Easy Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies

These Easy Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies are rich, buttery, and lightly crisp on the outside with a tender center. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re a quick way to enjoy classic Italian bakery-style cookies without turning on the oven.

If you love classic Italian bakery cookies but don’t love turning on the oven, these Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies are about to be your new favorite treat.

They’re rich, buttery, lightly crisp on the edges, and soft in the center—just like the ones from an Italian bakery, minus the long bake time.

Perfect for holidays, cookie trays, or an “I deserve a cookie” moment, this easy air fryer recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort.

Why You Will Love This Recipe!

• Bakery-style flavor at home without complicated steps
• Perfectly crisp edges and tender centers every time
• Ready fast with no oven preheating required
• Ideal for holidays and cookie trays year-round
• Simple ingredients you already have in your kitchen

Ingredients Needed

• Butter: Use unsalted butter, at room temperature

• Granulated Sugar: Regular white sugar.
• Salt: Adds some texture to the cookies
• Egg Yolks: Use large eggs, at room temperature
• Flour: Use All-purpose flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour
• Milk: You can use whole milk, almond milk, or oat milk.
• Vanilla extract: For added flavor.

How To Make Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies

Step One: In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together. Then add in the vanilla and egg yolks, and mix well. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, and add the milk.

Step Two: Use your hands or a cookie scooper to make 1-inch balls. As you make them place them into an ungreased air fryer tray. Or if you have an air fryer basket, set them onto the parchment paper.

Step Three: Set cook time for 4-6 minutes at air fryer temperature of 330 degrees F, using the air fryer setting. Let them cool, before removing them from the oven tray or parchment paper. The cookies will harden as they cool.

Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies Recipe Tips

• Use softened butter, not melted, so the dough holds its shape.
• Mix just until combined to keep the cookies tender, not dense.
• Chill the dough for 15–20 minutes if it feels sticky.
• Space cookies slightly apart so air can circulate evenly.
• Check early—air fryers run hot and these brown fast.
• Line the basket or tray with parchment to prevent sticking.
• Let cookies cool a few minutes before moving; they firm up as they rest.

Storing Instructions

Let the Italian butter cookies cool completely before storing so they stay crisp. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, keeping layers separated with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Air Fryer Italian Butter Cookies Recipe Faqs

Can I make these cookies without a cookie press? Yes. You can roll the dough into 1-inch balls or pipe it with a zip-top bag and snip the corner.

Do I need to chill the dough first? No chilling is required, which makes this recipe fast and easy. If the dough feels too soft, a quick 10-minute chill helps.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? Yes, just reduce or skip the added salt so the cookies don’t taste overly salty.

Why did my cookies spread too much? The butter may have been too warm. Slightly chilling the dough before air frying will help them hold their shape.

Can I decorate these cookies? Absolutely. Dip them in melted chocolate, add sprinkles, or dust with powdered sugar after cooking.

How do I keep the cookies soft? Store them in an airtight container once completely cooled to maintain their tender texture.

Can I double the recipe? Yes, just work in batches so the cookies stay in a single layer and cook evenly.

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• AIR FRYER TERIYAKI CHICKEN WINGS RECIPE

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