The One Breakfast Food You Shouldn't Cook In An Air Fryer

When it comes to countertop convenience, the air fryer is just that. Not only does it do the same job as the stovetop or oven, but it often does it faster. From meaty mains and starchy sides to crispy veggies and even something sweet for dessert, you really can whip up just about anything in this handy machine. However, when it comes to breakfast foods, there are a few things that should stick to the stovetop, including pancakes.

Sure, it's less than convenient cooking your flapjacks in batches, forcing you to hover over a skillet or griddle for longer than you'd like, but the air fryer shouldn't be your new go-to. While cooking pancakes in the air fryer does save you time, they actually come out as flat-jacks, a less-than-fluffy, overly messy version of the breakfast staple. In fact, any foods that start out as a liquid or batter should avoid being air fried.

While you may recall a technique where you lay parchment paper into your air fryer basket, pour pancake batter on top, and repeat until you have a whole stack of uncooked pancakes ready to hit the heat, this method can make a mess. It can also cause your cakes to be thinner than usual due to the pressure of the layers and the fact that pancake batter spreads much easier than denser batter, like that of biscuits, scones, or cookies. Sure, cake batter is the same consistency, but air fryer cakes often have silicone cake pans or cups to give the batter a set boundary. With fewer boundaries, the raw pancakes can run amuck, yielding a mess.

Another breakfast food that should avoid the air fryer would be omelets, seeing that the liquid is low in viscosity, similar to pancakes.

Instead of looking to save time at your next pancake party, it's best to set aside more time and put some love into 'em. That way each flapjack is fluffy, tender, and flavorful.