How to Make Air Fryer Brownies

Use a Mix or Make Air Fryer Brownies from Scratch

If you’ve ever wanted brownies without heating up your entire house, this recipe is for you. These air fryer brownies turn out rich, fudgy, and perfect for a small batch dessert. Even better? You can make them completely from scratch OR use your favorite boxed brownie mix.

Why Make Brownies in the Air Fryer?

One of the biggest reasons people love their air fryer is that it doesn’t heat up the house. Whether it’s summer, late at night, or you just want a quick treat for two, air fryer brownies bake faster and more efficiently than a traditional oven.

The circulating hot air gives you slightly crisp edges with a perfectly fudgy center. For food safety reference on baking temperatures, you can review general cooking temperature guidance from FoodSafety.gov.

Easy Homemade Fudgy Brownies Ingredients

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup salted butter
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, walnuts, caramel chips, or peanut butter chips.

Air Fryer Brownies From Box Mix

Yes — you can absolutely make air fryer brownies from box mix.

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Pour into a greased 6-inch cake pan or divide into silicone muffin liners for brownie bites.

Cook at 320–330°F for 12–15 minutes. Smaller portions may cook closer to 10–12 minutes.

Pro tip: You can substitute applesauce 1:1 for oil in boxed mix if desired.

What Pan Works Best?

A 6-inch round cake pan fits most basket-style air fryers perfectly. Brownies will be about ½–¾ inch thick. You can also use:

• Small oven-safe baking dishes
• Silicone muffin liners (for brownie bites)
• Mini loaf pans

Just adjust cook time based on thickness.

How to Make Air Fryer Brownies

Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients

Whisk sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and baking powder until smooth.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

Melt butter. Combine with egg and vanilla. Stir into dry mixture. Add vegetable oil until batter reaches thick but spreadable consistency.

Step 3: Preheat & Cook

Preheat air fryer to 330°F. Spray pan lightly. Add batter and smooth top.

Cook 15 minutes. Brownies should look set on edges but slightly soft in center.

Step 4: Rest

Turn air fryer OFF and let brownies sit inside for 10 minutes. This finishes cooking without drying them out.

How to Serve

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel, or dust with powdered sugar. Because this is a small batch recipe, it’s perfect for two to three servings.

Air Fryer Brownies FAQ

Do I need to preheat?

Yes. Preheating helps ensure even baking and prevents undercooked centers.

Why are my brownies undercooked?

They may need 1–2 extra minutes. Every air fryer model runs slightly differently.

Can I double the recipe?

Only if your pan allows. Thicker batter will require longer cooking time.

More Easy Air Fryer Desserts

• Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 5 Ingredient Peach Cobbler
• Air Fryer Maple Bars
• Air Fryer Pop Tarts

Air Fryer Fudgy Homemade Brownies (Easy Small Batch Brownies Recipe)

This homemade air fryer brownies recipe is the perfect dessert when you are looking to satisfy your sweet tooth!

4.59 / 5 ( 12 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Rest Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer
• 6-inch cake barrel see notes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients

• ¼ cup salted butter if using unsalted butter, add about a pinch or two of salt
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or more/less, depending on how fudgy and thick you want your brownies

Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 330 °F.
• Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
• Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Use a whisk to combine and get rid of all flour and cocoa chunks.
• Combine wet ingredients in a separate small bowl, except vegetable oil.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine. Add up to a tablespoon of vegetable oil, or until the brownie mix is to your desired thickness. I ended up using a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
• Spray your pan with a little cooking spray. Add the brownie mixture.
• Place in the preheated air fryer. Cook for 15 minutes at 330 °F. Brownies should come out slightly fudgy with a toothpick inserted.
• Let brownies sit in the warm air fryer for 10 minutes to finish cooking. (Air fryer is not on, just warm from cooking).
• Remove from the air fryer basket and let cool slightly, until the pan is warm enough to handle.
• You can eat from the dish, or cut the perimeter of the brownie dish with a knife. Take a plate that is the size of the dish or bigger and cover the top. Flip the dish. Tap on the bottom to remove the brownies. Remove the dish and the bottom of the brownies should be on the plate. You can leave the brownies like this or take a different plate to flip the brownies back over, it just depends on how you like to present your brownies! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

I used a 6 inch cake barrel for these brownies. They were about ½-¾ inch thick brownies. I think this is an ideal size. You can use any oven safe dish to cook the brownies, it just may affect the cooking time, so adjust as needed if using a different pan.

You can follow the same cooking time/temp for boxed brownie mixture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 137mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g

Recipe Adapted From: Delish