How long should you cook bacon in an air fryer? Here's what to know for the perfect crisp.

Danielle DeSiato, Reviewed
·2 min read
How to make bacon in an air fryer
How to make bacon in an air fryer

If you want to make bacon quicker and crispier, use your air fryer. It’s so simple it’s almost easy to overlook, but air fryers are basically mini convection ovens, which make them perfect for crisping small batches of bacon quickly.

Cooking bacon in an air fryer also reduces cleanup, especially since most air fryers have nonstick coating that makes them quick and easy to clean after use. Whether you have a traditional air fryer, or an air fryer toaster oven, the bacon-making steps are simple.

How to make bacon in an air fryer?

Whether you use a traditional air fryer, or an air fryer toaster oven, you'll get crispy results if you follow these steps.
Whether you use a traditional air fryer, or an air fryer toaster oven, you'll get crispy results if you follow these steps.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for a few minutes. (This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s a good step if you have the time.)

  2. Lay bacon in an even layer in the air fryer basket or tray. It’s okay if it is a little squished because it will shrink as it cooks.

  3. Insert basket or tray into air fryer and set the timer for 6 minutes. At that point the bacon will only be partially cooked, but you’ll want to move it around a little to give it room to crisp up.

  4. Re-insert the bacon and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon, or how thick it is. Thick-cut bacon may need another minute or two.

  5. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool slightly before serving.

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A few pro tips

You may think 370°F sounds low, especially if you cook bacon in a regular oven at 400°+, but remember that an air fryer is a much smaller, more contained environment where the heat is very close to the food. You want to render out the fat in order for the bacon to get crispy, which won’t happen if you hike up the temperature.

An air fryer is also a convection oven—a.k.a. cooking with a fan—which causes food to cook faster, so keep an eye on the bacon so it doesn’t overcook.

Laying the bacon on the paper towel before serving is important because it will wick away extra moisture that will otherwise prevent the bacon from getting as crispy as possible.

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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: How to make bacon in an air fryer: Here's how to get the perfect crisp