This easy air fryer apples recipe is packed with spicy sweet cinnamon sugar flavor!
Healthy air fryer apples
After years of debating, I finally bought an air fryer.
In the past few weeks I’ve tried so many air fryer recipes to make up for lost time, and these quick caramelized cinnamon apples are my favorite of them all.
Hot from the air fryer, their texture is deliciously soft yet crispy at the same time.
And they taste like homemade apple pie filling, but somehow even better!
Readers also love these healthy Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients for air fried apples
The three ingredient air fryer snack recipe calls for apples, cinnamon, sweetener of choice, and optional butter or oil for added richness.
Apples – You need two large apples of almost any variety.
Braeburn, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, and Fuji are some of my favorite options for cooking.
The only apples I recommend not using are Red Delicious because of their mushy texture when baked, stewed, or fried.
Peeling the apples is entirely up to you. I choose to leave them unpeeled to retain the fiber and vitamins found in the apple peel.
Cinnamon – A teaspoon of spicy ground cinnamon perfectly compliments the sweet Fall apple flavor.
You can also experiment with stirring in a tiny pinch of salt. Or add other Fall spices like ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, or cloves.
Sugar – Use any granulated or liquid all purpose sweetener you wish.
I like pure maple syrup or unrefined coconut sugar. Classic white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or agave work just fine as well.
For cinnamon apples with no sugar added, go with erythritol, xylitol, stevia, a monk fruit blend, or your favorite sugar free sweetener.
Mix leftover apples into a loaf of Pumpkin Banana Bread
Easy step by step recipe video
Watch the air fryer apple recipe video above.
How to make air fryer apples
The first step is to gather all of your ingredients.
Grease the tray of your air frying machine, or line it with air fryer liners.
Peel the apples if desired, them chop them into small squares and discard the cores and seeds.
You can also cut into apple sticks or thinly slice the fruit to make air fried apple chips.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the diced apples with the cinnamon, pure maple syrup or sweetener, and melted optional coconut oil or butter.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Arrange the apples in a single layer on the prepared tray. To ensure even frying, it is important to not overcrowd the apples. So if you have a small air fryer, you may need to air fry in two batches.
Air fry for seven minutes, then open the door and shake the machine to turn the apples so they cook evenly on all sides.
Cook for an additional eight minutes or until they reach your preferred crisp texture.
While the air fryer is out, make 2 Ingredient Bagels
Serving and storing air fryer baked apples
Serve the apples over your morning oats for breakfast, or add a basic brown sugar oatmeal streusel to create your own healthy apple crumble.
These are a wonderful topping for Vegan Pancakes or Protein Waffles.
Try the recipe as a filling for homemade apple fritters or hand pie pastries.
Finally, one of my personal favorite ways to use cinnamon air fried apples is as a topping for coconut or vanilla ice cream or Banana Ice Cream.
If you find yourself with leftovers, store them in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
While you can technically freeze this recipe, it will change the texture of the apples once they thaw. So I do not recommend freezing them.
Air fryer apple health benefits
Thanks to the nutrition packed cinnamon and apples, this delicious fruit snack is a great source of fiber and is high in vitamins C, K, and E.
The cinnamon apples also contain iron and potassium.
The whole food healthy snack can be dairy free, soy free, vegan, fat free, paleo, and added sugar free.
And they are naturally low sodium, gluten free, nut free, and egg free.
Cinnamon contains anti inflammatory properties and may help lower blood pressure. Apples are high in antioxidants, including quercetin, which can assist in preventing heart disease and controlling blood sugar.
Cinnamon apples without an air fryer
If you prefer to make baked cinnamon apples in the oven, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Follow the air fried apple recipe below, and spread the diced apples out in a single layer on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for fifteen minutes on the oven’s center rack, then turn with a spatula.
Continue baking the pan for an additional ten to fifteen minutes or until the apples are soft and caramelized to your liking.
Or if you own a convection oven, simply bake for the same time as you would in an air fryer. Both convection ovens and air fryers use a fan to circulate air as food cooks.
Want an even easier cooking method? You can fry the apples in a pan on the stove top with a little coconut oil or butter.
- 2 large apples
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 2 tsp oil or butter, or omit for fat free
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Gather all ingredients, and grease the air fryer tray or line it with air fryer liners. Peel the apples if desired, then chop them into small squares. Or chop into apple sticks or thinly sliced apple chips. Discard the cores and seeds. Toss the fruit in a bowl with the cinnamon, sweetener, and optional melted butter or oil. Preheat the air fryer to 400 F. Arrange the apples in a single layer on the greased tray. If your machine is small, it may be best to do this in two batches so as not to overcrowd the apples. Air fry for seven minutes. Open the door and shake to turn the cinnamon apples. Bake an additional eight minutes or until crispy and caramelized to your liking.View Nutrition Facts
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