Name: Air Fryer Apples
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 small/medium apples, we use Gala; 1½ tsp cinnamon, separated; 1 T canola oil (vegetable oil will also work); 1 tsp vanilla; 2 T butter, melted; 2 T sugar

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These cinnamon sweet and buttery Air Fryer Apples are tender and delicious and ready in just 10 minutes. Not your typical fried apples with just a touch of butter but still so much flavor! Great as a side dish, topped with ice cream for dessert and all on their own!

White dish with air fryer apples with serving spoon.

There is not a whole lot we don't love in the air fryer and these delectable air fried cinnamon apples are by far the best thing we have had to date!

A perfect breakfast side dish to pair with some Air Fryer French Toast Sticks or some Fluffy Pancakes--the perfect match to any brunch!

Why you will love these Air Fryer Apples:

They are so rich and flavorful. Air fryer apples are proof that you can have rich, buttery apples with a lot less butter. These are still rich in flavor but much less heavy in my opinion and that is why I love them.
They cook up in just 10 minutes. Once you put the apples in the fryer basket, you just have to wait about 10 minutes for perfect, soft apples. no need to hover over the stove the whole time, you can get a few other things done while you wait!
Air fryer apples are great for everything from breakfast, to dinner and dessert! These apples are so versatile. Serve them as a dinner side with chicken or pork, have them with breakfast or add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream over top for a delicious, simple dessert. So many options!

Ingredients:

apples: a sweet and crisp apple is great for these air fryer apples. We prefer Gala or Fuji but Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious are both great as well. If you prefer tart then Granny Smith works as well! You can peel the apples if you prefer, I don't like taking any extra time on hate tossing all the peels so I don't.
cinnamon: a little to coat for cooking and then more to toss in with sugar in the end. The cinnamon is for sure the show stopper in this recipe!
oil: any mild flavored cooking oil should work. I have read that oil spray is not ideal in air fryers so using canola oil is great for these apples.
vanilla: just a touch for added flavor
butter: this is what gives these air fried apples that classic fried apple flavor. you don't need much, but a little will make the buttery rich sauce delectable.
sugar: you can sweeten as desired. You can add to taste as well. I use a bit of sugar but maple syrup or even some brown sugar are both great options as well.

How to make the best air fried apples:

There really isn't much to making these air fried apples. All you have to do is:

Toss the sliced apples (cut about ½ inch thickness) with oil, cinnamon and vanilla.
Add apples to air fryer basket lightly spritzed with oil.
Air fry for 10 minutes or until soft and tender, shaking about halfway through.
Toss with melted butter, remaining cinnamon and sugar.

Enjoy!

Glass mixing bowl with apples in oil and cinnamon. — Toss apples in oil and cinnamon.

Sliced apples with cinnamon in air fryer basket. — Toss apples in oil and cinnamon.

Recipe Notes and Tips:

Cut your apples immediately before adding to the air fryer to avoid any browning. Apples are not the best for meal prepping as they brown really quickly. You will want to slice them up as close to the time you will cook them as possible.
Choose the best apples. You want a crispy, firm and sweet apple for these air fryer apples. As mentioned before, Gala, Fuji, and Honey Crisp are all favorites.
For saucier apples, use more melted butter. If you love having more of a sauce for your apples, add more melted butter, about 2 more tablespoons should work. You can also add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup instead of the sugar for more sauce.
Keep an eye on your apples. Air fryers are not all created equal. I have two and they never cook quite the same. Once these apples hit the half way mark and you shake the basket up, check on them every two minutes to make sure they are not cooking too fast or burning.

Overhead shot of white bowl with air fryer apples with cinnamon and sugar.

Recipe Storage Recommendations:

These air fried apples can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply microwave for about 30 seconds to one minutes. You can reheat them in the air fryer as well at 350°F for about 2-4 minutes.

You can also freeze your apples in a freezer safe sealed container for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw before reheating. You can toss in more melted butter before serving.

Serving Your Air Fried Apples:

You can certainly serve these air fryer apples in many ways and for many occasions. Try some of these:

Fried apples pair really well with pork. Try these Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops.
Also great with roasted chicken!
A great addition to breakfast. Spoon some over top of these pancakes or on the side of some French Toast Casserole. They would also be great with a savory casserole like this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole.
Serve them up with a scoop of ice cream. Butter Pecan with apples anyone?

Other Air Fryer Recipes:

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Air Fryer Apples

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: air fryer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

Instructions

Remove apple cores and slice into ½ inch slices. (You can remove the apple peels or keep the skin on.) Toss apples in oil, vanilla and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
Preheat air fryer to 380°F. Add apples to air fryer basket lightly spritzed with oil. Arrange evenly trying not to overlap as much as possible. Air fry for 10 minutes or until soft and tender, shaking apples halfway through to shift.
When apples are cooked, transfer to a bowl and toss with butter, remaining teaspoon of cinnamon and sugar. Serve immediately.
Storage: You can store your apples for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an air tight container. You can also freeze leftover apples for up to 2 months.

Notes

Cut your apples immediately before adding to the air fryer to avoid any browning. Apples are not the best for meal prepping as they brown really quickly. You will want to slice them up as close to the time you will cook them as possible.
Choose the best apples. You want a crispy, firm and sweet apple for these air fryer apples. As mentioned before, Gala, Fuji, and Honey Crisp are all favorites.
For saucier apples, use more melted butter. If you love having more of a sauce for your apples, add more melted butter, about 2 more tablespoons should work. You can also add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup instead of the sugar for more sauce.
Keep an eye on your apples. Air fryers are not all created equal. I have two and they never cook quite the same. Once these apples hit the half way mark and you shake the basket up, check on them every two minutes to make sure they are not cooking too fast or burning.