Be sure to wash brussels sprouts well and trim off any ends. The ends will be tough to chew, so it's better to cut them off before cooking.
Once the brussels sprouts are cleaned and ready, toss them in olive oil, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
Add to the air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes. Once that time is up, shake the basket a few times and cook for another 5 minutes. Shake the basket again and air fry for 2 minutes or until the desired doneness/crispiness is achieved.
Serve with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Notes
Shake off as much water as you can. You're going to be washing off the sprouts, but you don't want them to have a ton of water on them. You can set them on a paper towel to dry a bit before cutting them and adding the oil and spices.
To keep the brussels sprouts intact and not falling apart, cut them in half first and then trim off the end. This little trick helps to hold them in their halved shape so that they're easier to scoop or pick up and eat.
Don't overcrowd. This is the golden rule of cooking in the air fryer. Be sure that there is space and that you're not layering or overcrowding. You can always cook another batch for more.
Cook them until you think they're done. The great part about this air fryer recipe is that there is flexibility in the amount of time that you can cook it. Some like the edges super crisp while others don't. Go in spurts of time and eat them when you want to.
Add more seasonings. You can easily change up the flavor of this recipe every time you make it. Adding chili powder would be a great way to add heat, or you can easily sweeten up this dish by drizzling honey over the top once they're cooked.