Bake Apples In The Air Fryer For An Easy Fall Dessert

When it comes to tasty fall desserts, it's hard to beat apple pie. But making an apple pie from scratch, especially if you want to make your own pie crust, can take two hours or more. Plus, baking a whole pie might be more dessert than you're looking for if all you want is a little sweet treat.

Enter the air fryer, the fan-favorite kitchen gadget of the last few years. Food bloggers and TikTok creators have been air frying as much fruit as possible, including grapes, bananas, peaches, pineapples, and more. Apples might be the most popular air-fried fruit, as the finished product tastes just like apple pie filling and takes mere minutes to prepare.

The simplest way to enjoy this easy fall dessert is to peel and thinly slice the apples, toss them in cinnamon sugar, and air fry them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes. To make this treat extra delicious, top it with granola or graham cracker crumbs and either a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Voilà — apple pie à la mode in minutes!

When the time comes to select the best apples to air fry, look for firm, sweet-tart varieties, such as Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp. For apple pie purists, Granny Smith apples also work well, but they yield a more tart result. In a pinch, though, any apple will do!

While the most basic air-fried apple recipes call for just a quick dusting of cinnamon sugar, drizzling the slices with coconut oil or melted butter yields a crispier outside texture while keeping the inside deliciously ooey-gooey. You can also skip the added sugar altogether and simply season with cinnamon, or experiment with other spices like nutmeg, apple pie spice, and ginger. For best results, be sure to use freshly sliced apples to avoid any browning (here are the apple varieties that brown the slowest after slicing), and don't crowd the slices on the tray. Store any leftovers in the fridge for four to five days, or freeze them for up to three months. 

No air fryer on hand? Not to worry — you can still enjoy an easy apple dessert. These sweet spiced baked apples call for stuffing cored apples with a sweet, spicy, nutty filling before baking them in the oven.