Air Fryer Sticky Maple Brussels Sprouts

Air Fryer Sticky Brussels Sprouts are quick and easy, but feel so fancy! Brussels sprouts are easily cooked up in the air fryer, and then topped with a sticky maple and apple cider glaze with walnuts.

Earlier this year, I had a version of these brussels sprouts at a restaurant and it was so crave-worthy, I knew I had to try to recreate it at home. And I basically make everything these days in my air fryer, so of course I knew I needed to make air fryer brussels sprouts.

The end result? Tasty, roasted brussels sprouts with a sticky sweet glaze made from maple syrup, butter, and apple cider vinegar. This is just the perfect fall recipe in my book, but it can be made any time of year!

What type of air fryer to use?

These can be made in any air fryer. If you're doubling the recipe, you'll probably want to use a large air fryer to make sure there is enough room in the basket. This is the air fryer I have and I love it. They also have this newer version that looks really sleek!

How to make brussels sprouts tender?

If you like your brussels sprouts a little more al dente, cook as is! If you like to make sure the inside of your brussels sprouts are creamy and tender, here's a great tip from Erin from Well Plated. She recommends soaking in water for 10 minutes, then drying before adding your seasonings a cooking. That should yield a more tender center.

Customization ideas:

• Brussels sprouts and bacon are a match made in heaven! You can always add some cooked bacon to the dish for even more of a salty punch.
• The walnuts can easily be swapped out for pecans!
• I added red pepper flakes for a bit of spice, but you could leave out, or even add different peppers for different spices. Bell peppers, shishitos, thai chilies, or even a little bit of harissa or peri peri would be delicious in the maple vinegar sauce.
• For a more savory version, skip the maple sauce and drizzle some balsamic on top.
• Skip the maple sauce and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Cooking tips:

• For larger brussels sprouts, cut in quarters instead of halves.
• For more tender brussels sprouts, soak in water for 10 minutes beforehand.
• All air fryers cook differently. Make sure to check for doneness early and often.
• If you don't want the outer leaves of your sprouts to get done so much and become "brussels sprouts chips," then remove them and make sure you don't have any loose leaves on your sprouts. I personally like the outer leaves.

Other air fryer recipes to love:

• Air Fryer Squash
• Air Fryer Quesadillas
• Air Fryer Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes with Sage Brown Butter
• Air Fryer Greek Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Honey Garlic Salmon

How to cook in the oven instead:

While I love my air fryer, brussels sprouts are also so easy to roast in the oven! I cut in half, toss in olive oil, then roast at 425 in a preheated oven for 17-25 minutes (depending on the size of the sprouts).

How to make:

First, preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. Next, take your brussels sprouts and trim them. Make sure to remove stems, any outer leaves that are browning, and then cut in half.

Place the cut brussels sprouts a bowl, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place in your air fryer.

When cooking, toss the sprouts every 5 minutes and cook for 10-15 minutes at 370 degrees F. Check sprouts starting at 10 minutes.

10 minutes might be okay if your sprouts are smaller and you soaked them, but you may need the full 15 for sprouts that are larger or were not presoaked.

When sprouts are almost done, take your butter, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar and cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted, stirring frequently. Add walnuts and cook for another 2-3 minutes, watching carefully so that mixture does not split.

Plate the brussels sprouts, then drizzle the maple and apple cider vinegar glaze over the top with the walnuts. Top with red pepper flakes for a bit of spice.