Air fryer desserts are a great way to eat your favorite sweet treats without feeling bad about it.
They’re also fast and simple, and they don’t require much oil which means lower calories.
You can make everything from crispy apple chips or churros to rich brownies and chocolate lava cakes in an air fryer – it doesn’t matter what you throw at this thing!
With its even cooking thanks to the rapid circulation of hot air around your food (which results in perfectly crunchy outsides and gooey insides), not only will you have less cleanup but more free time too!
That’s because if there’s one appliance out there capable of doing all three jobs well: fried foods maker, toaster oven substitute AND healthier dessert creator… this is definitely it!
1. Chocolate Lava Cakes
I can never eat just one! I think the golden touch is the first bite, when the liquid chocolate centre spills over the bite through the cakey outside.
The contrast of textures and the intensity of the chocolate flavor is what makes it a favorite for me to share (and enjoy!). It is the perfect sweet treat to make when having guests over or just for myself.
I love it so much!
Chocolate Lava Cakes
Ingredients
4 oz (about 113g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Melt mix: In a microwave-safe bowl, chop the chocolate and the unsalted butter into rough pieces and then microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Combine Dry
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and flour. -Fold: Fold in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth, then fold in the flour and sugar mixture until incorporated.
Add the Chocolate mixture.
Prepare Molds: Grease four small ramekins and divide the batter evenly among them. Air Fry: Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (190°C).
Add the ramekins to the air fryer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still soft. Remove, let it cool slightly, and serve warm.
2. Apple Chips
Apple chips are great because they’re crunchy and sweet. When I tasted my first one, I was hooked on their irresistible crunchiness.
I think they’re the perfect healthy snack, because they’re a crunchy chip with fruit in it. I like that they’re easy to eat on the go or as a little something sweet at home.
Apple Chips Recipe
Ingredients
2 apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
Slice Apples: Peel, core and cut the apples into thin slices with a mandoline or a sharp knife.
Season: Toss apple slices in a bowl with cinnamon and sugar (if using); you can also add a dash of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
Arrange in Air Fryer: Place in air fryer basket, single layer, not overlapping each other.
Air Fry: Set air fryer to 375°F (190°C) and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Adjust time for desired crispness.
Cool and Store Allow the apple chips to cool completely on the wire rack before eating or storing in an airtight container.
3. Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
I love that warm, cinnamon sugary goodness that covers a cinnamon sugar donut. To me, when I bite into it, I immediately get flashbacks to sitting in my favorite cafe in the fall.
I love that the dough is so soft and fluffy and how it perfectly contrasts the slight crunch of the cinnamon sugar coating.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
2 tbsp ground cinnamon (for coating)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Put flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, milk and egg into a bowl and mix into smooth dough.
Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut out rounds with donut hole (cute!) in the middle.
Dust the donuts with melted butter and place them in the air fryer basket.
– Cook 5-6 minutes, until golden brown. Mix together cinnamon and remaining ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl, then toss the warm donuts directly in this mixture.
4. Brownie Bites
Let’s be honest: there’s nothing I enjoy eating more than a piece of chocolate. Brownie bites do it for me!
Ingredients
1 cup choc chips
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 large eggs
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Melt chocolate and butter in Microwave (careful not to burn)
Then separately mix eggs, sugar and a little water in a bowl.
Stir in melted chocolate.
Add flour and cocoa powder to mixture.
Spoon the batter into silicone muffin cups, filling each about halfway.
Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated air fryer, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy your delicious air fryer Brownie Bites!
5. Cheesecake Bites
Oh my God, I am seriously in love with these.
I love the taste of each individual piece, an explosion of sweetness and sourness…
Delicious! The best ever!
Ingredients
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Instructions
Make Crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, and two table spoons of sugar. Press into bottom of silicone or parchment-lined muffin cups.
Make Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add eggs and continue beating
Assemble Bites: Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the crusts in the muffin cups.
Air Fry: Preheat air fryer for 10 minutes at 325°F (160°C). Place muffin cups in an air fryer basket and bake for 15-20 minutes, until set.
Cool and Serve: Let cool and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Add fruit as desired.
6. Churros
When it comes to snack food, sweet or savory – even the most devoted foodies will concede that not much beats a fried doughnut.
There’s something about the perfect restaurant or fair-ground treat: fried in hot oil, coated in flavored sugar, hot, crunchy, and totally moreish (best washed down with a tall glass of milk).
This is the healthier version without the deep fat fryer!
A popular breakfast item in the US and the UK, an equally popular treat anywhere it is sold. (Dip in chocolate sauce?)
Yes, please.) You just can’t resist it, there’s something oddly nostalgic, and deeply satisfying, about it.
Ingredients
1 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for coating)
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
– in a saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil, then add flour and mix until a dough is formed.
Take off the heat, allow to cool slightly, and beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth.
Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1cm star tip and pipe 4 inch strips of dough onto parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
Air fry for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Roll in the confectioner’s sugar while still warm and enjoy!
Enjoy your airy and crispy churros!
7. Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter cookies have a special place in my heart. I find them very comforting, because I like their intense nutty flavor and the texture – soft and chewy equals yum.
Just the scent of them baking makes me feel more comfortable at home, I think nothing can beat biting into one, evokes memories of simpler times – like baking them with family.
Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Mix peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl until well blended.
Scoop out dough tablespoon-sized and toss and roll into balls with your hands. Place on parchment paper, then flatten slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern.
Put a sheet of parchment paper in the base of your air fryer basket, ready to cut the cookies into shapes
if you want concentric waves of parmesan, you’ll need to add a little at a time so you can see where you’ve been and where you’re going.
Cook for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden.
Let cool before serving.
8. Banana Bread
I love the way this bread fills my kitchen with its sweet, comforting aroma .
The slightly sticky texture of the finished loaf is incredible. For me, it’s the best use for over-ripe bananas.
The deep flavor, laced with a warm spice and the right amount of sweetness, never fails to make me smile. I almost always slice it and make myself tea and take the time to really enjoy every bite.
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C).
Mash the bananas, then stir in the melted butter and the sugar.
Add the flour and baking soda to the mixture, stirring until just combined.
Pour the batter into a greased air fryer-safe baking dish.
Air fry for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.
9. Berry Hand Pies
I believe in the magic of petite desserts. Berry hand pies with their sweet-tart juicy berries cradled in a flaky, crispy crust is my ultimate destination in the petite pastry paradise.
The best way to enjoy hand pie heaven is when you take your first bite warmed from the oven.
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
1 cup mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
Instructions
Preheat & Prepare: Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Roll out pie crust on floured surface.
Cut & Fill: Slice the pie crusts into 4-5 in circles.
Combine the berries, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, then spoon some of the mix on to each of your circle.
Pinch: Fold the circles over to make a half-moon shape.
Pinch the edges with a fork to seal.
Bruh: Brush with egg wash top side of all hand pies before place in oven.
Air Fry: Put hand pies in the air fryer basket, spreading out in a single layer. Heat at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy your delicious berry hand pies!
10. S’mores
There is something magical about having a s’more around a campfire that brings people together. I love the way the marshmallows roast golden brown, melting the chocolate in between two graham crackers.
It’s the stringy, gooey goodness that reminds me of loved ones and getting to spend time with them while enjoying this treat. I think everyone needs to have this s’more at least one time.
If you don’t want to head to the campfire , this is a winner for the kids!
Ingredients
4 graham crackers, broken in half (8 squares)
4 large marshmallows
2 full-size chocolate bars, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for about 3 minutes.
Prepare Surfaces: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Arrange Bottoms: Put half the cracker squares in the air fryer basket, and cover each with a piece of chocolate and a marshmallow.
Cook : Air fry 3-5 minutes or until marshmallows are golden and chocolate is melted.
Done: Take out of the air fryer, top each with another graham cracker square, and gently press down to make the s’more. Serve right away and enjoy!
This recipe will make it quick and easy for you to enjoy S’mores by using your handy air fryer appliance.
11. Mini Pumpkin Pies
Baking is my favorite fall activity and nothing beats my mini pumpkin pies! They are the perfect way to make tiny pumpkin pies, and everyone who tries them loves them!
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 pre-made pie crust
1 egg
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Roll the pie dough out, and cut into circles with a cookie cutter, then fit into greased mini pie tins.
– In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice and egg until well combined.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the pie crusts, filling each about 3/4 full.
Bake in the preheated air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown crust and set filling. Cool before serving.
13. Coconut Macaroons
My favorite type of sweet is coconut macaroons. These mmm…
They are a little bit sweet and a little bit salty and everything is just perfect when it comes to the taste and mix of the coconut flavor and sugar together – such a great texture too!
Ingredients
2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Air Fry the Polenta: Cut your cut polenta into discs or strips. Spray the polenta thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the seasoned cut polenta in the air fryer basket in a single layer. I managed to fit about half the cut polenta in a single row.
I cooked it for 10 minutes and the polenta turned out crispy and golden-brown on the outside and piping hot on the inside!
Blend Together: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt until they reach stiff peaks, then fold into the coconut mixture.
Form the Macaroons: Scoop out the coconut mixture with a small ice-cream scoop or a dessert spoon, and shape into small ovoid mounds.
Arrange onto a parchment-lined air fryer basket or tray.
Air Fry: Bake the macaroons in the preheated air fryer at 325°F (165°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and set.
Cool and Serve: Let the macaroons cool a little bit before serving. Enjoy your air-fried Coconut Macaroons.
I hope you find this recipe helpful!
14. Blueberry Muffins
I like the muffins with blueberries in because of the sharp sweet taste of the blueberries in the muffin.
I love the way the batter is soft and moist against the small juicy pieces of blueberry. It’s so comforting and familiar!
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 330°F (165°C) and lightly grease or line muffin cups.
Put the flour and sugar in a bowl and add the egg and milk, stirring until just mixed together.
Gently fold in the fresh blueberries.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
Air fry for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Enjoy your delicious air fryer blueberry muffins!