13 Air Fryer Desserts So Quick You Will Have Dessert Before the Oven Even Heats Up
Your air fryer is not just for fries and chicken wings. It is secretly one of the best dessert tools in your kitchen. It heats up in minutes, it does not warm up the whole house, and it is perfect for small batches when you just want a little something sweet. From crispy churro bites to gooey lava cakes, these air fryer desserts are fast, fun and surprisingly easy. Tip: most air fryers run hot, so check a minute or two early. Ready to try something new tonight..
Churro Bites, the Best Air Fryer Desserts to Start With
If you only try one of these air fryer desserts, make it churro bites. Little pieces of choux style dough puff up and turn golden and crisp in about 10 minutes with only a light spray of oil, then get tossed in cinnamon sugar while hot. Dip them in warm chocolate or caramel and you have a fair treat at home. Kids love helping shake them in the sugar bag. Chocolate or caramel dip, which one are you?
You will need: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt, 1 cup flour, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon for coating, oil spray.
How to make it: 1. Boil water, butter, sugar and salt, then stir in flour until a ball forms. 2. Cool 5 minutes and beat in eggs and vanilla. 3. Pipe short pieces onto parchment in the basket and spray lightly. 4. Air fry at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes. 5. Toss in cinnamon sugar and serve with dip.
Molten Lava Cakes for Two
This is the dessert that will make you feel like a restaurant chef at home. Two little ramekins of rich chocolate batter go into the air fryer, and 8 minutes later you have cakes that are set outside and molten inside. Because the basket is small, it is perfect for date night or a solo treat. Watch closely, because one extra minute turns lava into regular cake. Would you top yours with ice cream or berries?
You will need: 1/4 cup butter, 2 oz dark chocolate, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp flour, pinch of salt, cocoa for dusting.
How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and chocolate together. 2. Whisk egg, yolk and sugar until pale. 3. Fold in the chocolate, flour and salt. 4. Pour into 2 greased, cocoa dusted ramekins. 5. Air fry at 370F for 8 to 9 minutes and turn out onto plates.
Berry Crumble Cups, Cozy Air Fryer Desserts
A full crumble can take an hour in the oven, but small crumble cups are done in the air fryer in about 15 minutes. Frozen berries work perfectly here, so you can make this any time of year. The oat topping gets extra crunchy thanks to the hot moving air. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoon of yogurt. It is one of those air fryer desserts you will make again and again.
You will need: 2 cups mixed berries, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp cold butter, pinch of cinnamon.
How to make it: 1. Toss berries with sugar and cornstarch and divide into 2 to 3 ramekins. 2. Rub oats, flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon into crumbs. 3. Scatter the crumbs on top. 4. Air fry at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes. 5. Rest 5 minutes and serve warm.
Biscuit Dough Donuts
This is a famous shortcut for a reason. Take a tube of refrigerated biscuit dough, poke a hole in each one, and air fry them into soft, fluffy donuts in about 5 minutes. Then dip them in glaze or toss them in cinnamon sugar. They are not exactly like bakery donuts, but they are warm, fresh and gone in seconds. Quick poll: A, vanilla glaze, B, chocolate glaze, C, cinnamon sugar, or D, sprinkles?
You will need: 1 can refrigerated biscuits, oil spray, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, or cinnamon sugar for coating.
How to make it: 1. Separate the biscuits and cut a small hole in each center. 2. Spray the basket and place donuts in one layer. 3. Air fry at 350F for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway. 4. Mix sugar, milk and vanilla into glaze. 5. Dip warm donuts and let them set.
Cinnamon Peaches, Simple Air Fryer Desserts
Peach halves brushed with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon turn soft and caramelized in the air fryer in about 10 minutes. Canned peach halves work in winter too, just pat them dry first. Serve them warm with vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt or a crumble of granola. It tastes like peach cobbler without any of the work. Healthy air fryer desserts do not get much simpler than this.
You will need: 4 ripe peaches halved and pitted, 2 tbsp melted butter, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ice cream or yogurt to serve.
How to make it: 1. Brush the cut sides with melted butter. 2. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 3. Place cut side up in the basket. 4. Air fry at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden. 5. Serve warm with ice cream or yogurt.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sometimes you do not want 36 cookies. You want three, warm, right now. The air fryer is perfect for that. Keep a log of cookie dough in the freezer, slice off a few pieces, and bake them on parchment in the basket. They come out crisp at the edges and soft in the middle in about 8 minutes. Be honest: do you eat the cookie dough before it gets baked?
You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 1 cup chocolate chips.
How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugars, then add egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, then chips. 3. Scoop small balls onto parchment in the basket, spaced apart. 4. Air fry at 320F for 7 to 9 minutes. 5. Cool 5 minutes before lifting.
