Sausages baked into one big puffed batter, the British classic scaled for two and cooked entirely in the air fryer, whose closed basket traps the steady heat the batter needs to rise. Brown the beef sausages first at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes so their fat is hot when the thin, pancake-style batter goes in; batter meeting hot fat is what starts the puff. Then leave the lid shut for the full 20 minutes, because escaping heat will sink it before it sets. You are looking for a deep golden top and tall, crisp edges. Finish with plenty of gravy.
Instructions
- 1
Pour olive oil into the air fryer basket. Add beef sausages.
- 2
Cook at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes until browned.
10:00 - 3
While sausages cook, whisk eggs, milk, flour, and salt together until smooth — it should look like thin pancake batter.
- 4
When sausages are done, pour the batter directly over them in the basket.
- 5
Cook at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid — the batter needs to puff up properly.
20:00 - 6
Serve golden and puffed, topped with gravy.
Watch the video
Notes from our kitchen
We give the sausages a 10-minute head start on their own, and it matters more than it looks: the batter only puffs properly if it hits hot fat, so pouring it over cold sausages gives you a dense, pancake-like layer instead of a risen one. We whisk until the batter runs thin and smooth, like pancake batter, then pour it straight over without disturbing it.
The gotcha is curiosity. Open the lid mid-cook and the trapped heat escapes; the half-set batter sinks and does not come back. We wait the full 20 minutes and judge by eye: a deep golden top with the edges risen well above the sausages.
Variations
- Swap the sausages. Pork sausages or vegetarian sausages swap in with no change to the timing. Whichever you use, give them the same 10-minute browning so the fat is properly hot before the batter goes in.
- Cook it in the oven. A conventional oven works well: brown the sausages in a small roasting tin at 220°C (425°F) for 10 minutes, then pour in the batter and bake for 25–30 minutes until puffed and deep golden.
- Rest the batter. Mixing the batter up to an hour ahead works well; a rested batter tends to puff a little higher. Let it stand at room temperature and give it a quick whisk before pouring.
- Storing leftovers. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for a few minutes to crisp the edges again; a microwave leaves them soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I not open the lid?
The batter needs steady, trapped heat to rise and puff like a Yorkshire pudding. Opening the air fryer lets heat escape and the batter can sink.
Why brown the sausages first?
A head start browns and renders the sausages so they are cooked through and flavourful by the time the batter sets, and the hot fat helps it crisp.
How do I get the batter to rise well?
Make it smooth like thin pancake batter, pour it over hot sausages, and do not disturb it — cold batter meeting hot fat is what makes it puff.