3-Ingredient Air Fryer Apple Fritters with Brown Butter Glaze

The Easiest Apple Fritters You’ll Ever Make

Looking for a quick and easy dessert for a party, your kids, or even yourself? These 3 ingredient apple fritters in the air fryer are ready in 20 minutes flat — and you only need Pillsbury french bread dough, apple pie filling, and cinnamon to pull them off. One of my super awesome viewers from my air fryer YouTube channel perfected this recipe and shared it with me. He gave me permission to share it with you — thanks, John!

“I’ll be honest — when John first sent me this recipe, I was skeptical. Three ingredients for fritters is my vibe! I tried it, and my jaw dropped. I love that I can have these on the table in 20 minutes.” — Cathy Yoder, The REAL Air Fryer Queen at Empowered Cooks

If you love air fryer donuts, these fritters are going to become your new obsession. Same crispy-outside, tender-inside magic — but with warm cinnamon apple filling in every bite.

Can You Make Apple Fritters in the Air Fryer?

Yes — and they turn out amazing. The air fryer circulates hot air around the fritters, creating a golden, crispy exterior without deep frying. Traditional apple fritters can feel like a big production. This 3 ingredient air fryer version skips all that and delivers incredible results in under 20 minutes.

Why You’ll Love These 3 Ingredient Apple Fritters

• Only 3 ingredients — no measuring flour, no mixing batter from scratch
• Ready in 20 minutes — from cutting board to cooling rack, start to finish
• No deep frying needed — the air fryer handles everything with way less oil
• Perfect for any occasion — fall treat, holiday dessert, after-school snack, or breakfast
• Kid-approved and crowd-pleasing — warm cinnamon apple flavor everyone loves

Ingredients for Air Fryer Apple Fritters

These 3 ingredient apple fritters keep things beautifully simple. Here’s what you need:

• 1 package Pillsbury French Bread Dough — This is the shortcut that makes everything work. The slightly chewy, flaky dough creates the perfect fritter texture without any batter-making.
• ½ can apple pie filling (about ⅔ cup) — Pre-seasoned and perfectly sweet. The canned filling makes this truly a 3-ingredient recipe you can pull off on a whim.
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon — Adds that warm, classic fritter flavor.

You’ll also need an air fryer-safe oil, such as avocado oil in a Misto sprayer (check out why you need this air fryer accessory), parchment paper, and a little flour to keep the dough from sticking.

Supplies & Equipment

• Air fryer — Any basket-style air fryer works great for this recipe
• Bench scraper — Makes cutting and mixing the dough effortless
• Parchment paper — Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy
• Misto oil sprayer — For a light, even coat of avocado oil
• Rachel Ray bakeware dish — Optional, but John (the recipe creator!) swears by it
• Cooling rack — Essential for letting the glaze drip down perfectly

How to Make 3 Ingredient Air Fryer Apple Fritters

You can have this recipe prepped and ready for the air fryer in just 5 minutes. Here’s how:

Step 1. Prepare the Dough

Unpackage the Pillsbury French Bread dough and place it on a cutting board. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into bite-size pieces. Don’t stress about making them uniform — they can be as large or as small as you like.

Add the apple pie filling and cinnamon directly to the dough on the cutting board. Mix it all together with the bench scraper until combined. If the dough feels super wet or sticky, dust it with a little flour.

Step 2. Form and Portion the Dough

Sprinkle flour generously on your surface, then use your hands to press and push the mixture into a rough log shape — it doesn’t need to be perfect or tight. The shaggy, sticky texture is totally normal. The pieces compress together naturally as you work, and they’ll set up fully once they hit the hot air fryer. Once you have a rough log, cut it into 8 portions.

Step 3. Air Fry the Fritters

Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and spray it with avocado oil. Place the fritters in the basket — don’t overcrowd them. Spray the tops with avocado oil.

Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 12 minutes. At the 9-minute mark, flip the fritters to brown the bottoms. They should come out golden and gorgeous!

How to Make the Brown Butter Glaze

The fritters are great on their own, but this brown butter glaze from Wine a Little, Cook a Lot takes them completely over the top. Simple ingredients, unforgettable flavor:

• ¼ cup butter (½ stick)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cream or milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Place butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Melt, stirring occasionally, until it starts to foam and turns golden brown — you’ll smell a warm, nutty aroma and see brown specks form. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

Add powdered sugar to a small bowl. Pour in the browned butter, milk, and vanilla, then whisk until smooth. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Too thick? Add a small splash of hot water.

When the fritters come out of the air fryer, carefully dip the tops in the glaze and set them on a cooling rack to let it drip down. Once cooled, enjoy!

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Apple Fritters

• Don’t skip preheating. A hot air fryer gives the fritters a better initial sear and more even cooking throughout.
• Use parchment paper. The apple pie filling is sticky — parchment makes cleanup almost effortless.
• Don’t overcrowd the basket. Give each fritter room so the hot air can circulate and crisp up the outside.
• Flour is your friend. If the dough feels too wet or sticky, add flour a little at a time until it’s manageable.
• Flip at the 9-minute mark. This is the key step for getting both sides golden — don’t skip it!
• Cool briefly before glazing. Let the fritters rest a minute or two so the glaze sets up beautifully instead of sliding right off.

