Air Fryer Apple Bites

Easy Homemade Apple Fritters: A Fall Favorite

Air fryer apple fritters are the perfect fall treat – a delightful combination of crispy and sweet that’s hard to resist. This recipe is sure to become a seasonal favorite, just like our beloved apple cider muffins and apple pancakes.

If you’re a fan of donuts, you’ll absolutely adore these fritters! Unlike donuts, fritters have a more free-form shape and often feature fillings mixed directly into the batter before frying. You can find both savory and sweet fritters; this recipe focuses on the deliciousness of sweet apple fritters.

Why Air Fryer Apple Fritters are a Must-Try

Bursting with Apple Flavor: These fritters are loaded with generous pieces of real apples and infused with the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. Each bite feels like a little piece of fall!

Perfect Texture: The air fryer creates a delightful contrast – a soft, tender inside and a wonderfully crisp outside. Think of it as a muffin top, but with the added touch of a delicious apple cider glaze. They are incredibly tempting!

Healthier Option: Air frying means these fritters are much less greasy compared to traditional deep-fried apple fritters. Enjoy all the rich flavors and spices of a classic bakery fritter without the extra oil. Looking for more air fryer recipes? Check out our baked banana donuts and chocolate donuts recipes!

Simple to Make: The batter for these apple fritters is incredibly easy, basically a quick bread recipe. And because you use an air fryer, there’s no messy deep-frying to deal with, making the whole process much easier.

Fun Fact: The word “fritter” comes from the Latin word “frictura,” which means “to fry.” While we don’t have a Latin word for “air fry” yet, that’s precisely what we’re going to do!

Ingredient Highlights

• Apples: Use firm apples that hold their shape well. Gala and Honeycrisp apples work beautifully.
• Apple Cider: Adding apple cider to the batter enhances the apple flavor. Unfermented cider is best, but apple juice can be substituted. Apple cider is also used in the glaze.
• Pantry Staples: You’ll also need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract.
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg bring warmth and depth to the apple flavor. An apple pie spice blend can also be used, or just cinnamon if that’s all you have.
• Wet Ingredients: Milk and eggs are essential. Any kind of milk works, including non-dairy options.
• Glaze: The finishing touch is a smooth glaze made with powdered sugar, apple cider, vanilla, and cinnamon.

How to Make Air Fryer Apple Fritters: Step-by-Step

Prepare Your Air Fryer: Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your air fryer basket. This prevents the batter from falling through. Lightly spray the parchment with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the Fritter Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, apple cider, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Gently combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Finally, gently fold in the chopped apple pieces.

Portion the Batter: Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the prepared parchment paper in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave some space between the fritters to allow for good air circulation, which is crucial for achieving that crispy exterior. You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. A light spray of nonstick cooking spray on top of the fritters will also help them get extra crispy.

Cook the Fritters: Air fry the fritters at 400ºF (200ºC) for 6 minutes. Then, carefully flip them over and cook for another 4 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and cooked through. While the fritters are cooking, prepare a simple glaze using powdered sugar, apple cider, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Glaze and Serve: Dip the cooked fritters into the prepared glaze, and place them on a wire rack to cool and let the glaze set. Enjoy!

Easy Recipe Variations

• Bake the Fritters: Don’t have an air fryer? You can easily bake these in the oven. The recipe card below includes baking instructions, or you can check out our apple spice cake recipe!
• Try Different Fruits: Swap the apples for peaches, apricots, or plums. Blueberries or raspberries would also be delicious additions.
• Make Savory Fritters: Try savory vegetable fritters instead of sweet apple fritters. They’re packed with zucchini, sweet bell pepper, carrots, and feta cheese.

Serving Suggestions for Apple Fritters

Air fryer apple fritters are a fantastic snack, breakfast, or brunch treat! Serve them with coffee or tea alongside a bowl of yogurt topped with granola. These cozy apple fritters pair perfectly with hot mulled cider or an apple cider mocktail, or simply with a glass of milk.

You can serve your apple fritters a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce! Or, go all-in on the apple theme and top your fritters with whipped cream and homemade apple compote.

Storage Tips

Storing: Like most bakery treats, apple fritters are best enjoyed on the day they’re made. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days; simply reheat them before serving. If you want to make them ahead, store them unglazed and then glaze them after reheating.

Reheating: To reheat apple fritters in the air fryer, place the fritters back in the fryer at 400ºF (200ºC) for a couple of minutes until warm.

Freezing: You can freeze unglazed apple fritters for up to 3 months. Make sure they’re completely cooled, then store them in an airtight container. Defrost your fritters in the fridge before reheating in the air fryer and glaze them after reheating.

Leftover Love

Apple Fritter Sundaes! This is a big hit in our house during apple season! Crumble leftover apple fritters into a bowl, then top with your favorite ice cream and caramel sauce for an over-the-top dessert.