This recipe for Air Fryer Apples is ready to enjoy in 30 minutes. The apples are soft, tender, and full of tasty flavors. It’s great as a dessert or to pair with your favorite breakfast.
I love apple desserts. This recipe reminds me of apple pie filling with its tender cooked apples with warm cinnamon. These air fryer cinnamon apples are a healthy treat, too. So, you don’t have to feel any guilt if you want to eat this on its own with a spoon!
With almost no prep time needed, it’s super simple and quick to put together, giving you more time to enjoy the apples when they’re ready.
The maple syrup is my favorite ingredient. It adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this easy dessert and pairs perfectly with the cinnamon and brown sugar. The subtle maple flavor is so heavenly. It also helps that your kitchen smells fantastic while the apples are cooking in the air fryer.
If you love these baked apples in the air fryer, then you should try more air fryer recipes like this Air Fryer Apple Crisp, Air Fryer Apple Fritters or our delicious Apple French Toast Casserole for more yummy apple dessert ideas.
Why You Will Love This Air Fryer Apples Recipe
- Quick and Easy: These air fryer apples only take 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Versatile: The possibilities are endless regarding the uses of these apples. Enjoy them as a healthier dessert, serve over pork chops, or as a topping for French toast.
- Budget Friendly: The main ingredient here is apples; the rest are inexpensive pantry staples, making it the perfect treat for a tight budget.
- Naturally Dairy and Gluten Friendly: If you skip the optional butter, this recipe is completely dairy AND gluten-free!
Ingredients
These ingredients keep the budget low while simultaneously resulting in a delicious dessert!
- Apples: You will be cutting the apples into bite-size pieces or slices before you cook them. Use your favorite variety of apples. Some of my go-to's are Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, and Gala.
- Maple Syrup: This is a great way to sweeten up the apples in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: For color, olive oil is used to coat the apples. You can also swap it for coconut oil if you prefer.
- Cinnamon and Brown Sugar: Warm cinnamon and brown sugar add flavor and sweetness to these air fryer apples.
- Butter: As an optional ingredient for added richness, add melted butter to these apples after cooking them.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and the exact quantities of each one.
Variations
- Add Nuts and Dried Fruit: Dried cranberries or raisins pair great with apples. Any chopped nut like pecans or walnuts will compliment the dried fruit so well.
- Use More Spices: In addition to the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or even pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice can be used for a different flavor profile.
- Try it with Pears: Swap the apples with pears for a creative twist!
How to Make Apples in the Air Fryer
Here are the directions for making apples in the air fryer. It’s so easy and fast! Be sure to preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F while you're mixing up the apples.
- Make the glaze by combining all of the ingredients except the apples in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Coat the apples with the glaze by 3 tablespoons of it in a large mixing bowl. Make sure all of the apple pieces are coated evenly.
- Place the glazed apples into a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the apples for 12-14 minutes. Be sure to shake the basket halfway through the cooking process.
- Add optional melted butter and remaining glaze to the apples once they are cooked.
⭐️ Hint: You want the apples to be soft but not mushy. They will still be slightly firm when they are cooked.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our air fryer strawberry apple crumble, Apple Dumplings with Crescent Rolls or our Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust.
Storage
- Storing: Store leftover apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing leftovers because the apples become mushy after defrosting them.
- Reheating: You can reheat the cinnamon apples in the air fryer or the microwave until warm.
Serving Suggestions
- Keep it simple and top these sweet and delicious air fryer baked apples with Air Fryer Candied Walnuts.
- Enjoy with a dollop of yogurt and your favorite granola for a filling and tasty breakfast option.
- Make brunch! Serve with other tasty breakfast dishes like Jalapeno Popper Breakfast Casserole and Pancake Sausage Bites.
- You can’t go wrong with classic vanilla ice cream. For a creative twist, serve these cinnamon apples with Gingerbread Ice Cream or Rhubarb Ice Cream.
- Spoon over these Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls for a decadent treat!
- Serve your air-fried apples warm as a side dish with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, and caramel sauce, or enjoy this delicious snack on its own.
Tips
- Preheat the Air Fryer: It is important to always preheat the air fryer before use. This will ensure more accurate cooking times as well as even cooking.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer Basket: Speaking of even cooking, if you place too many apples in the basket they will not cook evenly. It is okay to air fryer them in batches if needed.
- Cut the Apples Evenly: Make sure all of the apples are cut into roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
FAQ
The best apples I go for Pink Lady, Honey Crisp, or Gala. Any apple can be used as long as it holds up well when cooked. Granny Smith is wonderful if you like tart apples.
Yes! This recipe for air fryer cinnamon apples is vegan-friendly.
The texture of the skin is not very pleasing when cooked so I highly recommend peeling them.
Video
More Apple Recipes
Do you like apple desserts? Here are some more dessert recipes you may also like to try!
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Apples in Air Fryer
Equipment
- Non-stick spray
- Small bowl for glaze mixing
Ingredients
- 4 medium red apples pink lady, honey crisp, or gala, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch slices or bite-sized cubes
- 3 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar packed
Optional
- 2 tablespoons butter melted (for extra richness)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Create the Glaze. In a small bowl, combine real maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix the ingredients thoroughly to create a well-blended glaze.
- Coat the Apples. In a large mixing bowl, toss peeled and sliced fresh apples with about 3 tablespoons of the glaze mixture. Ensure all the sliced apples are evenly coated for a harmonious blend of flavors.
- Load the Air Fryer. Add the coated apple slices to the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer for proper cooking.
- Air fry the apples for 12-14 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Aim for firm and slightly tender slices.
- Enhance with Butter. If you desire extra richness, toss the batch of cubed apples with the remaining glaze mixture and melted butter.
- Serve and Enjoy
Video
Notes
- Preheat the Air Fryer: It is important to always preheat the air fryer before use. This will ensure more accurate cooking times as well as even cooking.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer Basket: Speaking of even cooking, if you place too many apples in the basket they will not cook evenly. It is okay to air fryer them in batches if needed.
- Cut the Apples Evenly: Make sure all of the apples are cut into roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
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