Air Fryer Apples (4 Ingredients, No Refined Sugar)

Name: Air Fryer Apples
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large red apples ((Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes); 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (divided); 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil; 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Warm cinnamon and maple-glazed air fryer apples are the perfect healthy dessert, snack, or breakfast. They taste like apple pie filling, take 15 minutes, and need just 4 ingredients. Vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free.

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Caramelized maple cinnamon air fryer apples with vanilla ice cream.

Air Fryer Apples At A Glance

✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Air Fryer Apples (4 Ingredients, No Refined Sugar)
🕒 Ready In: ~15 minutes
👪 Serves: 2
🍽 Calories: ~191 per serving
🌾 Fiber: 6g per serving
🥣 Main Ingredients: Apples, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup
📖 Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, refined sugar-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: They taste like apple pie filling without the butter or refined sugar. Cutting the apples into cubes gives you more caramelized edges, and just 2 tablespoons of maple syrup sweeten the whole batch.

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The Best Air Fried Apples

My healthy apple crisp and gluten-free apple pie are both great, but if I'm being honest, the filling has always been my favorite part. That's exactly what these air fryer apples taste like: soft, cinnamon-spiced apple bites with a warm maple glaze, no crust required.

I started air frying fruit after falling in love with my caramelized air fryer pineapple and air fryer pears, and apples were the natural next step. Cutting them into 1-inch cubes gives every piece more edges to caramelize, so they turn golden on the outside and stay tender inside.

They're lighter than traditional apple pie filling, with no butter or refined sugar. Just 2 tablespoons of maple syrup sweeten the whole batch, and the key is saving half for the end. Tossing the hot apples in it right out of the air fryer makes them juicy and saucy; skip that step and they can turn out dry.

My favorite way to eat them is warm over a scoop of my cottage cheese ice cream or with Greek yogurt, which turns this into a high-protein dessert or snack.

Jump to:

Air Fryer Apples At A Glance
The Best Air Fried Apples
What Makes this Recipe Healthy?
Ingredients You'll Need
The Best Apples for Air Frying
How to Make Air Fryer Apples (Step-by-Step)
Recipe Video
Tips for Perfectly Caramelized Air Fryer Apples
What to Serve with Air Fryer Apples
Substitutions and Variations
Make Ahead and Storage
Air Fryer Apples FAQs
More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm new to cooking and just got an air fryer for Christmas. Found this recipe and had to try it. Literally, my husband and I just put our bowls down and I had to come give it 5 stars. Too easy and too delicious.

- Ali

What Makes this Recipe Healthy?

This recipe is healthy for a few reasons. First, it only calls for 4 simple and wholesome ingredients: apples, cinnamon, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Second, there is no refined sugar; just 2 tablespoons of maple syrup sweeten the whole batch. Third, there is no flour, which makes this recipe gluten free. Fourth, these air fryer apples are dairy free, paleo, and vegan!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best one for sure! So fast, so delicious and healthy. My new afternoon dessert

- Angeles

Ingredients You'll Need

To make air fryer apples, you only need four simple, wholesome ingredients, and you probably have them all in your pantry already. There's no refined sugar, no flour, and no gluten.

Ingredients for air fryer apples: two Honeycrisp apples, maple syrup, coconut oil, and a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Apples: Use large, crisp, sweet apples. I use Honeycrisp because they hold their shape in the air fryer and are sweet enough that you don't need much maple syrup. Peel them first so every side caramelizes.
Cinnamon: This is what makes them taste like apple pie filling. Toss it on before air frying so it toasts slightly in the heat.
Coconut oil: A little melted coconut oil keeps the apples tender inside and slightly crisp outside, and it's all the fat you need (no cooking spray). Use refined coconut oil and you won't taste coconut at all, or swap in olive oil.
Maple syrup: Half goes on before air frying and half after, for a sweet, glossy glaze. Honey works too.

Scroll to the recipe card for exact amounts!

The Best Apples for Air Frying

The best apples for air frying are firm, crisp, and sweet, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, and Jonagold. They hold their shape in the heat and caramelize at the edges instead of turning mushy.

Granny Smith works too, but it's tart, so you may want a little extra maple syrup at the end. I'd skip softer apples like McIntosh or Red Delicious, which tend to break down and turn mealy when cooked.

How to Make Air Fryer Apples (Step-by-Step)

Making air fryer apples is so easy, and this recipe takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. Any level cook can make these apple bites. Here's how:

Peeled apples cut into 1-inch cubes in a white bowl.

Step 1: Cut the apples. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into 1-inch cubes.

Apple cubes tossed with cinnamon, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a bowl.

Step 2: Season. In a bowl, toss the apple cubes with the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup until evenly coated.

Cinnamon-coated apple cubes spread in a single layer in an air fryer basket before cooking.

Step 3: Add to the basket. Spread the apples in the air fryer basket so they don't overlap too much, or else they won't cook evenly.

Golden, caramelized air fryer apples in the basket after cooking.

