I made cloud eggs in the air fryer in under 10 minutes, and I'm never making them any other way

• I hacked my own recipe for making cloud eggs in the air fryer instead of the oven.
• The fluffy final product lives up to its name, plus it's unbelievably convenient and mess-free.

After learning how to make cloud eggs in my air fryer I may never make them any other way again.

When I originally came across a Food Network recipe for cloud eggs made in the oven, I was intrigued but intimidated. It seemed like too much work.

So I began adapting the recipe using my air fryer instead, and after a few attempts, I've perfected the eggs.

Here's how I make cloud eggs in an air fryer:

All you need is an egg, but certain tools will help

The original recipe calls for an electric mixer to whip your egg whites. As a novice cook, this is not something I have lying around the kitchen.

For a single egg, my milk frother did the trick. But you could also simply use a fork or whisk.

The temperature recommendation ranges, but I found 400 degrees Fahrenheit to be a happy medium.

Making everything in a ramekin eliminates extra dishes

As the air fryer was preheating, I separated the egg whites into a ramekin, making sure to keep the yolk intact.

This recipe advises making it in a separate bowl and laying the eggs on a baking sheet.

I opted for a ramekin so I could prep and bake everything in the same dish.

The egg whites took longer to stiffen than I expected

The recipe suggests whipping egg whites for two to three minutes. With my milk frother, it took four to five minutes for stiff peaks to form.

If you use a fork or whisk, make sure to mix it quite vigorously.

I air-fried the egg whites for three minutes

Once they were frothy and stiff, I popped the ramekin in the air fryer.

I let it cook for three minutes until the top puffed up.

The hardest part was laying the yolk

Using the back of a spoon, I gently made a small well in the center of the egg white to carefully lay the yolk.

The first time I did this, I didn't realize my spoon was wet and my egg white deflated. Make sure your spoon is dry.

You can switch up the total baking time

I popped the ramekin back in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes.

I baked the egg until it blistered over the top. For a softer yolk and fluffier white, I recommend reducing the bake time of this second step.

Once I nailed the recipe, I played around with add-ins

I like folding green onions into the egg whites once they're stiff right before baking in the air fryer.

But you can add other ingredients too - like cheese or bacon bits.

The final product tasted as good as it looks

The eggs live up to their name. The texture was airy and fluffy like a cloud.

I like to pair mine with refreshing produce like alfalfa sprouts and sliced cucumber, on top of toast with cream cheese.

The egg's consistency is so delightful, I often eat them straight out of the ramekin too.