In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time mixing between additions until all the flour is incorporated.
Preheat the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Use a dough scoop or spoon to scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls.
For sprinkle sugar cookies: Put the sprinkles on a shallow plate. Roll the cookie balls in the sprinkles.
1/4 cup colored sprinkles
Flatten the cookie balls slightly with your fingers, pushing them down until they are about 1/2 inch thick.
Add a parchment paper liner to the air fryer basket once it has preheated. Place the cookie balls on the parchment paper, keeping them about 1 inch apart. Make multiple batches if necessary.
Bake for 5-8 minutes or until set and golden brown.
Remove from the air fryer and let them cool in the basket for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For frosted sugar cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread them with frosting and add sprinkles.
1/2 cup buttercream frosting
Notes
Never preheat the air fryer with parchment paper inside.
One Dough, 4 Cookies
Use this same cookie dough to make other air fryer cookie recipes! See here for all the classic cookies you can create and make some festive treats for the holidays.
This dough freezes well. Divide it into 4 parts, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. This gives me 8-12 cookies per dough portion. Put the frozen cookie dough in the refrigerator the night before you plan to make it, and let it thaw.
Oven Baking
Bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 12-15 minutes.