Easy oven to air fryer conversion guide Drizzle and Dip

If you love your favorite fried foods but want to save oil and calories, an air fryer might be the perfect cookware for you. Air frying uses dry heat to cook the food, so it produces results similar to frying, but uses less oil and takes less time to cook.

The main difference between cooking in a traditional oven and an air fryer is cooking temperature and cooking time. I often cook for myself or others, so the air fryer is quick and convenient. I buy it just to cook vegetables, potato wedges and French fries. Cooking frozen vegetables is easy .

i have (and i love) Instant® Vortex™ Air Fryer and this post no sponser. However, some of the information in this guide has been provided by them.

I’ve been using air fryers for the past two years and have had to learn by trial and error how to adapt conventional oven temperatures and times to air fry settings.

Before getting into the details of how to convert oven recipes, it’s important to understand the key differences between air fryers and traditional ovens. Air fryers use hot air to circulate around food, keeping the inside moist and soft while crisping the outside.

It has a built-in fan that helps distribute hot air, ensuring food is cooked evenly on all sides. They are essentially very compact/mini convection ovens.

Benefits of using an air fryer include:

1. Healthier Cooking: Air fryers can significantly reduce the amount of oil you need to cook, thus reducing your calorie and fat intake, making them a healthier cooking option.Uses very little oil
2. Faster Cooking: Air fryers cook food faster than traditional ovens, making them a more time efficient method of cooking.
3. Versatility: The air fryer can cook a variety of foods, including meats, vegetables, and baked goods.
4. EASY TO USE AND CLEAN: Air fryers are easy to operate and require minimal cleanup compared to traditional frying methods.
5. Safe: Air fryers are generally considered safer than frying food because there is no danger of splattering hot oil and they do not require an open flame or gas.
6. ENERGY EFFICIENT: Air fryers consume less energy than traditional ovens and fryers, making them an eco-friendly cooking option.
7. Overall, the air fryer is a convenient and healthy way to cook a variety of foods while still achieving a crispy, delicious texture.

If you’re cooking or baking in an air fryer, you’ll need to make a few adjustments.

To convert the cooking temperature from a regular oven to an air fryer, we have to keep in mind that an air fryer cooks food at a higher temperature in less time than a traditional oven.

Air fryers typically reduce cooking time by about 20-25% compared to traditional ovens. Here’s an air fryer conversion chart to help you convert temperatures. Note: This is a general rule of thumb, but air fryers can vary by brand, so consult your user manual for best results.

Note: These conversions are approximate and may vary depending on the specific type of air fryer you are using.

Here’s an example of how to convert a recipe from a traditional oven to an air fryer.

Traditional Oven Recipe: Roasted Potatoes

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
• Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until browned

Air Fryer Recipe: Roasted Potatoes

• Preheat air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
• Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper
• Cook in an air fryer for 20-25 minutes until soft and crispy

As you can see, the air fryer has a slightly lower cooking temperature and approximately 20-25% less cooking time.

How to bake cookies/biscuits in an air fryer

Baking cookies (biscuits) in an air fryer is an easy way to make small batches of cookies without heating up your oven. Method is as follows.

1. Create your favorite cookie recipe and prepare the dough.
2. Preheat air fryer to 350°F (180°C) for 5 minutes. If the model has bake settings, use the bake settings.
3. For most cookies (biscuits recipes) we recommend lining the drawer or tray with parchment (baking) paper.
4. Once the air fryer is preheated, place the cookie dough balls or cutouts in a paper-lined air fryer basket, leaving enough space between them to allow them to expand. We bake small batches here.
5. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
6. When the cookies are baked, use a spatula to carefully remove them from the air fryer basket.
7. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Chip: You may need to adjust the cooking time based on the size and thickness of your cookie dough balls.

Learn how to make chocolate chip cookies here here.

How to Bake Chiffon Cakes and Sponge Cakes (Cupcakes) in an Air Fryer:

Cakes made from relatively thin batter can be very difficult to bake in an air fryer as the batter can splatter and cause a mess during baking.

However, you can prevent this by baking in a tall, sturdy metal cake tin.

When the cake is done, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. For a fluffy finish that looks like it was baked in the oven!

Here are some general tips when baking cakes in an air fryer.

1. Preheat the Air Fryer: Before putting the cake in the air fryer, preheat it to the proper temperature for your recipe. This will ensure that the cake will cook evenly.
2. Use the Right Frying Pan: Choose the right frying pan for use in your air fryer. You can use a silicone or metal baking pan, but make sure it fits in the basket of your air fryer.
3. ADJUST COOKING TIME: Air fryers cook food faster than traditional ovens, so you’ll need to adjust your cake’s cooking time accordingly. It is advisable to keep the cooking time short and check the cake often to avoid overcooking.
4. Check doneness: To see if the cake is done, insert a sharp knife or cake tester into the center of the cake. The cake is ready when it’s clean.
5. Let cool: When the cake is done cooking, remove it from the air fryer and let it cool completely before frosting and serving.

Overall Tips for Baking in the Instant® Vortex™ Air Fryer:

1. Reduce the recommended temperature for traditional ovens by 10-15°C.
2. Reduce baking time by 15-20%.
3. Always use preheat for baking.
4. Check the doneness regularly.
5. Do not overcrowd baskets/trays.
6. It still needs some oil/butter to keep it from sticking.

Overall tips for cooking in an air fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer: Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before you start cooking. This will ensure that the food is cooked evenly.
2. Use the right temperature: The temperature you set on your air fryer should be based on the type of food you’re cooking. Some foods require a higher temperature, others a lower temperature.
3. Do not overstuff the basket: It is important not to overstuff the basket while cooking. Too much food in the air fryer can impede air circulation and cause food to cook unevenly.
4. Single Layer: Make sure the food is placed in the basket in a single layer
5. Shake the Basket: If necessary, shake the basket every few minutes while cooking (when making French fries, tater tots, onion rings, etc.). This ensures that the food is cooked evenly.
6. Use a little oil: Air fryers don’t need much oil, but adding a little cooking oil or cooking spray can enhance the flavor and crispness of your food.
7. Use Appropriate Cookware: Use cookware designed for air fryers. Certain materials may not be safe to use in air fryers.
8. Clean your air fryer regularly: Cleaning your air fryer regularly is important for optimal performance and to prevent odors. Most air fryers have removable baskets and non-stick coatings for easy cleaning.

In summary, an air fryer is the perfect appliance if you want to enjoy your favorite fried foods in a healthier and more convenient way. If you use an air fryer, be sure to adjust the cooking time and temperature, and experiment with new recipes.

Air fryer cooking chart/timetable (from Instant Vortex)

These timetables were tested with the Instant Vortex Air Fryer and may vary for different brands. If you are unsure of doneness, use a meat thermometer.

Here are all my air fryer recipes:

Best Air Fryer “KFC” Chicken

Easy air fryer chocolate chip cookie

air fryer pork belly

cacio e pepe air fryer corn ribs

air fryer zucchini and cheese filo pie

Air fryer roast chicken (with ginger and orange) and roast potatoes

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