How to Cook Cheddar Brats in Air Fryer
What’s the best way to get juicy brats that are golden brown and snappy (the best part!)? Making your cheddar brats in the air fryer! When winter hits and the grill is no longer in service, air frying is the way to go. My air fryer brats and air fryer Italian sausage (serve with sautรฉed bell peppers and onions!) are made in the same way and it’s such an easy way to cook up a quick meal with zero prep. Or try the slow cooker beer brats next time – especially great if you’re cooking for a crowd.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Table of Contents
What You’ll Love About Air Fryer Cheddar Brats
- Outside of the brat has a nice crisp skin
- Best way to cook brats in the winter
- Zero prep
- 12 minutes cook time
- Family-friendly, quick meal, and delicious dinner
Ingredients
So we probably don’t need this section as it’s pretty self-explanatory, but Iโll share some topping ideas too. ?
- Cheddar Brats โ I prefer using raw bratwurst for best flavor. If you use a pre-cooked version, youโll need to adjust the cooking time. As Wisconsin natives, we love Johnsonville brats ? but use your favorite brats.
- Buns โ Use hoagie rolls, brat buns, or hot dog buns.
- Toppings โ Diced onion, bit of sauerkraut, pickles, pickle relish ketchup, a variety of mustards, and any other favorite condiments.

How to Make Cheddar Brats in Air Fryer
Grab your cheddar brats and the air fryer! Here’s how we make them:
- Preheat air fryer. This helps get a brown crust and helps to cook the brats evenly.
- Air fry brats. Place raw brats in a single layer in the air fryer basket (lined with aluminum foil if desired) and cook brats, flipping half way through.

TIP: Do not crowd air fryer basket, cook in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Serve. Serve brats with buns, a variety of toppings, and a few sides (see below for side ideas).

TIP: Cook cheddar brats to an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to reheat
Reheat brats in a hot skillet or the microwave, just until heated through.
Can you freeze air fried brats?
Yes, you can freeze cooked brats in an airtight container (wrap air fryer bratwursts in plastic wrap and store in stasher bags!) for 2-3 months.
How to Serve Cheddar Brats to the Whole Family
I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following the Division of Responsibility and knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in. ๐
If your kids are iffy about brats (they must not live in Wisconsin ;)), serve the air fryer bratwurst along with a few sides. You can also let them decide if they want the brat and bun separate. Serve them a small piece of brat if itโs a new food instead of the whole thing.
All of my articles on feeding kids can be found here and if you want a FULL list of all of the videos I have with hacks, tips, scripts, and ideas for feeding kids, check out my instagram or tiktok page.

What to Serve with Johnsonville Cheddar Brats
This air fryer brats recipe needs a simple side dish:
- Napa Cabbage Coleslaw
- Kale Apple Slaw
- Cheesy Potato Cabbage
- Grilled Potatoes
- Greek Potato salad
- Potato chips
- Baked beans
- Raw veggies with veggie dip
- Fresh fruit
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you like air fryer recipes like this one, you might also like some of these other easy air fryer recipes:
- Air Fryer Mahi Mahi
- Air Fryer Frozen Salmon
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Air Fryer Pita Chips
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

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Helpful Tools to Make Cheddar Brats in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer โ You canโt make brats in the air fryer without the air fryer! Love that this one comes in white and has an easy button for the pre-heat function.
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer โ I rarely cook meat without a meat thermometer, itโs a kitchen staple.

How to Cook Cheddar Brats in Air Fryer
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to cook cheddar brats in air fryer! This quick and easy method is great for winters when grilling isn’t an option.
Ingredients
- cheddar brats
Instructions
- Preheatย air fryerย to 350 degrees F.
- Place brats in air fryer basket so they have space between them, cooking in batches if needed.
- Cook brats for 12 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes.
Equipment

Notes
- They should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Nutrition facts can be found on package โ as it will vary based on brand.
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