If you have an air fryer, you might be on the lookout for some good (and easy) recipes. These air fryer baked potatoes fit the bill perfectly.

When I was growing up, I remember that we rarely had baked potatoes because they took so long to bake! (And with the long summers of California’s Central Valley, it was no fun having the oven on for an hour or so, as it would heat up the whole house.)

With an air fryer, things cook quickly … yes, even baked potatoes. So, with just a few ingredients, you’ll have a creative and delicious dish that is sure to impress your family. I have a son who usually only likes potatoes in the form of French fries, and he loved these air fryer baked potatoes that resemble cute hedgehogs!

How to Make Air Fryer Baked Potato “Hedgehogs”

This recipe will make four servings.

To start, choose medium-sized potatoes. After washing them thoroughly, use a sharp knife to make vertical incisions evenly along the length of the potato, being careful not to cut all the way through. The goal is to create those cute “hedgehog spikes” while keeping the potato intact.

Next comes the seasoning. You can choose seasonings according to your taste preferences. A classic option is to coat each potato with a mixture of olive oil and melted butter, allowing it to seep into the crevices and give a crunchy texture. Then sprinkle with sea salt and spices for a savory flavor. A little garlic salt or even fresh garlic, diced, goes well with the butter.

Once the potatoes are well marinated, it’s time to put them in the fryer. It doesn’t take long for them to bake in the fryer (about half an hour total), and you’ll start to smell the terrific aroma of butter and spices. You’ll want to eat these when they’re fresh out of the air fryer, as they’ll be perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Baked Potatoes:

4 potatoes
2 -3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/3 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt or 2 cloves fresh diced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions for Air Fryer Baked Potatoes:

1. Wash the potatoes well and pat them dry. Using a knife, shape the potatoes into a cube shape. Lay the potato out on a board. On both sides, place chopsticks as a stopper for the incisions. With a sharp knife, make incisions on the sticks, not all the way through, in about 0.2-inch increments. Hold the knife perpendicular to the board so it doesn’t cut all the way through.

2. Turn the potatoes 90 degrees and continue slicing in the same manner. Transfer the prepared potatoes to a bowl. Prepare brine by diluting salt in two cups of room temperature water. Pour water over the potatoes. Leave the potatoes there for 10 minutes.

3. Blot the potatoes with a cotton towel. Use a basting brush to brush the cubes with vegetable oil and melted butter on all sides and in the notches. Sprinkle the potatoes with spices.

4. Place potatoes in an air fryer. Cook the dish at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Gently flip the potatoes with two spatulas and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes.

Garnish the hedgehog-shaped air fryer baked potatoes with greens and drizzle with sour cream or grated cheese. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, a side dish, or even as the main course, these Potato “Hedgehogs” baked in the air fryer are sure to be a hit.

If your air fryer baked potatoes are going to be a side dish, they would accompany this Spiced Lime Chicken recipe nicely. Or, put these Busy Day Crockpot Ribs in the slow cooker early in the day and finish up your dinner menu with the baked potatoes.

Lastly, these air fryer baked potatoes would be a fun idea to go along with a mini unit study about hedgehogs. You could add in a craft like this hedgehog craft to round out your study.