Step 4: Air fry. Air fry for 10 to 14 minutes, shaking halfway through. They should be golden, slightly crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside.

Pouring maple syrup over warm air fryer apples in a bowl for the final glaze.

Step 5: Glaze. Remove from the air fryer and toss the warm apples in the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Don't skip this! It's what makes them juicy and saucy.

Recipe Video

Tips for Perfectly Caramelized Air Fryer Apples

Save half the maple for the end: This is the one step I'd never skip. Tossing the warm apples in that last tablespoon of maple syrup makes them juicy and saucy. Without it, they can come out dry.
Cut even 1-inch cubes: I love cubes over slices because every piece gets more caramelized edges. Keeping them the same size means they all cook at the same rate, so none turn mushy.
Give them space: Spread the apples out with a little room between them, like you see here. Crowded apples steam instead of caramelizing, so I cook in batches if I'm doubling the recipe.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Apples

The sky is the limit because you can enjoy air fryer apples as a snack, breakfast, or dessert! Here are my ideas:

Dessert:

Personally, I love enjoying air fryer apples as a healthy dessert with some vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or whipped cream. For a high-protein twist, spoon them over my cottage cheese protein ice cream.

Breakfast:

Skip the ice cream and spoon your air fryer apples over my egg white oatmeal or high-protein overnight oats for a yummy breakfast! For a cozy fall brunch, serve them warm next to my apple cinnamon baked oatmeal or baked gluten-free apple cider donuts.

Snack:

Enjoy these air-fried apples on their own as a little afternoon snack. They are delicious. If you want something savory, pair them with my crispiest air fryer pumpkin seeds.

Close-up of cinnamon maple air fryer apples that are refined sugar free.

Substitutions and Variations

Swap the oil: No coconut oil? Olive oil works great. If you do use coconut oil, go with refined so you can't taste the coconut at all.
Swap the sweetener: Honey is a great swap for maple syrup! Just know it makes the recipe no longer vegan.
Add crunch: Top them with chopped pecans for a little crunch. One reader added pecans and whipped cream, and I love that idea!
Make it an apple crisp: Craving the full crumble topping? Try my air fryer apple crisp. It has the same cozy cinnamon apples with a golden oat topping.

Make Ahead and Storage

Air fryer apples are best within 20 minutes of air frying, while the glaze is still glossy, but they also hold up well for meal prep.

Make ahead: Make a batch at the start of the week and keep it in the fridge to spoon over oatmeal, yogurt, or ice cream.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm them in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 to 45 seconds.

Air Fryer Apples FAQs

How long do you air fry apples?

Air fry 1-inch apple cubes at 380°F for 10 to 14 minutes, shaking halfway through. They're done when the edges are golden and a fork slides in easily.

Why are my air fryer apples dry?

Usually it's because the final maple toss got skipped. Saving 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to toss with the warm apples right out of the air fryer is what makes them juicy and saucy.

What can I use instead of coconut oil?

Yes! Honey is a great substitute for maple syrup. Just note the recipe will no longer be vegan.

What can I use instead of coconut oil?

Olive oil or olive oil spray both work. If you stick with coconut oil, use refined so you can't taste the coconut.

Are air fryer apples vegan and gluten free?

Yes. With no flour, grains, butter, or refined sugar, these air fryer apples are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and paleo.

How many calories are in air fryer apples?

Each serving has about 191 calories and 6 grams of fiber. The recipe makes 2 servings, which works out to about 1 apple per serving.

Can I double or triple the recipe?

Yes. Just don't pile the apples on top of each other in the basket, or they'll steam instead of caramelize. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Caramelized air fryer apples with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

If you loved these caramelized maple cinnamon air fryer apples, here are a few more to try next:

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!

📖 Recipe

Air Fryer Apples

By: Tati Chermayeff

5 from 180 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 12

Total Time 15

Serving servings

Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 large red apples, (Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
▢ 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup, divided
▢ 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, (refined has no coconut taste)
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 380°F.
Toss: In a bowl, toss the apple cubes with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, the melted coconut oil, and the cinnamon until evenly coated.
Arrange: Add the apples to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure they don't overlap too much, or they won't cook properly. No cooking spray needed.
Air fry for 10 to 14 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden, slightly crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside.
Glaze: Transfer the warm apples to a bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Don't skip this step; it's what keeps them juicy and saucy.
Serve warm on their own, over vanilla or cottage cheese ice cream, or with Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

Notes

Don't skip the final maple toss: It's what makes these apples juicy. Without it, they can come out dry.

Give them space: Crowded apples steam instead of caramelizing, so cook in batches if needed.

Check early: Air fryers vary, so start checking at 10 minutes.

Swaps: Honey works in place of maple syrup (not vegan). Olive oil works in place of coconut oil.

Serving size: About 1 apple per serving.

Storage: Best within 20 minutes of air frying. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.

Nutrition

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!

Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein, air fryer, and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.

Comments

5 from 180 votes (157 ratings without comment)