Most whole eggs cook in an air fryer for 9–15 minutes at 270–300°F, depending on whether you want soft, jammy, or hard yolks.
If you love eggs and hate waiting for a pot to boil, air fryer eggs feel like a small win. They are hands-off, the shells peel well, and you can make breakfast or snack prep while the basket hums away. The catch is that air fryer models all run a bit different, so the right timing for eggs can feel confusing at first.
This guide walks through how long to cook eggs in an air fryer for soft, jammy, and hard centers, along with temperatures, peeling tricks, and safety tips. You will see a clear timing chart, learn how to test with a single egg, and pick up a simple routine that you can repeat every week without guessing.
The short version: most medium or large eggs turn out soft in about 9–11 minutes, jammy in about 11–13 minutes, and hard in about 13–15 minutes when the basket is preheated to around 270–300°F. You then shock them in cold water so the shells slip off and the yolks stay bright.
How Long To Air Fry Eggs For Every Doneness
Think of air fryer egg timing in bands rather than single exact numbers. The ranges below give you a starting point. The first time you try a new air fryer, cook one egg, note the result, and then add or trim a minute on the next batch until it matches your taste.
| Egg Style | Basket Temperature | Time Range* |
|---|---|---|
| Soft, runny center | 270–280°F (132–138°C) | 9–11 minutes |
| Jammy, custardy yolk | 270–280°F (132–138°C) | 11–13 minutes |
| Fully hard center | 270–280°F (132–138°C) | 13–15 minutes |
| Very soft whites | 270–280°F (132–138°C) | 8–9 minutes |
| Extra-firm yolk | 270–280°F (132–138°C) | 15–16 minutes |
| Lower-temp models only | 250°F (120°C) | Add 1–2 minutes |
| Higher-temp models only | 300°F (150°C) | Subtract 1–2 minutes |
*Times assume room-temperature medium or large eggs in a preheated basket. Extra-large eggs often need about 1 extra minute; small eggs can need about 1 minute less.
Several tested recipes land in these same ranges, with cooks reporting soft or jammy yolks around the 9–13 minute mark and firm centers around 13–15 minutes in a preheated air fryer set near 270°F.:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} Your own basket may run hotter or cooler, so treat that first test egg as your personal benchmark.
How Long Do You Put Eggs In An Air Fryer?
When someone asks “how long do you put eggs in an air fryer?”, they usually want one clear number. In practice, there are five main pieces that shift the answer: egg size, starting egg temperature, air fryer temperature accuracy, basket crowding, and how firm you like the yolk.
Egg size matters because larger eggs have more volume for the heat to move through. If you swap from medium to extra-large, expect to add a minute. If you switch to small, expect to shave off a minute. Make that change in small steps rather than large jumps so you do not overcook a whole batch at once.
Starting from fridge-cold eggs slows the cook. Many home cooks still get good results with cold eggs, but the risk of hairline cracks rises as the hot air hits the cold shell. Letting eggs sit on the counter for about 15–20 minutes before cooking, or running them under slightly warm tap water, can help even out that shock.
Air fryers rarely match their display temperatures exactly. Some run hot, others lag behind. Lining the basket with a heavy insert can also change heat flow. You may find that your “270°F” behaves closer to 290°F, which shortens the timing band. This is why the first test egg is worth the small effort.
Crowding matters as well. Air needs space to move around the eggs. Pack the basket with a tight layer of eggs and the ones in the middle may come out softer than the edges. A single layer with a little gap between shells gives even results and safe cooking.
Step-By-Step Method For Air Fryer Eggs
Once you dial in your timing, cooking air fryer eggs turns into a reliable routine. This section lays out a simple method you can repeat on busy mornings or weekly meal prep sessions.
Set Up Your Air Fryer
Start by bringing the eggs closer to room temperature if you can. Even ten minutes on the counter helps reduce cracking. While the eggs rest, set your air fryer to 270–280°F (around 132–138°C). Let it preheat for about 3–5 minutes so the basket and air inside reach a steady heat.
Check that the basket is dry and free of leftover oil or crumbs. A clean surface prevents spots on the shells and keeps any lingering flavors from clinging to the eggs. There is no need for oil spray on the shells themselves.
Cook The Eggs
Lay the eggs directly in the basket in a single layer. Space them out so air can move between the shells. Slide the basket back in and start your timer. For a first test, a good starting point is 10 minutes for soft, 12 minutes for jammy, or 14 minutes for hard centers.
When the timer ends, move one egg to a bowl of ice water for at least 5 minutes, then peel and cut it through the center. If the yolk is softer than you like, add 1–2 minutes to the next test. If the yolk has a gray ring and feels dry, trim 1–2 minutes instead.
Once you see a yolk texture you enjoy, write down the exact time and temperature that matched that result for your machine. That note turns into your own “house rule” for air fryer eggs so you do not need to guess again.
