Can You Make Toast in an Air Fryer?

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Toast is one of those old-fashioned comfort foods, a trusted standby that we all resort to from time to time, especially when the kids are hungry and need a quick snack. It is often also the regular default food on the breakfast table when you run out of ideas for nutritious and interesting morning meals.

If you have an air fryer, you might have wondered if you can make toast in an air fryer. Not only can you make toast in an air fryer, but it is actually really delicious, and super convenient to do so.

Counter space is at a premium in my kitchen. There is somehow just never enough space for everything. When I first got my air fryer, I used to store it neatly in a cabinet under the kitchen counter. 

I already had my kettle and toaster out on the counter, because those are items that I used to use every day, sometimes multiple times in a day. There simply wasn’t enough space to keep the air fryer there as well. 

Every time I wanted to use my air fryer, I first had to crouch down and reach into the depths of the cupboard under the counter, in order to get it out. It was so much effort! As a result, I didn’t use it all that often, because it was a nuisance to unpack it.

But then I had an epiphany! I realized that I could have the best of both worlds. I did some experimenting with my air fryer and soon realized that I could get rid of the toaster. The air fryer could double up as a toaster, and take the toaster’s place on the kitchen counter. Bye-bye toaster!

Keeping my air fryer out all the time on my kitchen counter has been a huge game-changer for me. I use it on a daily basis, for so many different things. I love to cook a variety of meals in the air fryer, I use it to reheat leftovers, and I love the way toast comes out when you make toast in an air fryer. All-in-all, a win-win situation.

What Type Of Air Fryer Is Best For Making Toast?

There are two different types of air fryers on the market, the basket type and the toaster oven type. Both are ideal for making the best toast ever, and, whichever model you have, you cannot go wrong.

While the toaster oven type can make more slices of toast at once, the basket type also works perfectly for making toast. Because the basket is usually round, you can only fit in 2-3 slices at a time, but it toasts them so quickly that it doesn’t matter.

I have a basket-type air fryer, and, through trial and error, I have figured out how to get the perfect slice of toast from it. Your toast will be golden brown and crispy on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside.

What Type Of Bread Is Best For Making Toast In An Air Fryer?

You can use any type of bread to make toast in an air fryer. Choose your bread according to your individual taste. Any type will work. 

You may need to experiment a little with temperatures and cooking times, in order to get the perfect result for your preferred type of bread. Different types of bread have different textures and densities.

Both the texture and the density of the bread will affect the cooking time. The heavier and more solid your bread, the longer it will take to toast to the right level of crispy and brown finish. 

Whether you like white bread or wholewheat, rye bread or Italian ciabatta, or even rolls and bagels, they can all be toasted in an air fryer. And it’s a great way to use up stale bread that has been in your bread bin for a few days and is about to be tossed out.

Some of us may like a delicate, thin slice of toast. Others may prefer the proverbial ‘doorstep’. Whatever your preference, the thickness of the individual slices of bread will also be a determining factor in how long to cook it before it becomes toast. 

How Do You Make Toast In An Air Fryer?

The actual ‘nitty gritty’ of making toast in an air fryer is ridiculously simple. Follow these easy steps, and you’ll soon be munching away at your fresh, hot toast, with your favorite topping. See our tips and suggestions further down, for amazing toast toppings.

1. Place 2 or 3 slices of bread in the basket of your air fryer.
2. Switch on the air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
3. Set the timer for 2 minutes.
4. After 2 minutes, turn each slice, using silicone tongs. ( Avoid using metal utensils in your air fryer. They will damage the special non-stick coating, and scratch it.)
5. Put the toast back in the air fryer for another 2 minutes.
6. After 2 minutes, check if it is brown enough. If not, put it back for another minute, or however long it needs to turn a lovely golden brown.
7. Remove the toast, and spread generously with your favorite topping.
8. Serve and eat immediately.

The Best Toppings For Toast

The list of toppings for toast is literally endless. The rule is that there are basically no rules. Anything goes! You can choose whether you want savory or sweet, healthy and nutritious or somewhat decadent, sophisticated adult food or simple kids’ stuff. Whatever grabs your fancy.

Here are a few of my favorite suggestions.

• Plain butter

While interesting toppings are lovely, and it may be true that variety is the spice of life, I still love tucking into a couple of slices of fresh, hot toast slathered with lashings of rich, creamy butter.

Of course, there are countless variations of things to add after buttering your toast.

Our favorite is a light sprinkling of cinnamon, topped with a few raisins and some chopped apple. That can take your humble slice of toast into a whole new realm.

For those who love something sweet, what can beat a layer of delicious strawberry jelly, after spreading the toast with butter?

If you prefer something savory to complement the butter, a thin spread of anchovy paste, topped with a few thin slices of cucumber,  turns your plain buttered toast into something special. There are numerous different brands and varieties available.

• Peanut butter

If you want to pack in some protein with your toast, peanut butter is the way to go. Both smooth and crunchy peanut butter is simply more-ish on hot toast. While peanut butter is great on its own, it also works well as a base for other healthy, nourishing toppings. Peanut butter goes bad only after a long time, so it’s a great protein to keep in the pantry.

• Peanut butter and sliced banana

Bananas are known to be one of the most nourishing fruits available. Filled with essential elements such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, B12, potassium, and other nutrients, sliced banana with some peanut butter, on a slice of wholewheat toast, makes a nourishing and healthy breakfast.

• Peanut butter and honey

If you have a sweet tooth, but still want something healthy, peanut butter and honey will pass the test. Honey has many health benefits. It is full of antioxidants and has been associated with promoting good heart health. 

Because honey is high in calories, nutritionists recommend eating it in moderation. However, a teaspoon of honey drizzled over your toast and peanut butter, 2 or 3 times a week, is not likely to do any harm.

• Cheese

Cheese can mean so many different things. There are hundreds of cheeses to choose from, and they can be placed on your toast in many different forms. For something quick and easy, but nutritious and delicious, it’s hard to beat a dollop of rich cream cheese spread on hot toast.

For a healthier alternative, you could go for a spoonful of low-fat cottage cheese, topped with a few slices of tomato or avo. 

My personal favorite is a slice of strong cheddar cheese on a slice of toast, and I then pop my slice of toast back in the air fryer for one minute, to melt the cheese. It melts quickly and bubbles up into a whole lot of cheesy yumminess.

• Chocolate spread

If the kids don’t want to eat their breakfast, you could try tempting them with a slice of hot toast smeared with chocolate spread. They will lick their lips – and their fingers –  while asking for more. It’s a guaranteed way to get some food into those little bellies before school.

A slightly more adult twist on the chocolate spread idea is chocolate hazelnut spread. This combines the delectable, smooth taste of chocolate with the more sophisticated flavor of hazelnuts, and is a wonderful topping for fresh, hot toast.

Whatever you may choose to put on your toast, once you have made toast in an air fryer a few times, you will be able to pack away your toaster for good.

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