Delightful Air Fryer Apple Pies: Your Quick & Easy Mini Dessert Guide

Craving a warm, comforting apple pie but short on time? Discover how to create your own perfectly portioned, incredibly delicious Air Fryer Apple Pies in as little as 30 minutes! These individual desserts, baked to golden perfection in ramekins, are an absolute game-changer for anyone seeking a sweet, satisfying treat without the fuss of a full-sized pie. Get ready to impress your taste buds and simplify your baking routine with this brilliant air fryer recipe!

Forget the long baking times and the effort of a traditional apple pie. This innovative recipe for Air Fryer Apple Pies is set to revolutionize your dessert game, quickly becoming your go-to for small-batch sweet cravings. There’s truly nothing quite as comforting as a warm, tender apple pie, and with this incredibly simple method, you can whip up two individual servings in under half an hour. It’s the ideal solution for a cozy night in, an unexpected guest, or simply when you need a personal slice of heaven.

The air fryer, often celebrated for its ability to crisp up savory dishes and speed up meal prep, is surprisingly underutilized when it comes to baking and desserts. However, its efficiency and compact size make it absolutely perfect for crafting mini treats with incredible speed and minimal clean-up. Beyond these delightful apple pies, I’ve found it fantastic for whipping up rich air fryer brownies and flaky Nutella puff pastry pinwheels for a quick late-night indulgence. But honestly, these individual Air Fryer Apple Pies have ascended to the top of my list as the ultimate easy dessert. Enjoy them as they are, or elevate the experience with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream melting decadently on top.

Why the Air Fryer is Your New Best Friend for Desserts

Many home cooks shy away from baking in their air fryer, assuming it’s only good for crispy fries or chicken wings. However, this compact convection oven is a secret weapon for desserts, especially when you’re making smaller portions. Its powerful fan circulates hot air evenly around your food, ensuring quick cooking and beautifully golden results, much like a traditional oven but on a smaller scale and at a faster pace. This means less preheating time, lower energy consumption, and perfectly baked treats in a fraction of the time. For individual desserts like these mini apple pies, the air fryer prevents your kitchen from overheating, making it perfect for summer baking, and it’s incredibly efficient for a small batch. Plus, the contained environment often leads to wonderfully crisp pastry – a hallmark of a truly great apple pie.

Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Air Fryer Apple Pies

Crafting these delectable homemade apple pies in the air fryer requires a handful of simple, readily available ingredients. The beauty of this recipe lies in its straightforward nature, proving that you don’t need exotic items to create something truly special. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need, with full measurements detailed in the complete recipe card below:

• Butter: Essential for sautéing the apples and adding rich flavor to the filling. You can use unsalted or salted, depending on your preference.
• Apples: The star of the show! While I personally love using Pink Lady apples for their balance of sweetness and tartness, any good baking apple will perform beautifully. Varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith (for a tarter pie), Fuji, or Gala are excellent choices. Choose firm apples that hold their shape well during cooking.
• Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, caramelized sweetness and moisture to the apple filling, complementing the apples’ natural flavors.
• Cinnamon: The quintessential spice for apple pie, providing warmth and aromatic depth. Don’t skip it!
• Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla enhances all the other flavors, adding a subtle complexity to the filling.
• Cornflour / Cornstarch: This is crucial for thickening the apple filling, ensuring it’s beautifully jammy and not watery. It creates that perfect consistency that holds the pie together.
• Frozen Shortcrust Pastry: For ultimate convenience, pre-made frozen shortcrust pastry is a lifesaver. Ensure it’s thawed before use. Alternatively, you can use pre-made pie crusts or, if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own from scratch.
• Egg: Lightly beaten, this creates an “egg wash” for brushing the pastry, giving it a beautiful golden sheen and helping the sugar adhere.
• White or Raw Sugar: A sprinkle of sugar on top of the pastry before baking adds a lovely crunch and sparkling finish.
• Spray Oil: A light coating of spray oil (like coconut oil or a neutral cooking oil spray) prevents the pastry from sticking to the ramekins and helps it crisp up evenly.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Crafting Your Perfect Air Fryer Apple Pies

Making these mini apple pies in your air fryer is surprisingly simple, broken down into a few easy steps. Follow along to create a dessert that tastes like it took hours, but only required minutes:

1. Prepare the Apple Filling:

Begin by melting a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, add your peeled and diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until the apples are well coated. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the saucepan with a lid, and allow the apples to cook down.

