Popular Recipe Clones in an Air Fryer

5 Popular Recipe Clones in an Air Fryer – Crunchwrap, McRib & More!

Who doesn’t love indulging in a favourite fast-food treat every now and then? The best part? You don’t have to leave home to enjoy those stonking things and i’m gonna let you know if it’s worth it or not! I’m recreating five of the most popular fast-food and coffeehouse favourites – all made in the air fryer. These recipes are fun, easy, and perfect for satisfying cravings without the need for a drive-thru, although that may be easier of course lol Seriously though, making it from scratch is quite healthy and you can tweak it to the way you like!

Let’s dive into these air fryer recipe clones and see if they pass the Barry test!

Recipe 1: Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme

There’s something special about Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme – the layers, the crunch, the flavours! Making it in the air fryer keeps it crispy and warm, just like the original. I’ve only ever had a CrunchWrap once before, all the others have been homemade! Depending on the size of your flour tortillas, small nachos may work well for the crunchy centre.

Instructions:

1. Warm your air fryer to 200c, add in the beef and cook away until the beef is browned, stir in the taco seasoning, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until evenly spread. Open the air fryer and stir in between during the cooking steps with the beef, remove the beef into a bowl.
2. Lay down a flour tortilla, if you want you can for 30 seconds wipe the tortilla in the air fryer bucket to get some juices from the beef, but when ready put the tortilla on a flat surface, add a little of the mixed cheese, the corn taco shell (broken up if you wish), sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, more cheese, leave a little spacing around so you can fold in the tortilla to encase it all, once encased place seem side down into the air fryer and cook for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove and gobble up!

Recipe 2: McDonald’s McRib

The McRib is a personal favourite that comes and goes in McDonald’s, now you can make one in an air fryer!

• Instructions:

1. Season the pork mince with salt and pepper, then shape the mince into 2 rectangular patties, make bumps for the iconic McRib look if you wish, wrap carefull in baking parchment and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Pre-heat your air fryer to 180c, slice your sub roll and cook in the air fryer cut side up, to lightly toast the insides, remove. Cook the mcrib patties one at a time until lightly browned approx 15 mins, but keep your eye on them. Squirt the BBQ sauce into the air fryer bucket and warm it through to completely soak the McRib in it.
3. Serve the McRib in the toasted bun, lifted into it with bbq sauce covering it and the gherkin / onion slices chucked on top, absolutely gorgeous! Probably the best and easiest recipe of the 5 today.

Recipe 3: Starbucks Lemon Loaf

This moist and zesty Lemon Loaf is a Starbucks favourite, make sure you have either a super large air fryer, or smaller loaf tins for this to work. Really do make sure this is cooked through fully, seem the video for what happened to me, it’s quite a common mistake!

• Instructions:

1. You could do this in your air fryer bucket, but i’d suggest it’s best not to – so get a mixing bowl and whisk the butter and sugar together until creamed.
2. Slowly add in all the remaining ingredients for the cake – so the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract, flour, salt (if using), baking soda, and sour cream and mix thoroughly until combined.
3. Line your loaf tin and pour the batter 3/4 the way up into it. Cook at 160c for 15 minutes until the top is lightly browned, at this point add tin foil on top to prevent burning and cook for a further 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and check with a bamboo skewer it is done, if it comes out clean it is ok, if you aren’t fully sure do another 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to fully cool once happy. Whilst it’s cooling mix the icing sugar, lemon juice and zest together in a bowl, pour over the loaf, allow to set and gobble away.
4. Let the bread cool, and then in a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. After it sets, slice and serve away!

Recipe 4: Krispy Kreme Donuts

This is more of a healthier twist on a Krispy Kreme donut with Greek Yoghurt, but boy it’s tasty! By using the air fryer, you can enjoy a lighter version that still has that iconic glaze and fluffiness. I’m not sure how it gets it, but it truly works!

Instructions:

1. Grab a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt using a whisk. Slowly add in the yogurt, it will start to form a dough, keep mixing until well combined and use your hands if necessary as it thicken sup. Warm the air fryer to 160c
2. Roll out the donut dough 1/2 inch thick, cut the dough to your liking, they expand only slightly when cooking, so what you cut, will be fairly true to size, just puffed up. Use a cookie cutter and a bottle cap, or a donut cutter if you have one to make lots of donut shapes, you can cook the holes separatley too of course!
3. Lift the donuts into an air fryer bucket, leaving a little room for expansion, so you may need to do it in batches. Using a pastry brush, coat the donuts in the melted butter, fry away for around 7-8 minutes, but do check, they may cook quicker, until browned. Leave to cool and repeat with the other donuts you’ve cut, brushing with butter as before.
4. The icing is made by mixing the icing sugar with the milk and vanilla, whisk it until smooth and dunk the donuts in it briefly, adding sprinkles on top if you wish. Let them set and gobble up!

Recipe 5: Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

This was probably the one you shouldn’t do out of them all, don’t air fry drinks unless you have to, I mean it worked but, yeah, this is a way of making that seasonal classic in your air fryer! Yes, your very own Pumpkin Spice Latte right at home!

• Instructions:

1. In your air fryer, make sure you use a mug that does not touch the heating element! Add milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, plus the brewed coffee to your mug, stir well. Warm through carefully at 160c until your temperature is achieved, make sure to taste and adjust with more sugar or spices before removing very carefully, the mug should be hot!
2. Top with some whipped cream and some more pumpkin pie spice if you wish.

Tips for Making Recipe Clones in an Air Fryer

• Preheating: For some recipes, preheating your air fryer can help achieve a crispy texture and even cooking, I think it’s best to pre-heat for the baking type ones like the loaf and donuts particularly.
• Layering and Wrapping: When making items like the Crunchwrap Supreme, make sure to layer ingredients carefully so they don’t fall out!
• Experimenting with Times: Every air fryer is a bit different, so keep an eye on your food and adjust times as needed for your specific model… especially for the loaf cake!

Why Make These Recipe Clones at Home?

Recreating these popular recipes at home not only saves you a trip but also allows you to experiment and make adjustments to suit your taste. Plus, cooking in the air fryer can reduce oil use, making these indulgent favourites a bit lighter. In fact, we’ve skipped using oil in some of these, to make them even healthier!

Let me know in the comments if you try any of these recipes, and share your results! Don’t forget to check out the video for more details and step-by-step instructions.

Enjoy these clones (such a strange phrase, reminds me of Star Wars!) and happy air frying!