How to make toast in the air fryer?

Hot, buttery, and deliciously crispy, toast is a breakfast favorite for many of us.

Whether you enjoy a lightly buttered, browned piece of toast or you prefer to layer it with jelly and peanut butter, toast is one of those foods that will never go out of style.

How do you make toast in an air fryer?

To make toast in an air fryer, start by setting the air fryer to 400°F. Place the bread in the fryer basket and cook it for 3 minutes. Flip after the first 3 minutes and cook another 3 minutes. Take the toasts out of the fryer and enjoy them.

Do you want to know more about the best way to make toast? We have all the answers and more for you!

We’ll take a look at why toast tastes so good when made in the air fryer and give you some tips on the best way to cook perfect toast every time.

How are toasts made?

What’s the best thing since sliced bread?

The toasts, of course. There’s no more satisfying snack than a slice of toast, fresh out of the toaster.

Like most good things, toast is by no means a recent invention. People have been eating toast for many centuries, as it is a great way to use up bread that has passed on.

In fact, even the word tostada has Latin origins, as it comes from the word torrere, which means to burn. (Fun fact: in the 15th century, toasted bread was not eaten, but used to flavor drinks.)

But how exactly are toasts made? Like all ways of cooking, there’s a scientific explanation behind our lovely crispy, golden brown toast.

Toasts are made by exposing the bread to radiant heat. It is a heat produced when the source is not in direct contact with the bread, but is radiated through the air.

This heat produces something called the Maillard reaction, which causes chemical changes in the bread. It is this reaction that gives our toasts their characteristic brown color and distinctive flavor.

Today, most of us make toast using one of two methods. The most common way to make toast is in an electric toaster.

This one has an element that radiates intense heat, creating the perfect golden toast. It is also possible to toast under an electric or gas grill with excellent results.

Another method that is still used to make toast around the world is over an open fire. Hands up if you’ve ever eaten slightly charred and smoky toast while camping?

What is an air fryer?

If you are a fan of healthy eating, you will undoubtedly have already known the trend of air fryers. But not everyone has one, so let’s find out more about these wonderful machines.

An air fryer is a type of convection oven, which works by circulating hot air at high velocity, cooking food incredibly quickly. It also creates a golden, crispy outer layer on foods, such as when fried or grilled in hot oil.

However, very little oil is needed when using an air fryer, and in some cases, none at all.

Air fryers are relatively small appliances, designed to sit on the counter and small enough to fit in a cabinet or on a shelf when not in use.

Most air fryers have a basket inside the oven chamber, which allows hot air to circulate around the food. The basket may need to be shaken from time to time during the cooking process, although some air fryers will do this for you.

Some air fryers can be used in the same way as regular convection ovens, to broil, bake and steam food. More expensive models may also come with accessories like skewer racks, grill pans, pizza pans, and even cake barrels.

Using an air fryer has three great advantages:

Health

Most of us love fried food, but we all know that it’s not the healthiest way to cook.  Using an air fryer gives you the delicious taste and texture of fried food without the unhealthy oils and fats.

Velocity

Air fryers are really fast! They heat up much faster than a conventional oven and can cut cooking time in half. If you’re in a hurry and need to get food on the table ASAP, an air fryer is the way to go .

Crunchy

Air fryers can recreate the delicious crispy taste and texture of fried foods, without the oil. In fact, they are much more effective at crisping food than a conventional oven.

Can you make toast in an air fryer?

If you have an air fryer collecting dust, you may not realize all the wonderful things you can do with it. These versatile kitchen gadgets aren’t just for the food you normally fry.

Air fryers can be used to cook and reheat a wide variety of things, but do they work for making toast?

Yes, you can make toast in an air fryer. Air fryers work by quickly circulating hot air, so you get an effect similar to a toaster or grill. 

And since air fryers have a larger capacity than most electric toasters, you can fit more slices of bread at once. Perfect if you are preparing breakfast for a large crowd!

You can also use the air fryer to make different types of toast. So if you fancy some garlic toast with your pasta, or want to make some healthy croutons, try the air fryer. We are sure that you will not be disappointed.

What does toast made in the air fryer taste like?

In terms of flavor, toast tastes exactly the same when cooked in an air fryer as it does when used in a toaster or on a grill.

The end result should be a gorgeous slice of crispy toast, crumbly on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

In terms of texture, the air fryer will dry out food more than a toaster or grill. This is due to the way it circulates air around food, removing excess moisture.

As a result, toast made in the air fryer may be slightly drier and crispier than toast made using conventional methods. However, this is how most people like their toast, so it’s a win-win solution.

This is worth keeping in mind when selecting bread to toast. Some pieces of bread are already very dry and crumbly, and the air fryer may be too big a step for them.

