Yes, you can cook frozen Yorkshire puddings in an air fryer; run them hot for a few minutes until crisp outside and steaming hot inside.
If your roast is ready and the Yorkshire puddings are still frozen solid, you’ve got two choices: heat the whole oven again or let the air fryer do the quick work. For most freezer-bought puds, the air fryer wins on speed and texture. You get a crisp rim, a warm middle, and less waiting around.
If you’re here asking can you cook frozen yorkshire puddings in an air fryer? you can—and the rest of this page shows you the timings, the small tweaks that stop soggy bases, and the easy checks that tell you they’re hot all the way through.
Fast Settings For Frozen Yorkshire Puddings
Use this as your starting point. Then match the step-by-step method to your air fryer and the size of your puddings.
| Pudding Type From Frozen | Temp | Time To Hot And Crisp |
|---|---|---|
| Mini puddings (party size) | 190°C / 375°F | 2–3 min |
| Standard puddings (most supermarket packs) | 180–200°C / 360–390°F | 3–5 min |
| Large “spectacular” style puddings | 200°C / 390°F | 4–5 min |
| Giant puddings (1 per serving) | 190°C / 375°F | 6–8 min |
| Gluten-free puddings | 180°C / 360°F | 3–4 min |
| Homemade puddings, frozen after baking | 180°C / 360°F | 2–4 min |
| Filled puddings (sausage-in-pudding bites) | 180°C / 360°F | 6–10 min |
| Extra-crisp finish (any size) | 200°C / 390°F | +1 min after they’re hot |
Can You Cook Frozen Yorkshire Puddings In An Air Fryer? Timing And Temp
Yes—you can. Most frozen Yorkshire puddings are baked before freezing. In the air fryer you’re reheating, driving off surface moisture, and crisping the shell. That’s why they go from freezer to plate in minutes.
If the pack has air fryer directions, start there. Aunt Bessie’s lists a high-heat method that preheats the air fryer to 200°C, cooks briefly, and includes a mid-cook shake; see their Airfry- From Frozen instructions for the exact steps.
Step By Step Air Fryer Method For Crisp Puds
1) Preheat The Basket
Preheat for 3–5 minutes. A hot basket starts crisping right away, which helps you avoid a soft, bready rim.
2) Load In A Single Layer
Put the frozen puddings in one layer, open side up. Leave space between them so air can move. If you stack, the top ones brown while the bottom ones steam.
3) Cook Hot And Brief
For standard size, start at 180°C for 3 minutes. For larger puddings, start at 200°C for 4 minutes. Then check. If they’re pale, add 1 minute. If they’re hot but you want more crunch, add 30–60 seconds.
4) Shake Or Flip Halfway
At the halfway mark, give the basket a quick shake. With larger puddings that sit steady, a gentle flip can help the base crisp. Try not to crush the sides.
5) Rest For One Minute
Let them sit for 60 seconds after cooking. That pause firms the shell and evens out heat in the middle.
Brand Notes You Can Use When Packs Differ
Not all frozen Yorkshire puddings are the same thickness. Some are light with thin rims, some are deeper and sturdier. That changes the minute-by-minute dial-in.
Aunt Bessie’s And Similar High-Heat Packs
Packs that call for 200°C are chasing a fast crisp. If your air fryer runs hot, start at 190°C and add time in 30-second steps until the rim firms.
Gluten-Free Puddings
Gluten-free puddings can brown a touch quicker and feel drier if you push them too long. Start at 180°C, check at 3 minutes, then add short bursts.
Store Brand Minis
Mini puds can go from pale to dark fast. Preheat, cook 2 minutes, check, then finish in 30-second bursts. Keep them spaced so the rims crisp instead of softening.
How To Tell They’re Done Without Guesswork
Color helps, yet heat in the center is what matters. A cooked-from-frozen Yorkshire pudding should feel light, sound a bit hollow when tapped, and give off visible steam from the cup.
If you’ve got a fast-read thermometer, check the thickest spot. If you don’t, split one open. If the middle is hot and steamy, you’re good.
Food safety guidance often describes reheated food as needing to be steaming hot all the way through. The UK Food Standards Agency uses that wording in its reheating advice on steaming hot throughout guidance, along with the “reheat once” rule.
Air Fryer Prep That Stops Steaming And Soggy Bases
Yorkshire puddings have a cup shape that can trap moisture. Air fryers move air well, yet you can still end up with a damp base if steam has nowhere to go.
Use A Perforated Liner Or Rack
If your basket tends to hold condensation, a perforated liner or rack lifts the base off the metal and gives steam a route out. Skip solid paper liners for this job since they block airflow under the pud.
Don’t Park Them In The Basket
Once they’re done, move them out. Leaving them in the hot basket with the drawer closed traps steam and softens the rim.
Model Differences That Change The Minutes
Basket Air Fryers
Basket units cook fast since the fan is close to the food. Start on the low end of the time range, then add short bursts until the edges crisp.
