When the cookie craving hits, you don’t need a full afternoon or a hot kitchen. These 25 easy cookie recipes cover everything from bakery copycats and chewy chocolate chip cookies to 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies and holiday classics.
Most of them bake in the air fryer in under 10 minutes, a small batch at a time, so you can have warm cookies tonight without baking three dozen. Many also include oven directions if you’re feeding a crowd.
The recipes are grouped by type, so jump to the section you’re craving.
Chocolate Chip and Copycat Cookies
1. Air Fryer Toll House Cookies
The easiest cookie on this list. Scoop premade Toll House dough onto parchment and bake at 300°F for 5 to 7 minutes for warm, gooey cookies with zero mixing. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Toll House Cookies.
2. McDonald’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (Copycat)
Soft centers, lightly golden edges, and the classic drive-thru flavor, made with pantry staples and semi-sweet chips. Get the recipe: McDonald’s Chocolate Chip Cookies.
3. Copycat Chick-fil-A Cookies
Thick, chewy cookies packed with oats and chocolate chunks. Baking them in greased muffin rings in the air fryer keeps them tall and soft in the middle. Get the recipe: Copycat Chick-fil-A Cookies.
4. Air Fryer Copycat DoubleTree Cookies
The famous hotel cookie at home, with oats, walnuts, cinnamon, and plenty of chocolate chips. Each batch takes about 7 minutes in the air fryer. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Copycat DoubleTree Cookies.
5. Easy Air Fryer M&M Cookies
Colorful, chewy, and kid-approved. Keep the dough cold and bake at 320°F for 3 to 5 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden. Get the recipe: Easy Air Fryer M&M Cookies.
Sugar and Snickerdoodle Cookies
6. Air Fryer Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies
Soft and tangy with cream of tartar, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and baked at 340°F for just 4 minutes a batch. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies.
7. Copycat Publix Sugar Cookies
Soft, chewy sugar cookies dipped in rainbow nonpareils, just like the bakery case. The secret is creaming the butter and sugar for a full 3 minutes. Get the recipe: Copycat Publix Sugar Cookies.
8. Air Fryer Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
Pillowy frosted sugar cookies made with sour cream plus baking soda and baking powder for that signature soft, cakey bite. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Copycat Lofthouse Cookies.
Oatmeal Cookies
9. Subway Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Copycat)
Chewy oats, plump raisins, and a hint of cinnamon, baked until golden at the edges and soft in the center. Get the recipe: Subway Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
10. Air Fryer Copycat Crumbl Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Thick oatmeal cookies with a smooth vanilla icing. Bake at 320°F for 4 to 6 minutes, and keep the extra dough chilled between batches. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Copycat Crumbl Iced Oatmeal Cookies.
Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies
11. Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Just peanut butter, sugar, and one egg. They’re naturally flourless, soft and chewy, and bake in under 8 minutes. Get the recipe: Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.
12. Easy Air Fryer Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rich peanut butter dough loaded with chocolate chips, baked at 330°F for 5 to 6 minutes. Creamy or crunchy peanut butter both work. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
13. Air Fryer Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies
A shortcut favorite: sugar cookie dough mixed with peanut butter, baked in a mini muffin pan, and topped with chocolate fudge frosting. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies.
14. Air Fryer Red Velvet Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Red velvet cookies with a creamy peanut butter center and a Hershey’s Kiss on top. They bake at 320°F for 5 to 6 minutes. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Red Velvet Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies.
15. Air Fryer Girl Scout Tagalongs
A crisp shortbread base, a creamy peanut butter layer, and a chocolate coating, just like the Girl Scout favorite. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Girl Scout Tagalongs.
16. Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Nutella Cookies
Nutella, flour, and an egg are all you need for these fudgy chocolate-hazelnut cookies. Add chocolate or peanut butter chips if you like. Get the recipe: Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Nutella Cookies.