The air fryer is also great for making other toasted items, from lightly toasted bagels to thick, crispy garlic baguettes. Just remember that you’ll get a crispier finish, so keep that in mind if you’re toasting a crusty bread or dry bun.

How to make toast in the air fryer

So, have we convinced you to give this roasting method a try? If not, here are some hints and tips to convince you to try making toast in an air fryer.

• If you add butter to bread before toasting it, the toast will have a super golden and crunchy finish.
• The Air Fryer makes perfect toast from frozen bread - the ultimate in convenience food!
• Toppings can be added to bread when cooking in the air fryer.
• Any type of bread can be toasted in the air fryer, no matter how thick, thin, or awkwardly shaped.
• Pieces of bread that won’t fit in the toaster, such as dinner rolls and baguettes, will toast perfectly in the air fryer.
• Drizzle the bread with a little oil and add a pinch of herbs for the perfect toasted accompaniment to pasta dishes.

Thus, we can see that the air fryer is really much more versatile than an electric toaster when it comes to making toast. Now we dream of a lightly toasted mini-baguette, topped with golden cheese and juicy tomatoes, yummy!

Step-by-step guide to making toast in the air fryer

Let’s look at the perfect way to make toast in an air fryer! This method is so quick and easy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it sooner. In fact, your electric toaster may be relegated to the back of the cupboard!

One important thing to keep in mind is how to place the bread in the air fryer basket.

The bread slices should not be stacked or placed on top of each other, as they will not toast evenly. There are 3 ways to place the bread in the air fryer basket:

1. If your air fryer basket is large enough, place the bread slices in the bottom of the basket in a single layer.
2. You can arrange the slices of bread so that they rest on top of each other, or so that they rest on the sides of the basket. This means that more slices of bread can fit than with the first method.
3. Some air fryers come with a rack to place food on. They work great for making toast as you can fit many slices in the basket upright. 

If you want to add toppings to your toasts during the cooking process, then they should be cooked using the first method. This is ideal if you want to make recipes like garlic bread, bruschetta, or toasted sandwiches.

Here’s our step-by-step guide to making toast in an air fryer:

1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F; this should take approximately 1 minute.
2. Place the bread in the air fryer basket.
3. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Remove the basket and turn the bread over with tongs.
5. Cook it another 3 minutes and serve it.

Yes, it’s that simple. And since most air fryers have a timer, you don’t even have to stand on top of it while it cooks. It’s much easier than using a grill, and much faster for making large batches of toast than an electric toaster.

The cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on the type of bread you are using. Thicker bread will take longer, and thin slices of bread will cook to a crisp in no time.

Once the cooking time is complete, you can leave the toasties in the air fryer to keep them warm until you are ready to serve breakfast.

Remember that it may dry out slightly during this time, but nothing a layer of butter and thick, juicy jam can’t fix.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over how to make toast in an air fryer, let’s take a look at some related questions!

Can you make toast in an oven?

It is possible to make toast in an oven, although the results will not be the same as with a toaster or air fryer. This is because the oven will dry out the bread, leaving it with a crispy, crumbly texture.

To make toast in the oven, place the bread on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Place the tray in the oven, preheated to 350°F. Cook it for about 5 minutes on each side.

Can you make croutons in an air fryer?

If you’re making a quick batch of soup for lunch, sometimes taking the time to make croutons seems like too much of a hassle. But there’s an easy way to do it: make them in your air fryer!

Just cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and mix them in a bowl with melted butter or oil, herbs and seasonings.

Cook them at 400°F in your air fryer until crisp and golden, which will take about 7 minutes. This will give you perfect croutons, ready to sprinkle over your delicious soup.

This method works great on stale bread, leftover bread, and even frozen bread. Pop leftover bread in the freezer to store, and you’ll have some on hand whenever you want to make croutons.

Can you make bread in an air fryer?

Did you know that your air fryer is not really a fryer, but rather an oven? This means that you can bake bread in an air fryer quickly and easily.

You can bake most bread recipes in an air fryer, but you’ll need to cut the cooking time by about 1/3.

Because of the way the air fryer circulates hot air through the oven, your bread will come out with a thick, crispy crust when cooked using this method. Perfect if you want some crispy breakfast rolls or to dip into soup.

Bread recipes for muffins and smaller loaves work best in the air fryer as they will cook right through to the center without being overdone on the outside.

Larger loaves may not turn out as well, developing a thick, chewy crust and a doughy center.

Can you make toast in the microwave?

Due to the operation of the microwave, you cannot make toast in a microwave oven. To make good toast, you need a radiant heat source, like a grill or toaster.

So what happens when you microwave bread? Microwaves work by heating the water molecules in food, causing them to move and vibrate. When this is done with bread, the results are very strange and unappetizing.

When bread is microwaved, it becomes rubbery, chewy, and not at all pleasant to eat. If microwaved long enough, it will dry out completely, but not brown at all.