How to Make Breakfast Dishes in Your Air Fryer

If you aren’t a breakfast person, that just might change when you have an air fryer! The breakfast recipes here aren’t your traditional breakfast fare (although you’ll find some of those, too.) Think outside the bowl with savory eats like Egg and Sausage Crescent Rolls or Breakfast Chimichangas.

Prefer something sweet to go with your morning cup of joe? We’ve got that, too. From Apple Fritters to Coffee Cake, there are endless possibilities to satisfy your sweet treat with a healthy air-fried twist!

Crispy Bacon

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

12 ounces bacon

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees for 3 minutes.
2. Lay out the bacon in a single layer, slightly overlapping the strips of bacon.
3. Air fry for 10 minutes or until desired crispness.
4. Repeat until all the bacon has been cooked.

Sizes of air fryers vary. If you overcrowd the pan, it may take longer to cook.

If smokiness is an issue, try adding 1 tablespoon of water to the drip pan or bottom of the air fryer prior to cooking.

Air fryers vary, so be sure to watch yours closely as you cook bacon the first time; yours may cook faster than we’ve estimated.

If you enjoy a sweet bacon, use a pastry brush to add a touch of maple syrup to the bacon after cooking.

Breakfast Chimichangas

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Four 8-inch flour tortillas

1/2 cup canned refried beans

1 cup scrambled eggs

1/2 cup grated cheddar or Monterey jack cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup salsa

Directions

1. Lay the flour tortillas out flat on a cutting board. In the center of each tortilla, spread 2 tablespoons refried beans. Next, add 1/4 cup eggs and 2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.
2. To fold the tortillas, begin on the left side and fold to the center (see the following figure). Then fold the right side into the center. Next fold the bottom and top down and roll over to completely seal the chimichanga. Using a pastry brush or oil mister, brush the tops of the tortilla packages with oil.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Place the chimichangas into the air fryer basket, seam side down, and air fry for 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn over the chimichangas and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream for a hearty breakfast.

Swap out beans with breakfast potatoes or rice.

Egg and Sausage Crescent Rolls

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 11 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon milk

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

One 8-ounce package refrigerated crescent rolls

4 tablespoon pesto sauce

8 fully cooked breakfast sausage links, defrosted

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and whisk with the pepper, salt, and milk. Pour into a frying pan over medium heat and scramble. Just before the eggs are done, turn off the heat and add in the cheese. Continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the eggs are finished (about 5 minutes total). Remove from the heat.
3. Remove the crescent rolls from the package and press them flat onto a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Add 1-1/2 teaspoons of pesto sauce across the center of each roll. Place equal portions of eggs across all 8 rolls. Then top each roll with a sausage link and roll the dough up tight so it resembles the crescent-roll shape.
4. Lightly spray your air fryer basket with olive oil mist and place the rolls on top. Bake for 6 minutes or until the tops of the rolls are lightly browned.
5. Remove and let cool 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

The rolls will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

To reheat, use the air fryer to get that crispy, crunchy consistency.

Prefer to go vegetarian? Nix the sausage and add finely chopped vegetables to the scrambled eggs instead.

Apple Fritters

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 large Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled, and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar, vanilla, yogurt, cinnamon, apples, and walnuts. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, using your hands to combine, until all the ingredients are mixed together. Knead the mixture in the bowl about 4 times.
4. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
5. Divide the batter into 6 equally sized balls; then lightly flatten them and place inside the basket. Repeat until all the fritters are formed.
6. Place the basket in the air fryer and cook for 6 minutes, flip, and then cook another 6 minutes.
7. While the fritters are cooking, in a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with the milk. Set aside.
8. When the cooking completes, remove the air fryer basket and allow the fritters to cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with the homemade glaze and serve.

Some air fryers get hotter than others. If your air fryer isn’t as hot, increase the temperature to 350 degrees and cook as directed.

Make ahead of time and wrap in a nice gift box to deliver for a fun treat!

You can use peaches instead of apples and pecans instead of walnuts for a Peach Pecan Fritter!

French Toast Sticks

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 eggs

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 slices wheat bread, cut into 1-inch strips

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Maple syrup or pureed strawberries for serving

Directions

1. In an 8-x-12-inch casserole dish, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla. Lay the strips of bread into the baking dish and flip around. Allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar.
3. Place the soaked bread strips into the air fryer basket, not touching one another. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture onto the bread sticks.
4. Air fry the French toast sticks at 370 degrees for 8 minutes. Cook in batches, as needed.
5. Serve with maple syrup or pureed strawberries.

Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do multiple batches.

Add orange zest and cardamom. Or keep it fun for the kids and blend fresh or frozen fruits for a rainbow of dips.

Pigs in a Blanket

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup buttermilk

10 fully cooked breakfast sausage links

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until you have small pea-size crumbles.
2. Using a rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the well, and fold the mixture together until you form a dough ball.
3. Place the sticky dough onto a floured surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out until 1/2-inch thick. Using a round biscuit cutter, cut out 10 rounds, reshaping the dough and rolling out, as needed.
4. Place 1 fully cooked breakfast sausage link on the left edge of each biscuit and roll up, leaving the ends slightly exposed.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush the biscuits with the whisked eggs, and spray them with cooking spray.
6. Place the pigs in a blanket into the air fryer basket with at least 1 inch between each biscuit. Set the air fryer to 340 degrees and cook for 8 minutes.

Don’t have buttermilk? No worries! Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and fill to the 1/2 cup mark with milk, stir, and you’re ready to use as buttermilk.

Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do more batches.

No sausage on hand? Opt for ham and cheese instead. For a vegetarian alternative, use vegetarian sausage links instead of traditional sausage links.

Coffee Cake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

1/3 cup cane sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup plus 6 teaspoons milk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees.
2. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a medium bowl, cream together the butter, cane sugar, brown sugar, the egg, 1 cup of the milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold in the pecans.
4. Liberally spray a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and place in the air fryer basket.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While the cake is baking, in a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and whisk together with the remaining 6 teaspoons of milk. Set aside.
6. When the cake is done baking, remove the pan from the basket and let cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, remove and invert the cake from pan. Drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze and serve.

The cake will keep in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days or in the fridge for about a week.

Have an oven-safe Bundt cake pan that will fit in your air fryer basket? Try using that to create a fun, bakery-like feel!

Add in chocolate chips, dried raisins, or your favorite nut.