Parchment paper can handle the heat inside your air fryer - up to 428°F (220°C). To get the best results, add the parchment paper to the air fryer basket at the same time as you add your ingredients. This prevents the paper from lifting up and coming into contact with the heating element while cooking.
"You should never use parchment in either the air fryer basket or baking pan if there is nothing to hold it down to secure it, like food, as the high velocity fans will cause the parchment to possibly touch the heating elements," notes Rodgers.
Overall, the best way to cook in the air fryer is without it. However, using parchment paper can have various benefits, such as easier clean-up after cooking and to keep foods from sticking to the bottom of the basket, especially when the non-stick surface has worn away.
Using parchment paper in an air fryer can be easy – simply place it on the bottom of the basket and you're good to go! Additionally, parchment can also be used for wrapping larger items before adding them to the air fryer. Be sure that your parchment paper is cut to size so as to prevent overflow during cooking.
Laurence says she always chooses parchment paper over aluminum foil in the air fryer. Parchment paper is more versatile because it is non-reactive, whereas aluminum foil is reactive.
Aluminum foil is often preferred over other materials because it's relatively durable and resilient. One of the most popular uses for aluminum foil is to replace parchment paper in air fryers. Aluminum foil provides excellent heat stability and is less likely to buckle or melt in high temperatures than parchment paper.
Also, research by the International Journal of Electrochemical Science found that small amounts of aluminum may leach into food during the cooking process. Like with wax paper, if there is heat your best bet is parchment paper. Some people line their ovens with foil to prevent messes. This is a big no-no, too.
Preheat your air fryer FIRST.
Adding the parchment paper to the air fryer while preheating will cause the liner to fly up to the heating element or heating coil and catch fire.
These disposable liners do have their benefits. Yes, they make cleanup a cinch and their perforated design makes them safer to use in an air fryer than the typical parchment paper sold by the roll.
Compared to parchment paper, silicone typically makes for a better air frying experience: These liners are usually heat resistant up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Air Fryer Cook, so you can safely crisp up most foods without worrying about the inside of your device catching on fire.
An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.
Yes, you can put aluminum foil in an air fryer. Tasteofhome.com explains that due to the air fryer's cooking process consisting of rushing hot air, your aluminum foil and the meal it's with will not be ruined by the air fryer.
While foil and plastic wrap seal out air, parchment paper allows foods to breathe a little when wrapped. This means exterior crusts stay crisp, instead of getting soggy.
For a clean release, grease, flour—and parchment—are key. It may sound like overkill, but the most effective way to ensure that a cake releases cleanly from a baking pan is to grease the pan, line it with parchment paper, and then grease and flour the parchment and pan sides.
Despite its versatility, it's commonly used in instances where high heat is necessary because its silicone construction keeps it from melting in the oven and over the stovetop. Use it to line cake pans and baking sheets, as a soft lid for slowly reducing sauces, and as a liner for blind baking pie crust.
Parchment paper doesn't need any oil, food simply slides off of it. So rather then poking at a hot pan with a spatula, try parchment paper. You'll be shocked at how easy you can pull those cookies off the pan.
Cut a sheet of parchment to roughly the size of your air fryer basket, fold the paper, then punch holes. Lay it down inside the air fryer basket and, presto, you have a liner.
However, this is not without its own drawbacks. Unbleached wood fibers can contaminate food with which they come into contact, and since lignin is the component responsible for wood charring when burnt, unbleached parchment paper could be more prone to smoking at high temperatures6.
Parchment paper is a non-stick paper that is moisture and grease-resistant, and made to withstand temperatures up to 450°F. You can find it sold in rolls or flat sheets. Flat sheets are easier to use, since they don't curl up (pro tip: store the stack of parchment paper sheets on top of your refrigerator).
There are only trace amounts of dioxins in bleached parchment paper. It is not an immediate danger, but the number of dioxins can increase in your body over time. Unbleached parchment paper does not contain chlorine or other potentially harmful chemicals. Unbleached parchment paper is the safest of the two.
Converting oven recipes for your air fryer
Even if your air fryer doesn't have a dedicated 'bake' or 'roast' setting, chances are you can cook your favourite oven recipes in it. When taking a recipe from oven to air fryer, the general rule is to reduce the temperature by 20ºC – 30ºC, and cook for 20% less time.
Any glass you use in an air fryer should be tempered and oven-safe. The best options for air fryer cooking are those glasses made of borosilicate glass, like the well-known brand Pyrex.