2. Thicken the Filling:

Continue stirring the apple mixture every few minutes. The goal is for the apples to soften considerably, reaching a point where they can be easily pierced with a knife, but still retain a bit of their shape. While the apples are cooking, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornflour (or cornstarch) with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small cup until smooth. Once the apples are softened, pour this cornflour slurry into the saucepan and stir continuously until the liquid thickens into a glossy, rich apple filling. This thickening agent is key to preventing a watery pie. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set the filling aside to cool slightly while you prepare the pastry.

3. Prepare the Pastry Bases:

On a lightly floured surface, unroll your thawed sheet of shortcrust pastry. Find a cup, jar, or round cookie cutter that is slightly wider than the opening of your ramekins. Use this to cut out two perfect circles from the pastry. These will form the bases and sides of your individual apple pies.

4. Line the Ramekins:

Lightly spray your two ramekins with cooking oil. Carefully press one pastry circle into each ramekin, gently working it with your fingers to mold the pastry around the bottom and up the sides. Ensure there are no large air pockets and the pastry fits snugly. Don’t worry if it’s not absolutely perfect; rustic charm is part of homemade pie!

5. Fill the Pies:

Evenly divide your cooled apple mixture between the two pastry-lined ramekins. Fill them generously, but leave a small border around the top edge to accommodate the crust.

6. Create the Lattice Top:

Using the remaining pastry scraps, cut them into long, thin strips. Arrange these strips in a beautiful lattice pattern over the top of each ramekin, weaving them over and under each other. Gently press the ends of the pastry strips onto the rims of the ramekin to seal them. In a small bowl, whisk one egg lightly to create an egg wash. Brush the lattice pastry generously with the egg wash, then sprinkle a little white or raw sugar over the top. This will give your pies a gorgeous golden color and a sweet, crunchy finish.

7. Air Fry to Perfection:

Carefully place the filled ramekins into your air fryer basket. Set your air fryer to 160°C / 320°F and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes to ensure even browning. The aroma filling your kitchen will be irresistible!

Top Tips & Frequently Asked Questions for Perfect Air Fryer Apple Pies

Making these individual apple pies is straightforward, but a few expert tips can elevate your baking experience and ensure perfect results every time. Here’s how to get the most out of this simple recipe:

• Mastering the Lattice Top:

  The lattice topping adds a classic touch, and you have options for making it. You can assemble the lattice directly over the filled ramekins, which works well. Alternatively, for a neater look, I often assemble the lattice on a cutting board first. I use the rim of an empty ramekin to cut the lattice into a perfect circle that fits my pie, then carefully transfer the entire piece over. If a lattice feels too intricate, you can always simplify by cutting out a plain circle of pastry for the top, or even create decorative shapes with small cookie cutters.

• Time-Saving Shortcuts:

  While the homemade apple filling is delightful, you can certainly opt for convenience. Using a good quality canned apple pie filling is a fantastic time-saver if you’re in a hurry. The cooking time will remain the same. For an even bigger shortcut, you can even use the same air fryer cooking method to bake store-bought frozen mini apple pies!

• Choosing Your Apples:

  Feel free to use your favorite baking apples. Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith (if you prefer a tarter pie) are all excellent choices. The key is to select apples that hold their shape well when cooked and offer a good balance of flavor and texture. A mix of sweet and tart apples can also create a more complex flavor profile.

• Ramekin Alternatives:

  Don’t have ramekins? No problem! You can use any oven-safe containers that fit comfortably in your air fryer basket. Silicone muffin cups, small ceramic mugs, or even heat-proof glass jars can work wonders. Just ensure they are suitable for high temperatures and will fit without overcrowding the air fryer.

