Air Fryer Yorkshire Pudding Recipe (Crispy, Tall + From Frozen)

This air fryer Yorkshire pudding recipe makes 6 tall, crisp Yorkshire puddings in individual tins, using the basket instead of the oven. That leaves your oven free for the joint, or lets you skip it entirely when the air fryer roast beef is already resting on the board.

You only need flour, eggs, milk, salt and a little beef dripping or oil. Below you’ll find UK and US measurements, which tins actually fit in the basket, Ninja air fryer settings, and how to air fry frozen Yorkshire puddings when you want the shortcut.

Can You Make Yorkshire Pudding in an Air Fryer?

Yes. An air fryer is small and very hot, which is exactly what Yorkshire pudding batter needs to rise. The key is heating the fat in the tins until it is smoking, then pouring in rested batter and keeping the drawer shut.

Quick answer: Heat ½ teaspoon of dripping or oil in each tin at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes. Fill each tin halfway with batter and air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes without opening the drawer, then check. Most batches need 15 to 18 minutes.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Yorkshire Puddings

Classic Yorkshire pudding batter is roughly equal volumes of eggs, flour and milk. Getting that balance right matters more than any air fryer setting.

• Large Eggs: Give the puddings their height, structure, and rich flavor.
• Plain Flour (All-Purpose): Gives the batter body so sides hold their shape.
• Whole Milk: Thins the batter so it climbs up the tin.
• Salt: Seasons the batter so the puddings never taste flat.
• Beef Dripping or Vegetable Oil: Heated until smoking, it makes the batter puff up.

Fat: Beef dripping gives the most traditional flavor, especially if you have it from a roast. Sunflower, vegetable or rapeseed oil all work well. Avoid butter and extra virgin olive oil, which burn at the temperature you need.

Milk: Whole milk gives the softest centers. Semi-skimmed works, and some cooks swap a splash of the milk for water for crisper edges.

The Best Tin for Air Fryer Yorkshire Puddings

Use individual metal Yorkshire pudding tins or small metal pudding moulds, about 10 cm (4 inches) across. Thin metal heats fast, so the fat gets smoking hot and the batter rises properly. A full 12-cup muffin tin will not fit in most air fryer baskets, so skip it.

Tin	Works?	Notes
Individual metal Yorkshire pudding tins	Best	Fastest to heat; tallest rise
Small metal pudding moulds	Very good	Slightly narrower, so slightly taller puddings
Oven-safe ceramic ramekins	Good	Heat slower; preheat the fat for 7–8 minutes
Silicone muffin cups	Fair	Don’t get hot enough for a big rise; bases stay pale
15–18 cm (6–7 inch) round cake tin	Good	Makes one large Yorkshire pudding to fill with roast and gravy

If you’re not sure what fits in your basket, the pan-size chart in my air fryer shepherd’s pie shows what fits each air fryer size.

How Many Yorkshire Puddings Does This Make?

This batter makes 6 Yorkshire puddings in 10 cm (4 inch) tins. Most 5–6 quart basket air fryers hold 3 or 4 tins at a time, so plan on two batches unless you have a large or dual-basket model.

To make 4 Yorkshire puddings: use 2 large eggs, 75 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) plain flour, 130 ml (½ cup + 1 tbsp) milk and a pinch of salt. Everything else stays the same.

How to Make Yorkshire Pudding in an Air Fryer

Step 1: Make the batter. Whisk the eggs and salt in a jug. Whisk in the flour until you have a thick, smooth paste, then gradually whisk in the milk until the batter looks like single cream. A few small lumps are fine.

Step 2: Rest the batter. Leave it for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Rested batter rises taller. If it has been in the fridge, let it sit out for 20 minutes and whisk again before using.

Step 3: Heat the fat. Put ½ teaspoon of dripping or oil in each tin. Set the tins in the air fryer basket and heat at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes. The fat should be shimmering and just starting to smoke.

Step 4: Pour quickly. Pull the basket out and set it on a heatproof surface. Pour batter into each tin until it is half full; it should sizzle as it hits the fat. Slide the basket straight back in.

Step 5: Air fry without peeking. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes. Don’t open the drawer during this time, or the puddings can collapse.

Step 6: Check and finish. The puddings are done when they are tall, deep golden and crisp on the sides. If the bases look pale or soft, give them 2–3 more minutes.

Step 7: Serve right away. Tip them out of the tins and serve while hot. Repeat with the remaining batter, reheating the tins and fat for 2–3 minutes between batches.

Air fryers vary, so treat 15 minutes as the starting point. If yours runs hot and the tops brown before the sides set, drop to 190°C (375°F) and add 2 minutes. My air fryer cooking chart is handy for adjusting other sides you’re cooking alongside.

