These Air Fryer Sugar Cookies bake up soft, chewy, and perfectly shaped, with lightly crisp edges - everything you want in a classic sugar cookie, but ready in under 6 minutes. This is the best air fryer sugar cookie recipe, and it's super easy to make, freezes beautifully, and works for every holiday from Halloween to Christmas.
If you love this recipe, check out my Peanut Butter Blossoms, Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies, and Panera Lemon Drop Cookies next!
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If you've only ever baked your sugar cookies in the oven, then get ready because air fryer baking is a total game changer. No heating up the whole house, no baking sheet rotation, and no 15-minute wait times. Just quick, soft, delicious cookies every single time.
They are perfect for every holiday. Just roll, cut, bake, and decorate. Repeat for every season. I like to bake the entire batch, then freeze them for any time I get a craving, or have company. Top with my homemade icing, or you can use this Cookie Icing That Hardens instead.
For more fun Christmas treats, make these easy Santa Cookies and serve them with Grinch Dip or Christmas Tree Cake Dip!
Easy Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
Even though I absolutely love my air fryer, I didn't think it was the place for cookies. In fact, I think I was mentally picturing little hockey pucks when I first thought about air fryer cookies. But after I baked a batch, then another batch, then… six more (scientific purposes only, you understand, of course), I realized something: Air fryer baking might just be the best way to make a batch of cookies.
Testing for this recipe included trying out different fats, flours, thicknesses, etc. After all that testing, this version is The One. Soft, flavorful, holds its shape, and cooks faster than you can find the cookie cutters in the drawer that you swear you organized last month.
Air Fryer Sugar Cookie Ingredients
This recipe is super flexible and made with pantry ingredients you already have on hand. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour. Spoon and level so the cookies bake up soft.
- Unsalted butter. Cold butter helps the cookies keep their shape.
- White sugar. I do not recommend using cane sugar; it's too large and grainy.
- Almond and vanilla extract. Classic sugar cookie flavor.
- Sour cream is my secret ingredient for a soft dough and chewy cookie, just like my Strawberry Cheesecake Bars.
Need something chocolatey next? Check out my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, they are so, so good.
How to Make Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
For more detailed instructions with measurements, jump to the recipe card.
Step 1
Mix Wet Ingredients: Cream butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Step 2
Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt to the same bowl. Mix until combined. The dough will be soft, but it should not be sticky.
Step 3
Roll and Cut: Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin and cut using your favorite cookie cutters.
Tip: Wrap half the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator while you work on rolling/cutting the other half. Cold dough = cookies that hold their shape better in the air fryer.
Step 4
Air Fry the Cookies: Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
Line the basket with a piece of parchment paper punched with holes. Place cookies in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure none of them are touching. Air fry 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cookies are done when the edges look set and lightly golden. The centers will look soft - that's what we're going for! They will firm up as they cool. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Tip: Smaller cookies? Reduce the cooking time. Larger cookies? Add a minute.
Step 5
Decorate: For the icing, mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, butter, and milk. Separate the icing into small bowls and add a drop or two of food coloring to tint it. Decorate cooled cookies as you like.
Freezing Instructions
To Freeze Baked Cookies: Cool cookies completely on a cooling rack. Freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature before decorating, or decorate from frozen. They stay fresh for up to 2 months.
To Freeze the Sugar Cookie Dough: Cut into shapes. Freeze on a tray until solid. Store in a freezer bag. Air fry from frozen (add 1 minute to the cooking time).
Variations
- Slice + bake: Roll dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, chill, slice, and air fry.
- Add-ins: Stir mini M&Ms or mini chocolate chips into the dough.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream between two cookies.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
You can pair these cookies with just about anything, but my personal favorite combinations include:
Top Tips
Measuring Flour: Scoop the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife. If you pack it down, there will be too much flour, and the cookies will turn out dry.
Use Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
Cook in Small Batches: Ensures even cooking and allows for proper air circulation.
Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely before adding the icing. Otherwise, the icing will melt and run off. Add sprinkles as soon as the icing is applied so they have something to stick to.
FAQs
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
No, but make sure it's weighed down to prevent contact with the heating element.
Yes, for better air circulation and even cooking.
Yes. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until slightly puffy.
In my opinion, these are the best air fryer sugar cookies you'll ever make. They're soft inside with a slight crisp on the outside, and they're ready faster than you could bake them in the oven. They're freezer-friendly, holiday-flexible, and so easy you'll find yourself making them all year long.
Did you make these sugar cookies in an air fryer recipe? If you did, can you do me a big favor and leave a rating and review letting me know how you liked it? This helps my website grow so I can continue to publish free recipes. Thank you! 😊
Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup cold butter unsalted
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Icing
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon butter slightly softened
- 5 teaspoon milk or water
Instructions
- Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients together. Use an electric mixer on low speed to cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. This will take about 3-4 minutes. Add the sour cream and a large egg and beat until combined. This will take another few minutes. You want the mixture to be light and fluffy. Next, add the vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the same bowl as the wet ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Divide the dough in half and place one half in the fridge to keep cool while you make the other half into cookies.
- Step 3: Roll out the dough. Lightly flour your countertop and roll out the homemade cookie dough with a rolling pin until it is about ¼-inch thick. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Step 4: Make cookies. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Any remaining dough can be put together and rolled back out.
- Step 5: Bake. Preheat your air fryer to 350℉. Place a piece of air fryer parchment paper in the basket. Place the cut-out cookies in the basket in a single layer. Air fry cookies for 4-5 minutes, until the edges start to turn slightly golden brown. For best results, carefully flip the cookies halfway through the cooking time. Remove the cookies from the basket. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- Step 6: Make the icing. In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar with vanilla extract, butter, and milk with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Step 7: Decorate. Separate the icing into small bowls and add a drop or two of food coloring to tint it. Decorate your cookies as desired with icing. Enjoy!
Video
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Notes
- Measuring Flour: Scoop the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife. If you pack it down, there will be too much flour, and the cookies will turn out dry.
- Use Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
- Cook in Small Batches: Ensures even cooking and allows for proper air circulation.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool completely before adding the icing. Otherwise, the icing will melt and run off. Add sprinkles as soon as the icing is applied so they have something to stick to.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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