When it comes to brownies, are you team cakey or team fudgy? My Kitchen Drawer shares how to make both with this quick, easy and delicious air fryer brownie recipe.

Cakey vs fudgy
air fryer brownies

When making brownies in the air fryer, there are only a couple of small differences between getting the cakey or fudgy result you want. 

Flour

Cakey brownies have double the amount of flour as fudgy brownies, but all of the other ingredients remain the same.  

Temperature

Fudgy brownies should be cooked to an internal temperature of 73 – 80 °C, whereas cakey brownies should go up to 93-98 °C once cooked. Test the temperature with a Thermapen cooking thermometer.

Refrigerating

For even fudgier fudgy chocolate brownies, put them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before cutting.

Air fryer brownies recipe

Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 12 brownies 

Difficulty: Easy

For fudgy brownies

• 150g dark chocolate 70%
• 150g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 100g plain flour
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 25g cocoa powder

For cakey brownies

• 150g dark chocolate 70%
• 150g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 200g plain flour
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 25g cocoa powder

Air fryer brownies method

• Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
• Put the dark chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts until both are melted. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick and aerated.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, followed by the flour, cocoa powder and vanilla. Gently fold everything together until just incorporated.
• Set your air fryer to 160 °C on the bake setting and leave to preheat.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin then. When the air fryer beeps that it’s ready, add the tin to the air fryer basket.

For fudgy air fryer brownies

• Bake for around 20-25 minutes, then test the temperature with your Thermapen thermometer. They should read between 73 – 80 °C once cooked.

For cakey air fryer brownies

• Bake for around 30 minutes, then test the temperature with your Thermapen thermometer. They should read between 93-98 °C once cooked.

TIP: Leave the brownies to cool fully before cutting them into 12 squares. Put the fudgy brownies in the fridge for a few hours or overnight first to make them even fudgier. 

Alix Carey

Food Blogger & Author

@mykitchendrawer

"I'm so thrilled to be working with Thermapen as it has fast become one of my favourite kitchen drawer tools. Most, if not all bakes require or benefit from temperature testing so having the Thermapen to hand is the secret ingredient to perfect creations every time!"