For an easy foolproof method for cooking frozen crinkle-cut french fries in the air fryer, try this recipe. Frozen crinkle fries will be hot on the inside and crispy on the outside in minutes.
Once you've tried air frying fries, you will never want to go back to baking them in the oven again. Say goodbye to oven-baked fries and hello to air fryer fries.
Jump to:
- Best French Fry Brands for Air Frying
- Why Air Fry Frozen Fries
- Ingredients
- How to Air Fry Frozen Crinkle Cut French Fries
- What Temperature to Air Fry Crinkle Fries?
- How Long to Cook French Fries in the Air Fryer
- How to Tell When Air Fryer French Fries are Done
- Dips & Seasonings for French Fries
- What to Serve with Crinkle French Fries
- FAQ
- Air Fryer Frozen Crinkle French Fries
Best French Fry Brands for Air Frying
This recipe works for air frying any crinkle-cut french fry brand including Ore-Ida, McCain, Walmart, Grown in Idaho, and others. It is so quick and easy and minimal preheating when you air fry frozen french fries. They come out perfectly and you get to enjoy them your favorite way.
Always have a bag of these frozen crinkle-cut fries in your freezer. Then when you need a quick side dish, snack, or appetizer you can have one hot & ready in less than 15 minutes.
Why Air Fry Frozen Fries
Cooking them in the air fryer makes them more crispy. Unlike deep-frying, this recipe requires no oil, making it a healthier choice. For a low-fat french fry, this recipe is the best. Whether you are reheating fries or cooking from frozen, air frying is the way to go.
If you like french-fried potatoes, you will love my recipe for homemade sweet potato fries cooked in a deep fryer. They are crispy & sweet.
Ingredients
Frozen french fries of any shape, size, and brand typically have other ingredients than just potato. That other ingredient is usually some sort of vegetable oil, like in Ore-Ida Golden Crinkles. Because of this, you DO NOT need any oil when cooking frozen fries in the air fryer.
All you need for this french fry air fryer recipe is the frozen Golden Crinkles or another crinkle-cut french fry. Many other items may need a spray of avocado oil when air fryer but not frozen crinkle french fries.
This recipe is for cooking 2 servings, each about 3oz. Wondering how many fries are in 3 ounces? Depending on size and brand, it is roughly about 13 fries.
How to Air Fry Frozen Crinkle Cut French Fries
Add frozen crinkle french fries to your air fryer basket or tray. Make sure they are in a single layer. It is also best to not overcrowd the basket or tray when air frying.
If you can spread them out, that is my recommendation so that the hot air can circulate. The heat reaches all sides of the frozen french fries ensuring they cook evenly. This will give you the crispiest frozen fries with browning on all sides.
An air fryer does take some time to heat up before cooking. However, you do not need to wait to put your food until after it is preheated. No preheating with this recipe so set it and forget it.
What Temperature to Air Fry Crinkle Fries?
Once the frozen fries are in the air fryer, time to program your air fryer. Set it to air fry at 400°.
Whether you like them soft or extra crispy, this temperature is the best for air-frying frozen fries. I share my guide for cooking them for different times so you can enjoy them just the way you like them - soft to extra crispy.
How Long to Cook French Fries in the Air Fryer
For how long to cook frozen fries in the air-fryer, I recommend 12-15 minutes. I set the timer for 12 minutes and they come out hot on the inside. The fries are perfectly golden brown and crunchy on the outside.
For extra crispy crinkle fries, set the air fryer timer for 15 minutes. If you like them super crispy, cook the crinkle fries for up to 18 minutes in the air fryer. If by chance you like them barely done, go as short as 8-10 minutes.
- Soft & Limp Fries - 8-10 minutes
- Crispy & Golden Brown - 12 minutes
- Extra Crispy Fries - 15 minutes
- Well Done Fries - 18 minutes
How to Tell When Air Fryer French Fries are Done
Frozen french fries will be done when they are hot on the inside. They will also not be soft or soggy when you pick them up. They should be light to dark brown, depending on your preference.
