Air fryer cinnamon apples are coated in a brown sugar cinnamon mixture and cook in only 10 minutes. The air fryer apple slices get lightly caramelized and softened in the air fryer, making for a delicious treat, especially when topped with ice cream.
Who loves cinnamon apples? I remember when my family would take a trip to Logan's Roadhouse and my sister would ALWAYS get their cinnamon apples. And I know Cracker Barrel has a version too!
Well I was inspired by those, and decided to make my own version of these but in the air fryer. And yes! You can make air fryer apples and they come out amazingly delicious and tender.
The cinnamon apples were easy to make, don't use any oil (but DO use butter), and they weren't too sweet, which means they paired beautifully with ice cream.
When the apples came out of the air fryer my husband said they looked like apple fries, but don't be fooled. These aren't crispy like french fries. Instead, they are more like a baked apple texture that is delicious and buttery.
This is such an easy dessert to make and it cooks up in less than 10 minutes.
Also, no need to preheat and no need to flip/toss. Once you put the cinnamon apples in your air fryer, you're done. All you need to do is wait for them to cook and then enjoy!
Ingredients
- Apples - I used 2 large gala apples for this, but you can use 3 medium-small ones as well.
- Butter - I used salted butter for this recipe. If using unsalted, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the cinnamon mixture.
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract - I always use pure vanilla extract for recipes.
How to make air fryer apples
First, wash your apples and cut them up! I first like to cut around the core of the apple, as shown below.
Then, slice the apples into slices ½ inch thick.
An a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter. (Note: you can also melt the butter over low heat on the stove if you don't have a microwave).
To the melted butter, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Stir until combined.
Add your apple slices to the bowl and stir together until all apples are coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Add apple slices to air fryer basket.
Air fry at 380 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Plate and enjoy! I love these cinnamon apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to serve the cinnamon apples
After the cinnamon apples come out of the air fryer, I love plating them and topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
They would also be tasty with some whipped cream (I love this homemade cinnamon whipped cream) or drizzled with a caramel sauce.
Want a bit of texture? Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans would be perfect served over the cinnamon apples.
And air fryer apples are delicious when served with another dish! They would go great over some pork tenderloin or pork chops. You can serve them with air fryer pork chop bites or air fryer boneless pork chops.
What type of apples to use
For this recipe, I used large Gala apples. You can also use Fuji, Honeycrisp, or even Red Delicious. Really any apples that would go well in apple pie would be delicious here.
Customization ideas
I left the peel on my apples, but you can peel your apples if you prefer.
This recipe is the perfect amount of sweetness to pair with ice cream, whipped cream, or other topping.
If you want your air fryer cinnamon apples to be a little sweeter, add another scoop of brown sugar (or white granulated sugar) to the cinnamon mixture. You could also add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
For extra fall vibes, add some pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon apples.
This would also work great with sliced pears.
Recipe tips
- Try to make sure all the apples are coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture before adding to the air fryer.
- While I did not have any issues with the apples sticking to my air fryer basket, if your air fryer is prone to sticking, brush or spray the basket with oil before adding the apples.
- All air fryers cook differently. Check around the 8 minute mark to see if apples are done to your likeness.
Other air fryer desserts to try
If you love cooking up easy desserts in your air fryer, here's a few more to try!
More easy desserts
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Air Fryer Apples
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large Apples or 3 small
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut apples into slices ½ inch thick and discard the core.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (or melt on the stove).
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to the melted butter. Stir until combined.
- Add apple slices to the cinnamon mixture. Stir until all apples are evenly coated.
- Add apples to the air fryer basket. Cook for 380 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy as desired.
Notes
- Try to make sure all the apples are coated in the cinnamon sugar mixture before adding to the air fryer.
- While I did not have any issues with the apples sticking to my air fryer basket, if your air fryer is prone to sticking, brush or spray the basket with oil before adding the apples.
- All air fryers cook differently. Check around the 8 minute mark to see if apples are done to your likeness. Cook time may also depend on type and thickness of apple slices.
- You can peel your apples if you prefer.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
Jacque Stewart
I made this with Granny Smith and they turned out great! Then made mini pies and sifted powdered sugar on them! Wonderful
Thanks
Aimee
That sounds amazing, thanks for sharing!
Nonna
My apples blew up! Did I cook them for too long or not enough? I did 8 minutes.
Aimee
Oh wow! I've never had that happen. Maybe they were too soft to begin with? Otherwise, I would just double check your temperature. I always do these at 380 degrees F for 10 minutes. That is crazy though. I don't even know what could have made that happen.
Liz
I am going to use the Stevia brown sugar. We are both diabetics.
Aimee
Great idea! That should work well. :)
Jaci
What a wonderful recipe! Serving this as a side with our beef stew…. Thank you for the recipe.
Linda Wheeler
I thought it was very good but my daughter said they aren’t crispy enough. I will cook them longer next time
Aimee
I would say these typically wind up softer for me. Not too crispy, though cooking for longer might crisp them up some!
Suzanne
Thank you for the recipe. The apples turned out great! I added a little whipped cream to top them off. After noticing there was still a decent amount of the brown sugar cinnamon coating left in the air fryer, I cut up a banana, swirled it around in the coating, and cooked for 6 minutes. I then used it to make overnight oats, which turned out wonderful.
Aimee
So glad you enjoyed! I love the idea of using the leftover brown sugar like that! So creative.
piera
thank you for this recipe! even though i omitted the sugar (my husband can’t have it) they were delicious! bookmarking your page!
J
Barbara Jensen
These were delicious! The brown sugar and butter start to caramelize. Easier than pie!
Aimee
So glad you enjoyed!