Who doesn’t love a bagel?
They’re tender, chewy, come in a whole slew of flavors, and are the perfect treat for a lazy Saturday morning. If you can’t get a bagel fresh out of the oven (and most people can’t), then they need to be toasted for the best texture and flavor.
Toasting a bagel can be really annoying! You can only toast one bagel at a time in the toaster, if it even fits into the toaster! Sometimes, the bagels are just a smidge too thick and the edges get burned.
We’re here to teach you how to toast bagel in the air fryer—your new an ALL-AROUND better option.
In this recipe, we lightly butter bagels before quickly toasting them to golden brown perfection in the air fryer.
These toasted bagels are easy, quick, and are the optimal level of toasty crispiness combined with a soft chewy middle.
Breakfast, lunch, snack- bagels are good ANY time of the day, especially when they’re perfectly toasted and slathered with butter, jam, cream cheese, or made into a sandwich!
Table of Contents
Air Fryer Toasted Bagels: What You Need
✦ You can find the exact measurements of the recipe ingredients and customize the serving size in the recipe card after the detailed step-by-step instructions section.
You really only need one ingredient to make this recipe:
- Bagels!
We also like to butter the bagels prior to toasting, but it is optional.
As a general rule, use whatever is available in your pantry.
Recipe Video
How to Toast a Bagel in an Air Fryer?
Toasting a bagel in the air fryer is foolproof. They take 6 minutes or less to toast! Preheat the air fryer for the shortest toasting time and best results.
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF (204ºC).
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 400ºF (204ºC) and then let it cook for 5 minutes without food.
You may also skip preheating by adding 1-2 minutes to your cooking time.
Step 2: Slice the bagels in half.
Carefully halve the bagels to create two, circular halves.
If using butter, butter the cut side of each bagel halve.
Step 3: Toast bagel in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes.
When the air fryer is preheated, add the bagels in a single layer, cut-side facing up, and air fry until golden and toasted, about 4-6 minutes.
If toasting frozen bagels, add 1-2 minutes.
✦ I used a 6-quart air fryer to test this recipe. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy your air fryer toasted bagels!
When the bagels are nicely toasted, transfer them to a plate and serve immediately with your spread of choice! Our personal favorite is veggie cream cheese.
Here’s a quick recipe for veggie cream cheese that will be even tastier once it’s on a hot, toasty, air fryer toasted bagel!
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 scallion, minced
- ½ bell pepper, minced
- 1 small clove garlic, grated
- 2-3 stems dill or parsley, minced
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients with a spatula until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately on toasted bagels!
If you’re not using a traditional spread like butter, jam, or cream cheese, try peanut butter or even make your toasted bagel into a tasty breakfast sandwich! So many possibilities for a perfectly-toasted bagel in air fryer!
How to Toast Frozen Bagels?
To toast frozen bagels, first preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C) and slice your bagels. Place them in the preheated air fryer with the cut side up, then air fry for 5-7 minutes or until they are golden and the crust becomes crispy. If desired, you can spread butter on your bagel.
Freezing & Storage
Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing your toasted bread, instead freeze the bagel. Wrap each bagel in plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. To reheat, defrost on the counter overnight then toast following the original recipe.
Fridge: Once your bagel halves have cooled completely, add to a zip-top bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To reheat, add to an air fryer preheated to 380ºF and toast until crispy and hot, about 2-3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can toast a bagel in an air fryer. First, preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Next, slice your bagel in half and spread butter if desired. Place the bagel halves in the air fryer basket with the cut side up. Air fry for 4-6 minutes or until they are golden.
It takes 4-6 minutes to toast a bagel in a preheated air fryer at 400°F (204°C). If you’re air frying a frozen bagel, add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time
This ingredients checklist is interactive; you can use it as your grocery list.
Ingredients
- 2 bagels any flavor
- ½ tablespoon butter optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C).
- Slice your bagels in half. If desired, you can spread butter on it.
- Toast bagels in the air fryer for 4-6 minutes, cut-side up. Toast until they turn golden and reach your desired level of crispiness. No flipping required. If air frying from frozen add 1-2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy your air fryer toasted bagels! Add your favorite spread or, better yet, make a breakfast bagel sandwich.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 400°F (204°C) and then let it cook for 4-5 minutes without food.
- You can also skip preheating by adding 2-3 minutes to your cooking time. Increment gradually, to prevent burning your bagels.
- To quickly soften your butter, get a ramekin or mug and fill it with hot water. Then, immediately dump the water and add your butter and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. The residual heat will soften the butter in a few minutes.
- Another way to soften your butter is to microwave it at 30% power in 5-second increments. If you see the sides melting, mix the butter until it reaches the desired softness.
- I used a 6-quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus to test air fryer toasted bagels. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Nutrition
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