Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

 

I sure am enjoying experimenting with my air fryer.  I had it for almost a year before I really started using it. It was collecting dust in my closet and I dug it out, refusing to let it beat me.

I used to call it the cremator because I burnt everything in it.  Since then I have learned that its just a matter of timing and temperature. There is a bit of an art to it, but once you get the hang of it, there is no turning back!

 

 

Essentially an air fryer is like a mini convection oven, obviously much smaller than a regular convection oven!  It cooks things by blowing hot air around the food.  This means that the food cooks faster and at a lower temperature than is needed in a regular oven.

It gives you a nice crisp finish without having to resort to cooking in oil or deep frying.  Don't expect the same results as deep frying however. It is not an actual "fryer." 

It is a much healthier way to get nice crisp coated food without having to resort to deep frying however, and in the case of baked good, a nice crisp finish, usually in far less time than oven cooking, which means this will come in really handy in the summer months when you are not wanting to heat up your kitchen! 

 

  

Today I baked a can of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls in my air fryer with fabulous results.  Crisp on the outside with a delicious flaky crumb inside with beautiful cinnamon layers.

These are a fabulous way to start off the day and the smell of them cooking is sure to get everybody out of bed pronto!  No fuss, no muss, easy peasy!

 

BEST HINTS AND TIPS FOR USING AN AIR FRYER

These are some of the things I have learned so far in my air fryer adventure. I thought you might find them helpful. 

1. Preheat your fryer before cooking food in it. About 5 minutes does the trick. This really goes a long way towards preventing food from being soggy.

2. If you are making diced potatoes, diced chicken, or anything which is cut into smaller pieces, shake the air fryer basket frequently.  This helps to ensure your food cooks evenly, as well as developing even color and crispness. All you need to do is to pull out the drawer and give it a few shakes, then push it back in. 

3. When cooking fatty food add a bit of water to the bottom drawer.  This helps to draw the fat away from the food and prevents your food from burning, and your air fryer from smoking.

4. When you are baking quick breads, muffins, cakes, and other baked goods, if a toothpick test reveals that the middle isn't done yet at the end of the cook time, just take the bread cake, etc. out of the pan and flip it. Carefully place it in the basket upside down and allow it to finish cooking.

5. Resist the temptation to overcrowd the basket. Food will cook more evenly and quicker if you make sure there is plenty of space. Single layers are best. Food which is stacked will cook unevenly and lack crispness when done.

6. Flip or shake the food halfway through the cook time. If I am cooking meat, chicken or fish, I start with the bottom side up and finish it off with the presentation side up.

7.  The air fryer is a great way to heat up frozen foods. As a general rule of thumb there is a 30% reduction in cook time.

 

8.  If you are cooking something really fatty and you want to avoid creating too much smoke (like bacon) place a slice of bread in the bottom of the drawer. This will help to absorb the grease and prevent burning and smoking.

9. You can use aluminum foil in the air fryer.  Wrap vegetables in it to steam then.  Use it over baked goods like cakes and pies to slow down browning on top while the middle cooks, removing it for the last bit of the cook time to brown things up.

10. You can use parchment paper in the air fryer to help  minimize clean up. You can just throw it away when you are done.

11. It is a smart thing to check for doneness from time to time. Times given in most recipes are merely guidelines. You need to learn which times are best for your particular model of air fryer. You will only need to do this a few times before you get a real view for what timings are best for your air fryer.

There are actually two ways of cooking ready made cinnamon rolls in the air fryer. You can cook them in a small round pan that fits into the air fryer like I have, or you can cook them directly on the rack

This depends on what kind of finish you want. In the pan they are soft sided. On the rack they have crisper sides and are more individual.   

 

If you cook them on the rack they will cook a lot quicker so do start checking them about 5 minutes or so earlier than if you are cooking them in the pan.   Depending on your model of air fryer, you may need to cook the ones in the pan longer than I did.

I could have probably cooked mine for a few more minutes, but they were actually quite adequately done in the time stated in the recipe.  If you want them crisper, cook for a bit longer.

 

I don't recommend increasing the temperature above what I have suggested. You will end up with cinnamon rolls that are quite dark, or maybe even burnt on the outside and still raw in the middle.

Haste makes waste in this instance. 

 

Here in Canada I used the Pillsbury brand of cinnamon roll dough and I used the one which has only five rolls in the can.

In the UK, I recommend using Jus-Rol Cinnamon Swirls Dough. 

 

If you are not using the Grands version, your rolls will fit differently into the pan and you will need to adjust the cook time somewhat in order to make sure they bake properly.

These really do make a delicious breakfast option and such an easy one. They are hardly any work at all.

While they are cooking you can put the coffee on,  pour some juice and set the table.  Get ready for the pats on the back when everyone stampedes down the stairs!

You are going to have one very happy family that's for sure. They don't need to know that you barely  broke into a sweat making them. That can be our little secret! 

 

If you are more of a traditionalist I have several other versions of Cinnamon Rolls here in The English Kitchen.

MOM'S CINNAMON ROLLS (SMALL BATCH) - These  are a fluffy tender biscuit type of cinnamon roll.  Flaky, rich and delicious. In all honesty I would have to say that I LOVE these cinnamon rolls better than any commercial cinnamon roll you can buy out there, including the big namers.

 

CINNAMON ROLLS YEAST (SMALL BATCH) -  This recipe makes six beautiful big soft yeasty cinnamon rolls with a beautiful sweet glaze. Just the right size for the smaller family.

Air Fryer Cinnamon Buns

Yield: 5

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Nothing could be easier than making a quick batch of delicious canned cinnamon rolls in the air fryer. Perfect as a quick breakfast or as a snack!

Ingredients

• 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
• non stick canola cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 275*F/135*C.
2. Spray an 8-inch round metal cake tin with some of the cooking spray. Open the can of cinnamon rolls, separate them, and place them into the tin with one in the middle and the other four at the outsides.
3. Bake in the air fryer for 15 to 19 minutes. They should be golden brown and cooked in the center. If not, cook for a few minutes longer.
4. Remove and cool for a few minutes.
5. Warm the icing which comes with the rolls in the microwave on high for about 15 seconds. Drizzle over the cinnamon rolls
6. Serve warm.

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