Start by gathering all your ingredients. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (about 175°C). This is crucial! You want it hot and ready to give those cookies a golden edge when they go in.

In a large bowl, combine the plant-based butter and both sugars—dark brown and organic cane sugar. I like to use a hand mixer for this step; it saves time and ensures everything gets mixed nicely. Beat them together until it becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. It’s like fluffing up a cloud—who wouldn’t want to start their cookie journey like that?

Next, add the pure vanilla extract and almond milk. You’ll want to mix them until everything is well incorporated. It should smell heavenly at this point.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, sea salt, and ground cinnamon. This step is important! Whisking combines everything evenly.

Now, slowly add your dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Be gentle! You don’t want to over-mix it. Just blend until there are no dry bits left. You’ll see the cookie dough come together nicely.

Here’s where the real fun begins. Gently fold in your chocolate chips and, if you’re using them, the chopped walnuts or pecans. At this moment, I often get a nibble of the dough—it’s the chef’s privilege, right?

Using a cookie scoop or your hands, scoop out heaping tablespoons of the dough. Roll them into balls and place them on a parchment-lined tray or directly in your air fryer basket. Make sure to leave some space between each ball, as they spread a bit while cooking.

Place the cookie balls in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Depending on your fryer, you might have to do this in batches. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until they are lightly golden on the edges.

Once done, carefully remove the cookie basket and let them cool for a few minutes. They will firm up as they cool. Patience is a virtue here!