Variations & Substitutions

• No apple pie filling? Dice one small apple and toss it with 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon as a quick substitute.
• Skip the glaze. Dust with powdered sugar instead for a simpler finish that’s still delicious.
• Add more spice. A pinch of nutmeg or a dash of pumpkin pie spice mixed into the dough adds a cozy fall twist.
• Try a different dough. Crescent roll dough or biscuit dough can work in a pinch, though the texture will vary slightly.
• Make them bite-sized. Cut the log into 12–16 smaller pieces for a party platter or after-school snack.

Storage & Reheating

Room temperature: Store cooled fritters loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Refrigerator: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Freeze fritters (without glaze) in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

To reheat: Pop them back in the air fryer at 325°F for 3–4 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. Add fresh glaze after reheating for best results.

Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryer Apple Fritters

How do you get the dough and filling to form a log? How does it stay together?

This is the trickiest part — and the most common question I get! After you mix the cut dough pieces with the apple filling and cinnamon, the dough will be sticky and a bit shaggy. That’s completely normal. Flour your surface generously, then use your hands to press and push the mixture into a rough log shape — it doesn’t need to be tight or perfect. The pieces compress together naturally, and they’ll set up fully once they hit the hot air fryer. Watch the video if you want to see exactly how it looks!

Can I use homemade dough instead of Pillsbury French Bread dough?

Yes, but the convenience of refrigerated dough is what makes this a true 3-ingredient recipe. Homemade dough works — just make sure it’s a soft, enriched dough similar to French bread or pizza dough for the best texture.

Can I make these without the glaze?

Absolutely! They’re delicious on their own with just a dusting of powdered sugar. The glaze adds a wow factor but isn’t required.

Are air fryer apple fritters healthier than fried fritters?

They use significantly less oil than traditional deep-fried fritters, making them a lighter option. The FDA notes that reducing added fat meaningfully lowers calorie density — and that’s exactly what air frying accomplishes here.

Can I make these ahead of time?

They’re best fresh, but you can prep and portion the dough log up to a few hours ahead, then air fry when ready. Leftover fritters reheat beautifully in the air fryer at 325°F for 3–4 minutes.

What’s the best apple pie filling to use?

Any brand works! Use about ⅔ cup (half a standard can). If your filling has large apple chunks, chop them up a bit before mixing into the dough so they distribute more evenly.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a comment and a star rating below — your reviews help other readers find recipes worth making, and they mean the world to a small business like ours. ❤️

Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Apple Fritters Recipe

These 3-ingredient air fryer apple fritters are ready in 20 minutes using Pillsbury dough, apple pie filling, and cinnamon — the easiest homemade fritters you'll ever make!

4.71 / 5 ( 24 Reviews )

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Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

For the fritters:

• 1 package of Pilsbury french bread dough
• ½ can of apple pie filling about ⅔ cup
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
• Avocado oil spray

For the glaze: (recipe from Wine a Little, Cook a Lot)

• ¼ cup butter or ½ a stick
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cream or milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

For the apple fritters:

• Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes
• On a cutting board, cut up the Pillsbury dough into bite size pieces using a bench scraper (the pieces can be larger or smaller)
• Keep the dough on the cutting board and add the cinnamon and about ⅔ cup of apple pie filling to the dough
• Using a bench scraper, mix the dough, filling, and cinnamon together
• Form the mixture into a log. You may need to use flour to prevent the dough mixture sticking to the counter.
• Cut the log into 8 pieces
• Place a piece of parchment paper inside the air fryer basket and spray the paper with oil
• Place the fritters inside the basket.
• Spray the fritters with avocado oil
• Cook at 350°F for 12 minutes
• At the 9 minute mark, turn the fritters over to brown the bottoms
• When the fritters are finished, dip the top in the glaze and let it drip down

For the glaze

• Place butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continuing melting the butter until it starts to foam and turn brown. Once browned, remove from heat to cool slightly. You should smell a nutty aroma and see brown specks in the butter.
• Add powdered sugar to a small bowl. Add browned butter, milk and vanilla whisking until smooth. (If the mixture is too thin for your liking, simply add more powdered sugar.) Set aside.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g

Made this? Drop a ⭐ rating below — it helps more than you know!

Watch Cathy Make These Air Fryer Apple Fritters

See exactly how these 3 ingredient apple fritters come together from start to finish:

More Easy Air Fryer Dessert Recipes

• Air Fryer Pancake Donuts Recipe
• Easiest Air Fryer Fried Oreos
• Quick and Easy Air Fryer Cake Donuts
• Air Fryer Donuts + Donut Holes with a Sweet Glaze

Final Thoughts

Every time I make these 3 ingredient apple fritters in the air fryer, I’m genuinely impressed by how something this simple can taste this good. Warm cinnamon apple filling, crispy golden outside, drizzled with that nutty brown butter glaze — it’s the kind of recipe you make once and immediately text to a friend.

They’re perfect for fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas morning, or honestly any Tuesday when you want something special without the effort. I hope you love them as much as we do!

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