Once the french fries are done air frying, carefully remove them from the oven with an oven mitt and plate. Sprinkle them with salt or any other desired seasoning while still hot.
Serve with ketchup or your favorite dip. For tasty flavored seasoning powders and dip ideas, check out my recommendations below.
Dips & Seasonings for French Fries
Once these crinkle-cut french fries are cooked and hot out of the air fryer, they can be seasoned with more than just salt. Flavored seasoning powders are great on popcorn and french fries.
Serve your air-fried french fries with a delicious dip or ketchup. You can also sprinkle on a flavored seasoning powder to add so much more flavor to the best air fryer crinkle french fries.
Besides ketchup, a good dip is important with french fries if you ask me. My favorites are ketchup or homemade ranch dressing to dip my fries into. For the best dip recipes to serve with french fries, try one of these ideas.
Try tasty flavored seasonings like cheesy jalapeno, dill pickle, ranch, buffalo, garlic parmesan, white cheddar, and more to flavor french fries. The dill pickle flavoring honestly is amazing. Add dill pickle seasoning to these freshly cooked french fries for a great kick of sour flavor - if you like salt & vinegar or pickle potato chips, you will love this!
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What to Serve with Crinkle French Fries
Let's be real, french fries are pretty fantastic with just about anything. This is a great fast side dish to just about anything. But here are my favorite dinner ideas that go well with air-fried french fries.
Great gluten-free recipes, sandwiches, fried foods, BBQ, and more. Other air fryer recipes are perfect to serve with these crinkle fries. One of my favorites is fish & chips, so make these fries a side along with my crispy crunchy air-fried fish filets.
FAQ
I find it best to put the food in and then set it; therefore, the food can be inside while preheating. I worry that I won't be right there when it beeps as the preheat stage ends.
You can get busy in the kitchen or step away. This will then delay me getting the food in and the time will tick down without the food actually in the air fryer. For cooking frozen french fries, there is no need to preheat or wait to get the food in.
When I make a full tray, I like to shake the tray or move them around a bit with some tongs midway through cooking. This helps them cook evenly. It also ensures all sides get brown and crispy.
If I am making only 1-2 servings I usually do not need to shake them around. With few in the tray, they really are spaced so far apart they don't need any adjusting (like those seen above). I have a large tray but if you have a small cooking surface, you may need to shake them around.
Since most frozen store-bought fries contain some sort of oil in the ingredients, the simple answer is no. You do not need to add any additional oil or spray frozen crinkle fries before cooking in the air fryer. They will be crispy without any avocado oil or other cooking spray.
Frozen fries are a convenience food; therefore, they are made to be quick and easy. For that reason, you do not need to defrost them first. In fact, they are meant to be cooked from frozen - do not defrost.
PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!
Air Fryer Frozen Crinkle French Fries
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 6 oz frozen crinkle-cut french fries
- salt to taste
- ketchup, dips, seasonings optional
Instructions
- Add frozen crinkle french fries to your air fryer basket or tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket or tray, add only as many as will fit without overcrowding. Be sure to leave some space between the fries and that they are in a single layer.
- Once the frozen fries are in the air fryer, set to cook. Set to air fryer at 400°. Next set the timer for 12 minutes. For extra crispy, set it for 15 minutes.
- Shake or rotate fries midway through cooking if needed. This is not necessary but the more you have piled in the more likely they may need to move around the cook on all sides.
- When they are done cooking, carefully remove them from the oven and plate. Sprinkle with salt or any other desired seasoning. Serve with ketchup or your favorite dip.
- OPTIONAL - For seasoning powders and dip ideas see above
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 120 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4.5g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 290mg | 13% |
| Total Carbohydrate 19g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
| Total Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 2g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 0mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 380mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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Jennifer says
Best way to make frozen fries. I can never remember the temperature or for how long so this was very helpful.
Angela says
I am glad this was helpful.
Brenda says
Yum. Hot and crispy. Just the right amount of time for the fries. Thank you.
Logan says
Perfect!