Start with fresh thyme sprigs, washing and drying it if needed
6-8 sprigs Thyme
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F, following manufacturer guidelines
If needed, trim the tough stem ends off the thyme, making them easier to fit in the basket
Spread out your thyme in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket
Add the rack, trivet, or shelf on top of the thyme to keep it from flying around during cooking
Air fry the thyme for 2-3 minutes
If additional time is needed, flip and continue to cook in 1-minute intervals until thyme leaves are completely dry and crinkle upon touching
Remove dehydrated thyme from air fryer
Then, remove leaves from stems by running your hand down the stem over a bowl. Crush leaves up finer if desired
Store dried thyme in an airtight container or spice jar
Notes
When dealing with a lot of fresh thyme, make sure to dry in batches. Stacking up beyond a single layer won’t heat evenly
There’s no need to add oil or anything additionally as part of the cooking process
I’ve just used my normal air fryer rack for this. However, if your air fryer doesn’t have a shelf, you can tie the stems together using twine, foil or silicone food bands to keep them from flying around
Should your thyme leaves start to blacken, you have overcooked them
When removing leaves from stems, it’s normal to get some brittle stems in the pile. Just pick them out when you’re done (or grind them up)
If you’d like to crush the leaves further, I prefer a quick rub between my palms. A mortar and pestle is another great alternative, or just scrunch them in a ziploc bag
Dried thyme keeps well for about 1 year in an airtight container, before starting to lose flavor and potency