• Preventing Over-Browning:

  Air fryers can sometimes brown items quickly. If your pastry is browning too fast before the filling is fully heated, you can loosely tent the tops of the ramekins with a small piece of aluminum foil for the last few minutes of cooking. This protects the crust while allowing the filling to cook through.

• Cooling & Serving:

  While irresistible straight out of the air fryer, allowing your mini apple pies to cool for 5-10 minutes is crucial. This allows the filling to set, preventing it from being too runny when you take your first bite. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce for an extra special touch.

• Storage & Reheating:

  If you happen to have any leftovers (which is unlikely!), store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. To reheat, pop them back into the air fryer at 150°C (300°F) for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through and the pastry is crisp again.

More Delicious Air Fryer & Apple Recipes to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with the convenience and deliciousness of baking in your air fryer, or if you simply adore apple-based treats, here are some other recipes you might enjoy from my collection:

• Air Fryer Apple Crisps
• Air Fryer Baked Apples
• Air Fryer Apple Turnovers
• Easy Apple Cake
• Apple Crumble Muffins
• Air Fryer Apple Cinnamon Rolls

I hope you thoroughly enjoy creating and devouring these incredibly simple yet utterly satisfying Air Fryer Apple Pies. They prove that you don’t need a lot of time or effort to make a truly special dessert. If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d absolutely love to hear how you enjoyed it! Please share your thoughts and a star rating below in the comments section. Your feedback helps others discover delicious recipes too!

To stay updated with even more mouth-watering recipes and clever cooking hacks, be sure to follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. Happy baking!

📋 RECIPE

Air Fryer Apple Pies

Yield:
2 servings

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

Whip up your own delightful mini apple pies in the air fryer in just 30 minutes! These easy individual desserts are baked in ramekins, perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings.

Rated: 4.4 out of 5 stars (from 12 reviews)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 2 Apples, peeled & diced (e.g., Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith)
• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 tablespoon Cornflour / Corn Starch (mixed with 2 tbsp cold water)
• 1 sheet Frozen Shortcrust Pastry, thawed (or use pie crusts)
• Spray Oil or extra butter, for greasing the ramekins
• 1 Egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)
• ½ teaspoon White or Raw Sugar (for topping)

Instructions

1. Prepare Apple Filling: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
2. Thicken Filling: Stir every few minutes until apples are softened (easily pierced with a knife). Mix 1 tablespoon cornflour with 2 tablespoons cold water in a cup, then pour into the saucepan and stir to combine. This will thicken the liquid. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Cut Pastry Bases: Use a cup or jar slightly wider than your ramekins to cut out 2 circles from the thawed pastry sheet.
4. Line Ramekins: Lightly spray ramekins with oil. Press one pastry circle into each ramekin, gently molding it around the bottom and sides with your fingers.
5. Fill Pies: Divide the cooled apple mixture evenly between the two pastry-lined ramekins.
6. Add Lattice Top: Cut remaining pastry into long strips and form a lattice crust on top of each ramekin. Gently press the ends of the pastry strips onto the rims of the ramekin to seal. Brush the lattice with the lightly beaten egg wash and sprinkle with white or raw sugar.
7. Air Fry: Place the ramekins into the air fryer basket. Bake at 160°C / 320°F for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Notes

• For a clean lattice, assemble it on a cutting board using an empty ramekin rim as a guide, then transfer. Alternatively, cut a simple pastry circle for the top.
• Speed up prep by using canned apple pie filling. Cooking time remains the same.
• Any good baking apple like Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith works well.
• No ramekins? Oven-safe silicone muffin cups, small mugs, or glass jars can be used, ensuring they fit in your air fryer.
• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving (Estimated):
Calories: 407
Total Fat: 21g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 124mg
Sodium: 136mg
Carbohydrates: 53g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 42g
Protein: 4g