Mini Cheesecakes
Cheesecake in an air fryer? Yes, and it works beautifully. Small cheesecakes in ramekins or silicone cups cook gently in about 12 minutes and do not need a water bath. A graham cracker crust pressed into the bottom keeps it classic. After chilling, top them with blueberries, cherry pie filling or a drizzle of caramel. They are perfect for portion control, if you only eat one.
You will need: 8 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp sour cream, 1/2 cup graham crumbs, 2 tbsp melted butter, berries for topping.
How to make it: 1. Mix crumbs and butter and press into 4 ramekins. 2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla and sour cream until smooth. 3. Pour over the crusts. 4. Air fry at 300F for 12 to 14 minutes until just set. 5. Chill at least 3 hours and add berries.
Cinnamon Roasted Pears, Healthy Air Fryer Desserts
Pears are at their best in fall, and roasting them brings out a soft, honey like sweetness. Cut them in half, scoop out the core, fill with a little butter, maple syrup and cinnamon, and let the air fryer do the rest. They are naturally sweet and full of fiber, so they make a lighter dessert on busy weeknights. Add chopped walnuts or a spoon of yogurt for crunch and creaminess.
You will need: 2 ripe pears, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp chopped walnuts, yogurt to serve.
How to make it: 1. Halve the pears and scoop out the cores. 2. Brush with melted butter. 3. Add maple syrup, cinnamon and walnuts to each center. 4. Air fry at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes until tender. 5. Serve warm with yogurt.
Crispy Apple Chips
Store bought apple chips can be pricey, but you can make them at home with just apples and cinnamon. Slice the apples very thin, ideally with a mandoline, and air fry them at a low temperature until they turn crisp. They make a great lunchbox snack or a crunchy topping for oatmeal. Which apple would you use: A, Honeycrisp, B, Granny Smith, C, Fuji, or D, Gala?
You will need: 2 crisp apples, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, optional 1 tsp sugar.
How to make it: 1. Slice apples about 1/8 inch thick and remove seeds. 2. Toss with cinnamon and sugar. 3. Lay in a single layer in the basket. 4. Air fry at 300F for 12 to 16 minutes, flipping every 4 minutes. 5. Cool completely; they crisp up as they cool.
Fudgy Brownies, Air Fryer Desserts for Chocolate Lovers
A small pan of brownies fits right into most air fryer baskets and bakes in about 15 minutes. The top gets that shiny, crackly crust everyone loves, and the middle stays fudgy. Use a 6 inch pan or a small oven safe dish. Cool them a little before cutting, if you can wait. Do you like corner pieces or middle pieces?
You will need: 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup flour, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
How to make it: 1. Melt butter and whisk in sugar. 2. Add egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt and chips. 4. Spread into a greased 6 inch pan. 5. Air fry at 320F for 14 to 17 minutes, then cool before cutting.
Air Fryer S’mores
No campfire? No problem. Air fryer s’mores give you a golden, toasted marshmallow in about 4 minutes, right from your kitchen counter. Put the marshmallow on half a graham cracker, toast it, then add chocolate and the top cracker while it is hot. Cut the marshmallows in half and press them down so they do not fly around in the fan. Perfect for a rainy night or a backyard movie night.
You will need: 4 graham crackers broken in half, 4 large marshmallows, 1 chocolate bar broken into squares.
How to make it: 1. Cut marshmallows in half and press the sticky side onto 4 cracker halves. 2. Place in the basket in one layer. 3. Air fry at 350F for 3 to 5 minutes until golden. 4. Top with chocolate. 5. Press on the other cracker half and eat warm.
Brown Sugar Pineapple
Caramelized pineapple tastes like a tropical vacation. Spears of fresh pineapple brushed with butter, brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon get sticky and golden in the air fryer in about 12 minutes. Serve them with coconut yogurt, vanilla ice cream or a squeeze of lime. They are also great next to grilled chicken or pork. Have you ever tried warm pineapple?
You will need: 1 fresh pineapple cut into spears, 2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, lime wedges.
How to make it: 1. Pat the pineapple dry. 2. Brush with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 3. Place in a single layer in the basket. 4. Air fry at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. 5. Serve warm with lime.
Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips
Turn plain flour tortillas into a sweet, crunchy snack in under 10 minutes. Brush them with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, cut into triangles and air fry until crisp. Serve with fruit salsa, chocolate dip or a quick cream cheese and honey dip. It is a fun party snack that costs almost nothing. Looking for savory ideas too? Try our air fryer recipes.
You will need: 4 flour tortillas, 2 tbsp melted butter, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, fruit salsa or chocolate dip to serve.
How to make it: 1. Brush tortillas with melted butter. 2. Sprinkle with mixed cinnamon sugar. 3. Cut each into 8 triangles. 4. Air fry at 350F for 4 to 6 minutes in batches, shaking once. 5. Cool and serve with dip.
