Air Fryer Apple Cobbler Bites
Thick apple rings topped with a buttery brown sugar oat crumble and air fried until the topping turns crisp and caramelised. A warm, cobbler-style dessert in under 20 minutes, best eaten right away.
Air Fryer Apple Cobbler Bites
Ingredients
Apples
- 2 large Granny Smith apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crumble
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
To serve
- ¼ cup warm caramel sauce
- vanilla ice cream, optional
Instructions
- Cut the apples.
Peel the apples if you like, then cut them across into rings about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the core from each ring with a small round cutter or the tip of a knife. Toss the rings with the lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Dry them well.
Lay the rings on a paper towel and pat both sides dry. The topping will not stick to wet apple.
- Make the crumble.
Stir the oats, brown sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt together with a fork until the mixture clumps when you squeeze it.
- Top the first side.
Line the air fryer basket with a perforated parchment liner, or brush it lightly with oil. Set the rings in a single layer, working in batches. Press about 1 tablespoon of crumble firmly onto the top of each ring.
- Air fry.
Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes, until the apples start to soften and the crumble sets. Press another spoonful of crumble onto each ring and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the topping is deep golden and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Cool and serve.
Lift the bites onto a plate with a thin spatula and let them cool for 2 minutes. Drizzle with warm caramel and serve right away, with ice cream if you like.
Notes
Pat the apples dry: Even a thin film of juice stops the crumble sticking and steams the topping soft. This is the step that decides whether the topping stays on.
Press the crumble on firmly: Use the back of the spoon and press hard. A loose topping falls through the basket.
Why 375°F: At 400°F the sugar browns before the apple has softened. A slightly lower temperature cooks both through at the same pace.
Parchment liner: The sugary topping welds itself to a bare basket. A perforated liner or a light coat of oil lets the bites lift out whole.
Eat them warm: The apples release juice as they cool and the topping turns soft within about 15 minutes. If you need to hold them, keep them on a rack, not a plate.
Other apples: Granny Smith holds its shape and balances the sugar. Honeycrisp and Braeburn work too, but cut them a little thicker.
No instant oats: Use rolled oats pulsed two or three times in a food processor, or chopped finely with a knife.
Leftover crumble: Freeze it in a bag for up to 3 months and sprinkle it over yoghurt or baked fruit.