Oven-Style Air Fryers
Oven-style units often take a bit longer since there’s more space to heat and trays can sit farther from the fan. Add 1–2 minutes, then check again.
Small Compact Units
Small units can run hotter than the dial suggests. If you see dark edges at 200°C, drop to 180°C and add time in 30-second steps.
Batch Size Rules For Even Browning
Yorkshire puddings don’t like crowding. Air needs to sweep around the cup so the rim crisps and the base dries out. If you’re feeding a crew, run batches and park the finished ones on a wire rack so they stay crisp.
Stick to one layer and leave at least a finger-width gap. Many packs that mention air frying cap the basket at four puddings, which matches real-world airflow.
Do You Need Oil Or Spray?
Most of the time, no. Frozen Yorkshire puddings usually carry enough fat from the original bake to crisp up. Oil spray can leave a patchy finish and a greasy bite.
If you want extra crunch, skip oil and go with heat: finish with a 30–60 second blast at 200°C once the middle is hot.
Texture Targets: Soft Center Or Crunchy Rim
For A Softer Middle
Cook at 180°C, pull them as soon as they’re hot and lightly browned, then rest for a minute. Don’t chase deep color.
For A Crisp Rim
Cook at 190–200°C. Let them go until the rim is firm and the outside feels dry. Then rest for a minute so the shell sets.
For A Dry Base
If the base stays a bit soft, flip each pudding for the last 30–60 seconds. That puts the base in direct airflow and drives off moisture.
Roast Dinner Timing With One Air Fryer
If your air fryer is already busy with roast potatoes or veg, you can still fit Yorkshire puddings in without chaos. Since they cook so fast, treat them like the last-minute finisher.
Get your meat resting, get the gravy hot, then run the puddings. While they rest for a minute on a rack, you can plate everything else. They’ll hit the table at peak crunch instead of sitting around getting soft.
If you’re doing batches, keep the first batch warm in a low oven for a short spell. Leave them spread out on a rack, not stacked in a bowl.
If you’re cooking gravy in a saucepan, keep it at a gentle simmer while the air fryer runs. That way you’re not juggling two hot tasks at once, and the puddings can go from basket to plate while the gravy is at serving temp.
Common Problems And Fast Fixes
Air fryers are quick, so small changes show up fast. Use this table to spot the cause and correct it on the next batch.
| What You See | Why It Happens | Fix For Next Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Puddings look pale and feel soft | Temp too low or basket not preheated | Preheat 3–5 min; cook at 190–200°C |
| Edges brown fast, center still cool | Overcrowding blocks airflow | Cook in a single layer with gaps |
| Base is soggy | Moisture trapped under the cup | Flip for the last 30–60 sec; rest on a rack |
| Puddings taste dry | Too long at high heat | Drop to 180°C; shorten time; stop at light gold |
| One side darker | Hot spot near the fan | Shake halfway; rotate position if your basket allows |
| Puddings stick to the basket | Basket surface is worn or food sat on it too long | Use a perforated liner; remove right after cooking |
| They soften after cooking | Steam condenses while they sit in the basket | Move to a rack; leave them open |
Things That Ruin Frozen Yorkshire Puddings Fast
A few moves can turn a decent pack into a letdown. Skip these and you’ll get more consistent batches.
- Microwaving first: it warms the middle but leaves the shell limp. Go straight from frozen to hot air.
- Overloading the basket: packed-in puddings steam and stay pale. Run a second batch instead.
- Cooking at low temp for a long time: the rim dries out before it crisps. Use higher heat and shorter time.
- Lidding after cooking: trapped steam softens the rim. Rest on a rack in open air.
Serving Ideas That Keep Them Crisp
Yorkshire puddings lose crunch when they sit in a pile. Spread them on a rack for a minute while you carve meat or finish gravy. Then plate straight away.
If you’re doing a help-yourself meal, keep gravy in a jug and let everyone pour at the table. That keeps the rims crisp longer.
Leftovers And Reheating
Leftover Yorkshire puddings reheat well in the air fryer. Chill them in an airtight box, then reheat at 180°C for 2–3 minutes until they’re steaming hot in the middle. Don’t reheat more than once.
If you froze homemade leftovers, reheat from frozen at 180°C for 3–4 minutes, then check the center. If the rim is crisp but the middle feels cool, add 30-second bursts.
Best Results Checklist For Busy Roast Nights
- Preheat the air fryer 3–5 minutes.
- Cook in one layer, open side up, with gaps.
- Start at 180°C for standard size, 200°C for large size.
- Shake halfway, then check color and steam.
- Rest 60 seconds, then move to a rack.
- Serve fast, add gravy at the table.
One Last Pass Before You Hit Start
Read the pack directions if they exist, then use the airflow rules: hot preheat, single layer, short cook, quick rest. So, can you cook frozen yorkshire puddings in an air fryer? Yep—and you’ll get crisp edges in minutes without babysitting the oven.