These air fryer apples are my new favourite snack. Crispy and delicious, they combine the natural sweetness of apples with warming cinnamon. Best of all, you just need three ingredients to make this tasty treat.
After a couple of trial runs, I’ve found that the trick to apples that are crispy and not burnt is to cook the apple slices at a low temperature for 45 minutes. The result is a gorgeous apple crisp that makes a great alternative to potato chips if you're craving something crispy.
Why Air Fry Apples?
I love air frying apples, and you can do so many things with an air-fried apple! Sometimes I like to leave them whole (with the core removed) to create an entire baked apple in the air fryer. Or I peel and chop a couple of apples into chunks and bake to create an easy crumble, cobbler or pie filling. But this air fryer apple recipe is totally different and makes the ultimate snack. My daughter and husband ate them in minutes the first time I tried it. Note to self – make more next time!
What You’ll Need:
- 2 medium apples (any variety works, but Braeburn, Gala and Pink Lady are my favourites)
- Lemon juice (this helps stop the apple slices from going brown while you are preparing them)
- Cinnamon or sugar (optional)
The Easy Air Fryer Apple Crisp Method:
Make Lemon Water: Fill a medium-sized bowl with cold water and add a big squeeze of lemon juice.
Slice Your Apples: Wash and dry your apples, then slice them as thinly as possible. There’s no need to peel them. Put the slices into the bowl of lemon water as you go to keep them fresh.
Drain and Dry: Once all of your apple slices are in the bowl, use a sieve or colander to drain away the water then pat your apple slices dry.
Toss with Flavour: Toss the apple slices with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon or sugar if you prefer for an extra sweet touch.
Arrange the Apple Slices: Spread the apples in a single layer in your air fryer basket. If you’re worried about the apple slices blowing around in the basket, you can weigh them down using a metal rack. I used the lid of a cheese grater, and it worked perfectly (just remember to use oven mitts or silicone tongs when lifting anything out of the air fryer).
Air Fry Low and Slow: Air fry at 120C (250F) for 45 minutes (check and turn the apple slices every 10-15 minutes so that they cook evenly). The apple crisps are ready when they reach the perfect level of crispiness for your taste.
Cool and Serve: Let the slices cool for a minute, then enjoy right away. The apple slices will keep in an air-tight container for a couple of days but will lose their crispiness over time.
Top tips for the perfect air fryer apple crisps
- Don't core or peel the apples. Keeping the peel on helps the apple slices retain their shape and looks so pretty when served.
- Slice the apples horizontally (i.e. through the core) to keep the attractive star shape in the centre of each slice - you can pick out any pips as you go.
- You need your apple slices to be a similar thickness to each other so that they all cook in the same amount of time. You can use a mandoline to get perfectly uniform slices but I just use a knife and cut carefully.
- Keep checking throughout the cooking process - I find turning the apple slices carefully during cooking really helps them to cook evenly. They can go from perfect to burnt in seconds so it's important to keep an eye on them as they get towards the end of the cooking time.
- Don't rush! I've tried to make apple crisps in less time and at hotter temperatures but this just results in apples that are either too squidgy or burnt. 45 minutes at 120C (250F) seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Try Something Different:
- Mix It Up: Add a pinch of nutmeg or a drizzle of vanilla extract for extra flavour.
- Add a Dip: Pair your air-fried apples with caramel sauce, peanut butter, or a dollop of Greek yoghurt for dipping.
- Batch It Up: These disappear fast, so consider doubling the recipe if you’re sharing.
Why You’ll Love Them:
Air fryer apple slices are the ultimate snack. They’re healthy enough for breakfast, sweet enough for dessert, and easy enough to whip up whenever you crave something tasty. Plus, they’re a fun way to use up those apples sitting on your counter with minimum ingredients. Check out more air fryer dessert recipes here.
Air Fryer Apple Crisps
Ingredients
- 2 Apples
- 1 squeeze Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Fill a medium-sized bowl with cold water and add a big squeeze of lemon juice.
- Wash and dry your apples, then slice them as thinly as possible. There’s no need to peel them. Put the slices into the bowl of lemon water as you go to keep them fresh.
- Once all of your apple slices are in the bowl, use a sieve or colander to drain away the water then pat your apple slices dry.
- Toss the apple slices with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon or sugar if you prefer for an extra sweet touch.
- Spread the apples in a single layer in your air fryer basket. If you’re worried about the apple slices blowing around in the basket, you can weigh them down using a metal rack. I used the lid of a cheese grater, and it worked perfectly (just remember to use oven mitts or silicone tongs when lifting anything out of the air fryer).
- Air fry at 120C (250F) for 45 minutes (check and turn the apple slices every 10-15 minutes so that they cook evenly). The apple crisps are ready when they reach the perfect level of crispiness for your taste.
- Let the slices cool for a minute, then enjoy right away. The apple slices will keep in an air-tight container for a couple of days but will lose their crispiness over time.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this method for Air Fryer Apples? lf so, let me know how it worked out by leaving a ⭐star rating and a comment below. It really helps me out! Thanks for visiting!
Michael
So much easier than using the oven and the taste is amazing.
Jenny
So tasty 🙂