It's not necessary to preheat your air fryer unless you need time to shape or cut the cookies, or you need to heat up a container so that you can bake in batches. If needed, preheat air fryer to 325°F (165°C) on the air fry setting rather than the bake or any other setting. While it warms up, flatten and/or form your cookie dough for either thicker or thinner cookies in the air fryer. This is the best time to roll them in sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini marshmallows, or chopped candy canes, etc.Once preheated, put your cookie dough balls into the air fryer, with or without parchment (see recipe notes), about 2" apart and close the air fryer. I find either four or six fit best in my medium-sized countertop air fryer, with or without a container or basket insert. How many fit in your own air fryer will vary.

Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes in the air fryer, with less time making softer, meltier cookies and more time yielding crispier, more browned cookies. Check on the cookies at 6 minutes, if your air fryer runs hot. Since Pillsbury cookie dough is safe to eat raw, you can even cook these super soft, taking them out after 5 minutes and letting them cool just a couple minutes before enjoying them.

Your air fried Pillsbury cookies will be done after they reach your ideal doneness and you've let them set for 3-5 minutes before scooping them up. This is the benefit of using a baking container in the air fryer, if you need to make more than one batch and keep the air fryer hot for the next one. Serve hot, or allow to cool on a wire rack or cool counter for 30 minutes before storing.