Buttery Holiday Cookies
17. 3-Ingredient Air Fryer Shortbread Cookies
Butter, flour, and sugar bake into crisp, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. The recipe includes keto and gluten-free swaps. Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Air Fryer Shortbread Cookies.
18. Air Fryer Mexican Wedding Cookies
Tender, nutty cookies rolled twice in powdered sugar. They bake at 340°F for 5 minutes and store well for cookie trays. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Mexican Wedding Cookies.
19. Air Fryer Meringue Cookies
Light, airy, and sugar-free. Pipe the meringue onto parchment and bake at 310°F for 3 to 5 minutes, then let them dry. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Meringue Cookies.
Fun Party Cookies
20. Air Fryer Funfetti Cookies
A cake mix shortcut with mini chocolate chips and sprinkles, finished with a quick powdered sugar glaze. Bake at 320°F for 4 to 5 minutes. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Funfetti Cookies.
21. Air Fryer Confetti Cookies
The from-scratch sprinkle cookie. Each dough ball gets dipped in sprinkles and air fried at 320°F for 6 minutes. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Confetti Cookies.
22. Air Fryer Cookie Fries
Snickerdoodle dough cut into fry shapes and baked until soft inside. Serve them with frosting or chocolate sauce for dipping. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Cookie Fries.
23. Easy Air Fryer Peanut Butter Pizookie
A giant skillet-style cookie with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, M&M’s, and mini Reese’s cups. Top it with ice cream and grab some spoons. Get the recipe: Easy Air Fryer Peanut Butter Pizookie.
Seasonal Cookies
24. Soft Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Real pumpkin and fall spices in a soft, chewy snickerdoodle with a crackly cinnamon sugar top. Bake them in the air fryer at 320°F or on sheet pans in the oven. Get the recipe: Soft Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.
25. Air Fryer Caramel Hot Cocoa Cookies
Chocolate cookies topped with toasted mini marshmallows and a caramel drizzle, like a mug of hot cocoa in cookie form. Chill the dough for 2 hours before baking. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Caramel Hot Cocoa Cookies.
Tips for Baking Cookies in the Air Fryer
- Bake lower than the oven. Most air fryer cookies bake between 300°F and 340°F, so the edges don’t brown before the centers set.
- Line the basket. Parchment or perforated cookie liners keep soft dough from sinking into the basket and make cleanup easy.
- Keep the dough cold. Chilled dough spreads less and bakes thicker. Keep extra dough in the fridge between batches.
- Use a cookie scoop. Even-sized cookies bake at the same rate, so no batch ends up half raw and half burnt.
- Leave space. Cookies need room for air to circulate and spread. Small batches bake faster than one crowded basket.
- Pull them early. Cookies keep firming up as they cool. Take them out when the edges are golden and the centers still look soft, then let them rest in the basket for a few minutes.
Easy Cookie Recipe FAQs
Can you bake cookies in an air fryer? Yes. An air fryer works like a small convection oven, so it bakes cookies quickly and evenly. Most batches take 4 to 8 minutes.
What temperature do you bake cookies in the air fryer? Most air fryer cookies bake between 300°F and 340°F. Lower temperatures keep the bottoms from burning before the centers cook through.
What’s the easiest cookie on this list? The Toll House cookies use premade dough with no mixing at all. For a from-scratch option, the 3-ingredient peanut butter, Nutella, and shortbread cookies each need only three ingredients.
Can I bake these cookies in the oven instead? Yes. Many of these recipes, including the Publix sugar cookies, Subway oatmeal raisin cookies, and pumpkin snickerdoodles, include oven directions. For air fryer recipes, bake at about 350°F and add a few minutes.
Which cookies are best for a holiday cookie tray? Mexican wedding cookies, shortbread, red velvet peanut butter blossoms, and caramel hot cocoa cookies all hold up well and look festive on a platter.
How do I store homemade cookies? Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Most cookie dough can also be frozen in scooped balls and baked straight from the freezer with an extra minute or two.
