How to make pancakes with an air fryer
Did you know that air fryers can make perfect pancakes?
When Currys posted a video on TikTok showing how to do just that, it went viral.
And with searches for air fryers up 350% year-on-year, according to Google Trends, it’s hardly surprising.
An ideal hack for Pancake Day, the Currys air fryer method makes a stack of six fluffy pancakes – all in one go – using a Tefal Easy Fry.
No more flip-assemble-eat-repeat, just batch-baking at its finest.
Once you’ve tried out these pancakes, you can start using your air fryer to cook all kinds of tempting cakes and bakes.
@currys Why wait for pancake day? 😅 #pancakes #crepes #americanpancakes #pancakeday #nutella #chocolate #dessert #saltedcaramel #pancakestacks #airfryer #airfryerdessert #dessert ♬ original sound – kardashianshulu
Can you make pancakes in an air fryer?
Yes, you can make pancakes in an air fryer, and it’s a surprisingly convenient method for achieving light, fluffy results with minimal effort.
While traditional pancakes are cooked on a stovetop, an air fryer provides an even heat distribution – allowing the batter to rise beautifully, creating thick, cake-like pancakes.
Many recommend a shallow, oven-safe dish or silicone mould that fits inside your air fryer basket.
This ensures the batter stays in place while cooking, preventing any mess.
Unlike pan-frying, where you flip pancakes midway, air fryer pancakes cook evenly without needing to be turned.
While you won’t achieve the thin, quick-flipping pancakes of a frying pan, air fryer pancakes are a great option for thick American-style pancakes or even pancake bakes that can be sliced and served.
Air fryer pancakes: how to make them
So how do you make pancakes in an air fryer? First up, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter (14g)
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 250ml milk
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- greaseproof paper
The video shows a Currys kitchen expert pouring pancake batter on top of greaseproof paper inside the pre-heated air fryer basket, adding another layer of greaseproof paper and pouring another round of pancake batter, and so on. You can also use a shallow dish or mould, as mentioned above.
We advise pouring a ladleful of pancake batter per pancake – being mindful not to overcrowd, and leaving enough space for the pancake to expand it cooks.
Check the pancakes around the halfway mark to ensure they are cooking evenly.
If needed, you can gently rotate the pancake stack to promote uniform cooking.
The pancakes are ready when they are golden brown and spring back when poked lightly.
Flipping pancakes in an air fryer?
Flipping pancakes in an air fryer isn’t necessary since the heat is evenly distributed.
However, if you prefer a slightly firmer edge, you can flip them halfway through cooking using a spatula.
Once done, remove them carefully and keep warm while cooking the rest of the batter.
Does it really work?
But does the air fryer pancakes hack actually work?
Air fryer fans have been trying the recipe themselves, and had mixed results.
One person commented on the TikTok video, “I do this all the time… so good!”, while another said “there would be a pancake mix tornado occurring in my air fryer!”
The most common question in the comments though, was how long do you cook them for and at what temperature?
Currys recommends selecting the air fry programme at 200ºC and baking the pancakes for five minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Another recommended greasing the greaseproof paper with butter or oil before pouring the batter on top, and adding butter to the top pancake ‘when it was about halfway cooked’, adding that they ‘came out great’.
The kitchen expert in the TikTok video used the Tefal Easy Fry 3-in-1 Air Fryer to make the pancakes, which is currently available from Currys for just £159.
Tips for a smooth, lump-free pancake batter
Achieving a smooth batter is essential for fluffy pancakes.
Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients together.
If you find small lumps in your batter, it’s okay—these will often disappear during cooking.
Let your batter rest for about five minutes; this helps the baking powder activate, contributing to the fluffiness of the pancakes.
Another great tip is to keep your batter at room temperature while you preheat your air fryer – cold batter can lead to uneven cooking, resulting in pancakes that are crispy on the outside but undercooked on the inside.
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