Air Fryer Grilled Cheese (Printable Version)

Quickly make golden, crispy cheese sandwiches with melted cheddar and buttery bread in an air fryer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices white or whole wheat sandwich bread

→ Cheese

02 - 4 slices cheddar cheese or preferred melting cheese

→ Spread

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Evenly spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice.
03 - Place two bread slices buttered side down on a clean surface, then top each with two slices of cheese. Cover with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up, to form sandwiches.
04 - Place sandwiches in the air fryer basket without overlapping to ensure even cooking.
05 - Cook sandwiches for 4 minutes at 350°F.
06 - Carefully flip each sandwich and air fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
07 - Remove sandwiches from the air fryer, allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve immediately for optimum crispness.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • No more babysitting a skillet or burning your fingers turning sandwiches over.
  • The edges get impossibly crispy while the cheese stays perfectly melted and gooey inside.
  • Ready in under 15 minutes from craving to eating.
  • Works flawlessly every single time, no guesswork needed.
02 -
  • Softened butter makes all the difference—cold butter tears the bread and won't spread evenly, leaving dry spots that won't crisp.
  • Four minutes on the first side is the magic number, but your air fryer might have its own quirks, so watch the first batch to learn your machine's personality.
  • Don't open the basket mid-cook to check on things, even though you'll want to; the temperature drop matters more than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Make a batch of three or four at once, even if you're only eating one—they cool down well enough for lunch the next day, and the basket isn't fully utilized with just one sandwich.
  • Mayonnaise on the outside instead of butter creates a different kind of crispy, slightly richer and more restaurant-like; try it once to see if you prefer it.
  • Slice your sandwich diagonally before serving, not because it tastes different, but because it looks intentional and somehow tastes better to your brain.
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