Air Fryer Christmas Cookies

If you want last-minute holiday cookies without firing up the oven, these air fryer Christmas cookies are the answer — small-batch, fast, and reliably soft in the middle with lightly golden edges. The dough is a straightforward sugar-cookie base enriched with butter and a whole egg, which gives a tender, almost cake-like crumb that stays moist even after a quick air-fry. Using baking powder instead of soda keeps the texture pillowy rather than spread-thin, which is helpful when you’re working in the concentrated heat of an air fryer basket. Festive sprinkles add cheer and a little crunch, but you’ll find the best contrast comes from a soft center and thin crisp perimeter.

This recipe is aimed at cooks who need flexibility: testing flavors, making a few cookies for unexpected guests, or creating holiday treats with kids (no complicated chilling or rolling required). Because the cookies are portioned small, you can experiment with timing and add-ins without wasting a whole tray. The method also highlights a couple of air-fryer specifics — preheating briefly, spacing cookies to allow airflow, and letting them rest in the basket so they finish setting off the heat — all of which produce consistently good results even in different basket sizes and models.