Can you use silicone molds in an air fryer?

If you are new to air frying and you are wondering if you can use silicone in your air fryer. Then this article is here to help.

The great news is you can use silicone molds and other accessories in your air fryer. So, you can use all the molds you may have collected after years of baking in your traditional convection oven

This article covers why you would use silicone molds in your air fryer and how to use them in the best way. I also provide details on other silicone accessories which you may want to consider buying to help you air fry.   

Can you use silicone molds in an air fryer?

Yes, you can use silicone molds and other silicone accessories in your air fryer. Oven-safe silicone cookware is heat resistant up to 440 F (226 C).

Most air fryers generate up to 400 F (200 c), so oven-safe silicone cookware will be safe at those temperatures.

Some air fryers can generate higher temperatures up to 500 F (260 c). Though it is unlikely you will use the maximum heat setting for most recipes that suggest the use of silicone molds. If you are considering air frying at those temperatures, check the manufacturer’s instruction manual for your specific model of air fryer before using any cookware.

Why would I use silicone molds in an air fryer?

Great for cakes and baking

Silicone molds are great for containing foods that you would struggle to cook in an air fryer without a mold. Cake mixes are a great example of this. If you want to bake a cake in an air fryer silicone bakeware is great, as it needs no prior greasing and is easy to clean. Hence, over the years, I have slowly replaced my metal baking tins with silicone as my bakeware of choice.

Resistant to high temp

Silicone can handle the high temperatures that both air fryers and regular ovens create. You also don’t need to worry about thermal shock, which can crack even oven-safe glassware. This means you can relax when using silicone molds in an air fryer.

Variety

You can buy silicone molds of all sorts of different sizes and shapes. We have a whole range of number molds that I use when baking birthday cakes.

No greasing

Unlike other cookware, you do not need to grease silicone molds. Silicone is naturally non-stick. You do not need to worry about scratches reducing the silicone mold’s non-stick properties.

Easy to clean

A quick wipe around with a damp paper towel or rinse in some soapy warm water is normally all that is needed to clean your silicone mold. Silicone cookware is also dishwasher safe.

Easy to store

Unlike molds made of metal, glass, or ceramics, you can throw silicone around and into cupboards. It won’t chip, crack, or be bent permanently out of shape if you mishandle it. It will spring back into shape when ready to use. Just don’t cut it or store sharp knives with them.

Low cost

Silicone molds are great value. They are inexpensive to buy and have the potential to last a lot longer than other types of cookware. High-quality silicone will certainly last longer than plastic containers. Not that you would put plastic in an air fryer as it would melt.

Non-toxic

Silicone is made from Silica. If the silicone mold or accessory is designed for cooking and is of good quality it will be BPA, BPS, and Phthalates free.

Does silicone cookware work well in an air fryer?

It does if you are using it for the right reasons. During the cooking process, air fryers rely on good airflow to cook your food evenly and make it crispy. The cooking basket has large holes in it to allow for the circulation of hot air. Placing silicone molds or any container into your air fryer’s basket will reduce this airflow, changing how the food cooks.

For example, I would not use cookware if I was cooking sausages or other types of meat.

By placing the food items in cookware. The hot air will circulate around the outside of the cookware. Rather than coming into direct contact with the food. This will lead to uneven cooking and is unlikely to produce the best results.

So, if you want the crispy food you were craving from your air fryer, a better option would be to place the sausages/meat in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket. If you want to reduce the clean-up time as your non-stick coating in the basket has deteriorated, maybe use silicone air fryer liners, parchment sheets, or foil instead of any form of cookware.

Top silicone air fryer accessories

In addition to silicone molds, muffin cups, and cupcake liners, you can buy a whole range of silicone accessories for use with your air fryer…

Silicone liners

If you want to reduce your clean-up time by stopping food from sticking to your air fryer basket, you could invest in a silicone air fryer liner. These are great for home cooks that want to reuse a liner, instead of using disposable parchment paper liners or aluminum foil.

You need to buy a liner that fits your air fryer basket.

Silicone tongs

When turning or removing food, silicone tongs will stop you from scratching your air fryer’s basket and damaging the non-stick coating. Scratching non-stick-coated surfaces will lead to food sticking and increased clean-up times.

Silicone brushes

Unlike traditional brushes, silicone brushes are easy to clean and last longer. You don’t need to worry about your old brush’s bristles ending up on your food with a silicone brush.

Silicone pad/mat

To protect your countertop, you can buy air fryer silicone mats and pads to…

1. Sit your air fryer on while it is cooking.
2. Place your hot air fryer basket on when you remove it from the air fryer. To turn or serve food.

What other cookware can be used in an air fryer?

Silicone containers are not the only types of containers you can put in an air fryer. There are alternatives…

Metal

Metal cookware is a suitable alternative, it is a low-cost and regularly available option. Like silicone they are hard to break (unlike glassware). However you might find that food sticks to them, making them hard to clean vs. the other options. This will be especially true if they do not have a non-stick coating. Or they have had years of use which has reduced the effectiveness of the non-stick coating.

If you want to know more about how to use metal containers in an air fryer, this article goes into more detail.

Glass

Glass cookware is another suitable alternative. The glass cookware like metal cookware will need to be oven safe. You will also need to take precautions to avoid the glass experiencing a thermal shock. This could lead to it breaking from heating or cooling unevenly.  Like ceramic cookware, it needs to be handled and stored correctly. This is to avoid the glassware being damaged. A damaged glass bowl even if oven-safe has a higher risk of breaking.

If you want to know more about how to use glassware in an air fryer, please read this article.

Ceramic

Ceramic cookware provides a great alternative to metal cookware, provided they are rated as oven-safe. Ceramic cookware is easier to clean than metal containers. Yet, ceramic cookware like glassware is susceptible to cracking and chipping if not handled and stored correctly. This can increase the risk of your ceramic bowls breaking when cooking.

If you want to know more about how to use ceramics in an air fryer, I provide more helpful information here.

Tip: Do not use paper or card cookware (paper plates or paper towels) in your air fryer.

Safety tips for using all cookware in an air fryer

Regardless of the type of cookware you use. The cookware will get extremely hot after being used in your air fryer. So, it is a good idea to…

• Use oven mitts to safely remove the cookware
  • Or use tongs to remove the food item (if possible) until the cookware has cooled
• Place your hot cookware on a heat-proof mat to protect your countertop when you remove the cookware.
• Do not squeeze the cookware into the air fryer’s basket. There needs to be space around the sides of the cookware. So, the hot air circulates to cook the food and you can safely remove the cookware.
• Use a meat thermometer (if cooking meat) to check the meat is safe to eat.
• Do not leave your air fryer unattended. If using cookware for the first time you may need to check the food and cookware to ensure it is cooking as intended.

Final word

You only need to use silicone cookware in air fryers if you are wanting to cook certain foods like cakes or other wet foods. Cookware reduces the air circulation in the air fryer. So, using cookware to hold foods like sausages, chicken wings, etc., will not crisp up as quickly, which may have been why you bought the air fryer in the first place.

If the meal or recipe you want to make requires cookware, then silicone molds are perfect for use in an air fryer.

Silicone basket liners are also great for reducing clean-up time. Make sure you order one that fits your air fryer perfectly.

There are plenty of good alternative types of cookware made from oven-safe materials, if you do not have any silicone cookware.

Related articles

What Can And Can’t Go In An Air Fryer – A roundup article summarizing what you can and can’t use in an air fryer. With links to more detail on how to use certain materials and items safely.