This recipe is sponsored by ZenChef. All opinions are 100% my own.
You only need 5 simple ingredients to make crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Air Fryer Apple Fritters. This is a cheater recipe, so there’s no proofing of yeast or waiting for dough to rise!
I’m all for making things from scratch when you’re feeling it, but sometimes you’re just not feeling it. That shouldn’t mean depriving yourself of decadent Air Fryer Apple Fritters!
The Secret to Easy Air Fryer Apple Fritters
The secret to making these apple fritters in a flash is tinned crescent roll dough.
Stay with me, friends!
Did you know that a lot of the tinned crescent roll doughs in your grocery store’s refrigerator section are accidentally vegan? It’s true! Some do contain milk, so just read the ingredients before buying, but I can almost guarantee that you will be able to find vegan crescent roll dough at the store.
This dough is the perfect consistency for apple fritters, and it’s ready to add your apples and top with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar coating, a la my Air Fryer Churro-Style Donut Holes.
Are you getting hungry yet?
Preparing the Apple
Use any sweet, crisp apple you like for this recipe. Choose your favorite apple for snacking on!
You can peel the apple for this recipe but, I prefer to leave the peels on. First of all, not peeling means less work, which is kind of the theme of this recipe. But also, I like the texture of the cooked peels.
Whether you peel or not, dice up your apple into pieces that are slightly larger than pea-sized, then it’s fritter-making time!
Making the Apple Fritters
To get started with fritter assembly, cut a piece of parchment paper, so it covers most of the bottom of your air fryer basket (not the sides). Place it into the basket.
Now, open up that crescent roll dough, and slice it into four rounds, but don’t unroll them! Instead, flatten each round slightly, and pile some apple pieces on top.
Gently knead the apple pieces into the dough until it becomes a cohesive ball. Flatten it with your hands, then dredge it in the cinnamon-sugar mix, coating it well, and transfer it to your lined air fryer basket.
Repeat that process with the remaining three dough rounds, then air fry those apple fritters to perfection!
Instead of icing, you top these fritters with pure maple syrup. It brings the same sweet, stickiness to the table, but with less effort.
About My Air Fryer
The air fryer that I used to make this recipe is the ZenChef PRO XXL Air Fryer from ZenChef, who is sponsoring this recipe. Thank you, ZenChef!
I’ve had this air fryer for over a year, and it is hands-down my favorite that I’ve ever owned. The basket is nice and large (5.8 quarts!), and I love the design.
As you probably know, I am extremely picky about air fryers, and this basket design is the kind I like. It pops out for easy cleaning. It also has holes at the bottom (rather than mesh) to allow air flow and prevent sticking.
My favorite feature on this air fryer, though, is the little S button. The S stands for start and for stop. I’ve never seen another air fryer with a stop button, and it feels so much safer than unplugging it while it’s running, if I need to end a cooking cycle early.
How to Store Air Fryer Apple Fritters
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool completely, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. They’ll keep better without the maple syrup on top.
You can air fry them for a few minutes at 350F, if you want to serve your leftovers warm. No need to line the basket to preheat, since the bottoms of the cooked fritters aren’t sticky anymore.
Whether you warm them or not, definitely drizzle on some maple syrup before serving.
Air Fryer Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 small apple – diced – You won't need the whole apple.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon organic granulated sugar
- 1 4 ounce package tinned crescent rolls – usually, this is a 4-count package instead of an 8-count
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup – divided
Instructions
- Cut a piece of parchment paper so that it almost covers the bottom of your air fryer basket. You do not want it to go up the sides.
- In a shallow bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
- Slice your dough into 4 equal rounds. Scoop 1 rounded tablespoon of apple slices onto your round.
- Use your hands to work the apple pieces into the first piece of dough until you have a small, cohesive ball. Flatten it out, and then roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating well. Transfer it to the lined air fryer basket, then repeat the process with the remaining 3 crescent dough rounds.
- Air fry at 370F for 6 minutes. Flip, then air fryer for 4 more minutes.
- Drizzle each apple fritter with 1 tablespoon maple syrup before serving. You can also sprinkle on any leftover cinnamon-sugar, if that's your jam.
Erin
These were absolutely delicious and easy enough to make I trusted my 10 year old to make them. As the sole vegan in the family, I was stoked I could enjoy them with everyone. Thanks for this excellent recipe!
Becky Striepe
Oh, I love that your kid got to make them! Thank you for coming back to rate and comment, Erin!