Cool And Peel
As soon as the eggs come out of the basket, drop them into ice water or run them under cold tap water until the shells feel cool. This cold bath stops carryover cooking and keeps yolks bright instead of gray. It also loosens the thin membrane under the shell so peeling feels smooth.
Tap each egg gently on the counter to crack the shell, then roll it a little so the cracks spread. Start peeling from the wider end where the air pocket sits. The shell often slips off in large pieces when the shock bath was long enough.
Food Safety And Doneness For Air Fryer Eggs
Eggs are simple, but they still need safe handling. U.S. food safety agencies advise cooking eggs until the yolk and white are firm, and egg dishes to around 160°F, to cut the risk from bacteria like Salmonella.:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} If you like soft yolks, use clean, fresh eggs from a trusted source and keep them chilled before cooking.
If you want a more precise check, you can use a thin probe thermometer. Slide the probe into the center of a peeled test egg. A hard “boiled” egg that reaches around 160°F in the middle has passed the usual safety bar for egg dishes, while still tasting tender.
After cooking, store peeled or unpeeled eggs in the fridge within two hours. Keep them in a covered container and use them within about a week for best quality and safety. A labeled box in the fridge makes it easy to track how long your batch has been there.
For detailed rules, many home cooks like to skim the official safe minimum internal temperature chart for eggs at FoodSafety.gov and the FDA safe food handling advice for fridge storage and reheating.
Timing Adjustments For Different Egg Uses
The best air fryer egg timing depends on how you plan to use the eggs. A runny center that tastes great on toast can feel messy in a lunch box. This section gives timing tweaks for common uses so you can match the texture to the dish.
Eggs For Toast And Dipping
For toast soldiers or buttery sourdough slices, many people like eggs with soft whites and a deeply runny center. In air fryer terms, that means staying near the lower edge of the range.
Preheat the air fryer to around 270°F and start with 9–10 minutes for medium eggs. Peel a test egg. If the white feels too loose, add 1 minute on the next batch. If you want the yolk a little thicker, move toward 11 minutes while keeping the temperature the same.
Eggs For Ramen Or Grain Bowls
Ramen, noodle bowls, and grain bowls shine with jammy eggs that slice cleanly but still ooze a little toward the center. For that texture, keep the same temperature but set your timer around 11–12 minutes.
The yolk should hold its shape around the edge and look glossy in the middle. If you marinate these eggs in soy sauce later, keep them on the slightly softer side since the salt can firm them up a bit more over time.
Eggs For Snacks, Salads, And Meal Prep
For snacks, lunch boxes, and salads, hard centers feel safer to carry and easier to slice. In that case, aim for the upper band of the range.
Set the air fryer to 270–280°F and test 13–14 minutes. If you like a drier center for grating over toast or pasta, move to 15–16 minutes, but watch for a green ring that signals overcooking.
| Egg Use | Yolk Texture | Timing Tip* |
|---|---|---|
| Toast dipping | Runny center | Start at 9–10 minutes |
| Ramen and grain bowls | Jammy middle | Start at 11–12 minutes |
| Salads and snacks | Fully set | Start at 13–15 minutes |
| Egg salad | Firm but moist | Target 13–14 minutes |
| Grated egg toast | Drier yolk | Target 15–16 minutes |
*All tips assume a preheated basket at around 270–280°F with medium or large eggs.
Common Air Fryer Egg Mistakes To Avoid
Air fryer eggs are forgiving, yet a few habits still cause problems. Watch for these common mistakes, and your batches will stay more consistent.
- Skipping preheat: A cold basket stretches timing and often leaves a mix of soft and hard eggs in the same batch.
- Using fridge-cold eggs with high heat: A big gap between shell and air temperature leads to cracks and leaking whites.
- Crowding the basket: Packed shells block air movement, so some eggs stay undercooked while others overcook.
- Ignoring size changes: Swapping from medium to jumbo without adjusting the timer makes underdone centers likely.
- Skipping the ice bath: Leaving eggs in a hot basket or cooling slowly leads to green rings and stubborn shells.
- Guessing every time: Not writing down your best time and temperature wastes eggs on repeat tests.
Final Thoughts On Air Fryer Egg Timing
Once you understand how long you put eggs in an air fryer for each texture, the process feels simple. You preheat the basket, pick a time band for soft, jammy, or hard yolks, test with one egg, and then repeat the same settings whenever you want a batch for breakfast or meal prep.
The phrase “how long do you put eggs in an air fryer?” does not have a single one-size-fits-all answer, yet the 9–15 minute range at 270–300°F gives a reliable starting point. From there, you fine-tune for your machine, your egg size, and your taste, and you keep those notes handy. That mix of clear ranges, one test egg, and steady habits turns air fryer eggs into a low-stress part of your cooking week.