Air Fryer Apple Fritters

These air fryer apple fritters are crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and loaded with chunks of fresh apple in every bite.

They come together really quickly with simple pantry ingredients and a basic batter that takes just a few minutes to mix up.

The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. You get that golden, slightly crunchy exterior without having to deal with a pot of hot oil on the stove.

Once they’re done, you drizzle them with a simple vanilla glaze that takes these fritters to the next level. Honestly, they taste like something from a bakery.

Whether you make them for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, these air fryer apple fritters are going to be a hit.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Way Less Oil Than Deep Frying – You get that crispy golden fritter texture without dunking anything in a vat of hot oil.

Warm Cinnamon-Apple Flavor – The cinnamon and nutmeg with tart Granny Smith apples taste like a bakery-fresh apple pie in every bite.

Ready in Under 15 Minutes – From dropping the batter into the air fryer to glazing them you are done in about 15 minutes.

Thick Batter Holds Its Shape Perfectly – Unlike runny batters that spread everywhere this dough scoops into neat mounds that puff up beautifully in the air fryer.

Ingredients

For the Fritters

• 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 large Egg
• 1/3 cup Whole Milk
• 2 tbsp Melted Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups Peeled & Diced Granny Smith Apples
• Cooking Spray

For the Glaze

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

How To Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the diced apples gently. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.

Step 3

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 3 minutes. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Step 4

Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, drop roughly 1/4 cup mounds of batter onto the parchment paper, spacing them apart. Flatten each mound slightly with the back of the spoon. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray.

Step 5

Air fry at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fritters are golden brown and cooked through in the center.

Step 6

While the fritters cook, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth to make the glaze.

Step 7

Let the fritters cool for 3 minutes, then drizzle or dip them generously in the glaze. Let the glaze set for a couple of minutes before serving.

Tips

Dice the Apples Small

Cut your apple pieces to about the size of a pea or a little bigger. If you cut them too large, they won’t cook through in the air fryer’s short cooking time and you’ll bite into a hard, crunchy chunk in the middle of your fritter.

Small, even pieces also make it way easier to scoop the batter into neat mounds. Big chunks cause the fritters to fall apart or cook unevenly.

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Once you pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir just until you don’t see dry flour anymore. The batter should look thick and a little lumpy – that’s exactly what you want.

If you keep mixing trying to smooth it out, the gluten in the flour activates too much. That gives you dense, tough fritters instead of soft, fluffy ones.

When you fold in the apples, be gentle too. A few big strokes with a spatula is all it takes.

Flatten the Mounds Before Cooking

After you scoop the batter into the basket, press each mound down with the back of a spoon so it’s about 3/4 inch thick. If you leave them as tall round balls, the outside will get dark and crispy before the center has a chance to cook through.

Flattening them gives you a better ratio of golden crust to soft inside, and they cook more evenly so you don’t end up with raw dough in the middle.

Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Apple Cider Donuts
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Apple Empanadas
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cakes
• Air Fryer Maple Glazed Donut Holes
• Air Fryer Mini Apple Pies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of apple instead of Granny Smith?

Granny Smith apples work best here because they’re firm and tart, which balances out the sweetness of the batter and glaze. But you can use other firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji if that’s what you have on hand.

Just avoid soft apples like Red Delicious or McIntosh – they tend to turn mushy during cooking and can make the fritters soggy instead of holding their shape.