryer basket with enough room to handle the pan with oven mitts for adding and removing it from the basket.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this air fryer brownies recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Brownies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips divided (45g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40g)
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (25g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 6-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Place the chocolate chips and the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Whisk in the sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and stir until well combined. If desired, stir an additional ¼ cup of chocolate chips into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
- Preheat the air fryer to 330°F.
- Place pan in the air fryer basket and cook until the top is crackly, the edges are set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with fudge batter, about 15 minutes. (The brownies will continue to set up in the pan as they cool, but you can cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes for a less fudgy center.)
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Add nuts. If you like nutty brownies, add ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter in place of or in addition to the extra chocolate chips.
- Use caution when putting the pan in and out of the air fryer. Many air fryers won’t preheat without the basket inside, so it will be very hot to the touch. Wear a silicone baking mitt that’s rated for high-heat use, or use a long-handled pair of heat-safe tongs to transfer the cake pan in and out of the air fryer basket.
- Cook until fudgy and allow to cool fully before serving. The brownies will firm up as they cool because the pan will continue transferring heat, so I recommend cooking until the edges are set and the center is fudgy. Cool completely before cutting because the brownies will firm up as they cool.
- For a less fudgy center, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. If you prefer the texture to be firmer, add 3-5 minutes to the cooking time before cooling.
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