How long to cook crumpets in an air fryer

At-a-glance cooking parameters

Temperature

350 °F

177 °C

Total time

5 min

per single layer

Flip at

3 min

flip once

Internal temp

—

use visual cue

Crumpets toast in the air fryer in about 5 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C), flipped once, until the bottom is crisp and the holed top is dry and ready for butter. A crumpet is a soft, yeasted griddle cake, cooked on one side only so the top sets full of open holes — and it is sold fully cooked, so the air fryer is purely a toaster here, drying and crisping rather than baking. Start them holes-up so the surface firms, flip near the end to crisp the dense smooth base, then drown the warm holes in butter that melts straight in. Unlike a English Muffins, which you split through the middle to expose its nooks and crannies, a crumpet is toasted whole with its holes already facing up — same teatime-bread idea, different structure. It toasts much like a thick slice of Texas Toast or a quick round of Naan, but stays softer and spongier inside. Top it sweet with jam, honey, or lemon curd, or go savoury with Marmite and a poached egg. 4 ways to serve it: classic butter-and-jam, savoury Marmite-and-egg, cream-tea clotted cream, or cinnamon-sugar butter.

Per serving

Approximate values for a single portion of crumpets (USDA baseline, cooked, includes light air-fryer oil spray).

Calories

95 kcal

Protein

3 g

Fat

1 g

Carbs

19 g

Crumpets in popular air fryer brands

Adjusted for how each brand actually heats. Tap a brand name to see every food we calibrate for it.

How to tell it’s done

Done when the flat bottom is crisp and golden and the holed top is dry and just toasted, with the inside still soft and springy. A crumpet is cooked through when you buy it — the air fryer is only toasting it — so you are after a crisp shell and a warm, open-holed top that will drink up melting butter. Start holes-up so the surface dries, then flip near the end to crisp the smooth base. Pull it before the holes brown too far or the crumb dries out and goes tough.

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Prep

   Bring ingredients close to room temperature. No oil — crumpets toast dry, and the butter goes on after they come out, sinking into the warm holes. A pre-spray would just leave them greasy. If anything, leave them bare and be generous with butter at the table.

2. 2

   Season

   Season with Classic: lots of butter melted into the holes, with jam, honey, or marmalade on top., Savoury: butter and Marmite, or a poached egg and a slice of cheese., Sweet: clotted cream and strawberry jam, cream-tea style., Cinnamon-sugar butter or lemon curd for a quick sweet finish..

3. 3

   Load

   Arrange lay crumpets in a single layer, holes facing up, with a little space between them; one or two per person for breakfast, and do not stack them or the tops will steam instead of toast for best convection airflow.

4. 4

   Cook

   Set the air fryer to 350 °F (177 °C) and cook for 5 minutes total, flipping once at 3 minutes.

5. 5

   Check & rest

   Check the visual doneness cue and serve immediately for best texture.

6. 6

   Store

   Keep un-toasted crumpets in their bag at room temperature for a few days or freeze them for months — toast straight from frozen, adding a minute. Once toasted they are best eaten right away; a cold toasted crumpet goes leathery. Re-crisp a leftover one at 350 °F (177 °C) for a couple of minutes, but it will never be quite as good as fresh.

Watch out for

• !Toast holes-up first — flipping too early traps moisture and the open top stays gummy instead of drying to a toast.
• !Do not butter before cooking; butter the warm holes after so it melts in instead of frying off.
• !Watch the bottom near the end — the dense smooth base can scorch quickly once the surface dries.
• !Single-layer only; stacked crumpets steam each other and never crisp.
• !Frozen crumpets go straight in — no need to thaw, just add a minute.

FAQ about crumpets in an air fryer

What temperature should I cook crumpets at in an air fryer?

Cook crumpets at 350 °F (177 °C). The convection air at this temperature cooks the food gently — higher temperatures dry it out or scorch the surface.

How long do crumpets take in an air fryer?

Crumpets take 5 minutes total at 350 °F (177 °C). Flip the food once at 3 minutes so both sides cook evenly.

Do you need to flip crumpets in an air fryer?

Yes — flip crumpets once at 3 minutes. The side touching the basket grate develops a darker, more crusted surface; flipping evens out the cook so both sides match.

Do you need to preheat the air fryer for crumpets?

Preheating is optional for crumpets — most modern air fryers reach temperature in under 2 minutes and the food's total cook time already accounts for the ramp-up. If you do preheat, reduce the total time by 1–2 minutes and check earlier than usual.