Ninja Air Fryer Yorkshire Pudding

This recipe works in Ninja air fryers with a couple of small changes.

• Ninja Foodi Dual Zone and Max Dual Zone: Remove the crisper plates so the tins sit flat on the base. Split the tins between both drawers, heat the fat on Air Fry at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes, then use Match Cook for 15 minutes. Each drawer usually holds 2–3 individual tins.
• Ninja single-basket air fryers (AF100, AF160 and similar): Leave the crisper plate in, fit 3–4 tins, and follow the main method.
• Ninja Foodi multi-cookers: Use the Air Crisp lid at 200°C (400°F). Set the tins on the reversible rack in the low position so they sit away from the fan, and add 1–2 minutes.

Ninja drawers are deep, so the tops of the puddings sit further from the heating element than in some basket models. If the tops are golden but the sides feel soft, leave them in for 2 extra minutes.

How to Air Fry Frozen Yorkshire Puddings

Frozen Yorkshire puddings cook straight from frozen in about 4 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Don’t thaw them first, and leave a little space between each one so the air can circulate.

Frozen Yorkshire pudding	Temperature	Time
Ready-baked, standard size (such as Aunt Bessie’s)	180°C (350°F)	3–5 minutes
Large or giant, ready-baked	180°C (350°F)	5–6 minutes
Bake-at-home frozen batter	200°C (400°F)	12–15 minutes
Homemade, frozen after baking	180°C (350°F)	4–5 minutes

Check the packet first, since brands vary. They’re ready when they are hot all the way through and the edges are crisp. Ready-baked frozen puddings burn quickly, so check at the 3-minute mark the first time you cook a new brand.

Why Didn’t My Yorkshire Puddings Rise?

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Flat, dense puddings	Fat not hot enough	Heat the fat a full 5 minutes until it smokes
Rose, then collapsed	Drawer opened too early	Keep it shut for the first 15 minutes
Soggy, pale bases	Silicone or thick ceramic tins	Switch to thin metal tins, or add 2–3 minutes
Tops burnt, sides soft	Air fryer runs hot	Cook at 190°C (375°F) for 17 minutes
Short and heavy	Batter not rested, or too much flour	Rest for 30 minutes and weigh the flour

Easy Variations

• Mini toad in the hole: Put a cooked chipolata or a piece of air fryer sausage in each tin before pouring in the batter.
• Herb Yorkshires: Whisk 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme or rosemary into the batter.
• One large Yorkshire pudding: Use a 15–18 cm (6–7 inch) metal cake tin with 1 tablespoon of fat, pour in all the batter, and air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 20–22 minutes.
• Gluten-free: Swap the flour for a gluten-free plain flour blend. The puddings rise slightly less.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Yorkshire Puddings

Yorkshire puddings belong next to a roast. Make them while your air fryer roast beef rests, or serve them with an air fryer prime rib for a holiday dinner. They’re also good with a quicker air fryer beef tenderloin, a Trader Joe’s sirloin roast, or a slow, gravy-rich Yankee pot roast.

They aren’t only for beef. Serve them with air fryer duck, honey glazed ham, or air fryer turkey thighs at Christmas.

For the rest of the plate, add rosemary roasted potatoes or potatoes and carrots, plus whole roasted carrots or ranch carrots. Finish with plenty of gravy.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating

• Fridge: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Don’t leave them at room temperature overnight; the batter contains eggs and milk.
• Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a tray, then move to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Air fry chilled puddings at 160°C (325°F) for 3 minutes. Air fry frozen homemade puddings at 180°C (350°F) for 4–5 minutes.

Air Fryer Yorkshire Pudding FAQs

How long do you cook Yorkshire puddings in an air fryer?

Homemade Yorkshire puddings take 15–18 minutes at 200°C (400°F), after heating the fat for 5 minutes. Frozen ready-baked ones take 3–5 minutes at 180°C (350°F).

What temperature should I air fry Yorkshire puddings at?

Use 200°C (400°F) for homemade batter. The high heat makes the batter puff up quickly.

Can I make the batter ahead?

Yes. Batter rested overnight in the fridge often rises even higher. Let it come up to room temperature for 20 minutes and whisk before using.

Can I use a muffin tin in the air fryer?

Only a small one, such as a 6-cup or mini muffin tin, that fits flat in your basket with space around it. A standard 12-cup muffin tin is too large for most air fryers.

Can I use an Aunt Bessie’s batter mix?

Yes. Make the batter as the packet directs, then follow the tin, fat and timing steps above.

Can I use olive oil?

Light or regular olive oil works. Avoid extra virgin, which can smoke and turn bitter at 200°C (400°F).