Quick and Tasty: Air Fried Apples in Less Than 15 Minutes
Enjoy a gluten-free, refined sugar-free vegan treat!
Air Fryer Apples are soft, tender slices of apple complemented by a drizzle of maple syrup and warm spices like cinnamon and ginger. This air apples recipe is refined sugar-free so you can enjoy them as a quick and healthy snack or dessert.
Want to try another healthy dessert recipe? Try my Double Chocolate Brownie Baked Oats next.
The Best Air Fried Apples
Apples have been my pregnancy craving. I need at least one apple a day. There’s something about the sweetness and crunch. But when it comes to sweets, I also love anything that is apple flavored.
These air-fryer baked apples taste like apple pie's best part: the sweet cinnamon filling. There’s no butter, flour, or sugar, but it’s still delightfully sweet and juicy. This is perfect for kiddos & adults looking for a sweet treat!
Why You’ll Love this Air Fryer Apples Recipe
A Guilt-Free Dessert. It reminds me of an apple pie without all the added sugar.
Easy Prep. This recipe is so easy to make with just five simple, wholesome ingredients.
A Healthy Treat. Air-fried apples are rich in flavor but low in calories. They’re also dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, so nearly anyone on any diet can enjoy them!
Versatile. This is an anytime snack; enjoy it as a side with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
Apples: Cut into cubes.
Maple syrup: This is the perfect natural sweetener. This provides a warm, almost caramelized flavor so it easily replaces brown sugar.
Coconut oil: A nutritious alternative to butter, apply this melted. It helps the apple crisp up on the outside as it gets tender on the inside. It doesn’t taste like coconut.
Ground cinnamon: This spice pairs well with apples and provides that classic apple pie-filling flavor. It also reminds me of the fall.
Ground ginger: This ingredient is pungent and fragrant, adding an unexpected flavor depth.
The Best Apples for Air Fried Apples
Any sweet, crisp apple will work for this easy air fryer apples recipe. It comes down to personal preference. Here are my suggestions:
Golden Delicious Apple: mild and juicy
Gala Apple: a floral taste with hints of vanilla
Fuji Apple: a flavor similar to apple juice
Honey Crisp Apple: notes of honey
Granny Smith Apple: tart, with a sour quality
How to Make Air Fryer Apples
Begin by washing and then dicing your apples into even cubes.
Then toss the apples into a bowl along with the liquid sweetener, coconut oil, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix well with a spoon to coat the apples.
Place in the air fryer at 390F for about 12 minutes, shaking them halfway through. Remove from the air fryer and serve with coconut whipped cream, yogurt or vanilla ice cream!
When to Enjoy Air Fryer Apples
Enjoy these air fryer apple slices whenever the craving strikes. Here are some ways to serve them:
Breakfast
Try it for breakfast with some full-fat, organic Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of granola.
Use it as an oatmeal topping. Try it with my protein cauliflower oats. Substitute the chocolate protein for a peanut butter protein powder.
Add it as a topping on these easy vegan blender waffles.
Snack
Enjoy as a snack or side dish with a few chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans!
Dessert
Enjoy as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
You can also try it with my low-sugar, dairy-free coconut whipped cream, just omit the pumpkin spice if you want.
Recipe Variations
Add Oats or Granola: For a heartier snack, consider adding either of these.
Liquid Sweetener: Instead of maple syrup, you could use agave as another vegan sweetener. Otherwise, you can use honey.
Want to make more dessert air fryer recipes? Check out my Air Fryer S'mores.
Tips
For more flavor, add extra ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg in the fall if you like spicy food.
Don’t slice the apples until you are ready to cook them. Otherwise, they will begin to brown.
For saucier air-fried apples, add more maple syrup.
When chopping the apples, ensure they are roughly the same size so they cook at an even rate.
Storing Leftovers
Store your air-fried apples in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. You can either reheat them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, in the air fryer for 1 minute or enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
FAQ
Can you put fresh fruit in an air fryer?
Absolutely! The air fryer is a perfect way to cook fresh fruit with less fat from melted butter or oil. Air frying apples result in a crispy skin with a tender, juicy inside.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
Yes. Preheat the air fryer so the apples will heat up quicker.
How long does it take to air-fry apples?
The suggested cooking time is 12 minutes, but it will vary depending on the make and model of your air fryer. So when you go to shake the air fryer basket at the 6-minute mark, check them.
How can you tell when air-fried apples are done?
You can check for a few indicators. The apples should be soft when poked with a fork or toothpick but still have some texture. Additionally, the apples should have a golden brown color and a caramelized appearance, with slightly crispy edges.
Can you use any type of apple for air frying?
You can use any kind of apple you want! Honeycrisp or Gala apples are perfect for a sweet punch, but you can use whatever apple you have on hand. Granny Smith is the way to go if you prefer a level of tartness to your apples. Pink Lady apples are fantastic for a sweeter profile that also has some tart flavor.
How can you add flavor to air-fried apples?
Adding a sprinkle of different spices like nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice can improve the flavor profile of your air-fried apples.
You can also try adding a few drops of vanilla extract to the maple syrup mixture from this recipe or tossing in some chopped nuts to complement the sweetness of the apples.
Air Fryer Apples
Ingredients
- 2 apples, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon of ground ginger
Instructions
- Begin by washing then dicing your apples into even cubes.
- Add the apples into a bowl along with the liquid sweetener, coconut oil, cinnamon and ginger.
- Mix well with a spoon to coat the apples.
- Place in the air fryer at 390F for about 12 minutes, shaking them half way through.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve with coconut whipped cream, yogurt or vanilla ice cream!
