Apple Pie in the Air Fryer
A full-size apple pie will not fit an air fryer basket, but a 15 cm pie bakes beautifully in one. In about 30 minutes you get a golden shortcrust lid and soft, cinnamon-scented apples, without heating a whole oven. This recipe covers the right tin, the temperature, and the foil trick that stops the lid browning before the filling is ready.
- Temperature
- 170°C
- Total time
- 1:10hr
- Prep
- 25min
- Servings
- 4
- Per serving
- 570kcal
Why the air fryer works for apple pie
Apple pie in air fryer baskets is a good fit for a small household. The compact chamber heats in a minute or two, the circulating air browns pastry quickly and evenly, and there is no need to run a full-size oven for a pie that serves four. The same fan is also the main risk, because the lid can colour long before the apples in the middle have softened. Baking at 170 °C and adding foil for the second half deals with that.
Size is the honest limit. A standard 20–23 cm pie dish will not fit a 4–6 litre basket, so use a 15 cm tin or a foil pie dish instead. Bramley apples cook down to a soft, tart filling in this time, while eating apples keep more of their shape and need about 5 extra minutes.
How to make apple pie in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare the filling Slice the apples about 5 mm thick and toss them with the caster sugar, cinnamon, flour and lemon juice. The flour thickens the juices so the base does not turn soggy.
- Line the tin Grease a 15 cm deep pie tin or loose-bottomed cake tin. Roll two thirds of the pastry to 3 mm thick on a floured surface, press it into the tin and prick the base with a fork. Pile in the apples and dot with the butter.
- Add the lid Roll out the remaining pastry, brush the rim with beaten egg, lay the lid on top and press the edges together. Trim, crimp with a fork and cut three small slits for steam. Brush with egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
- Bake Preheat the air fryer to 170 °C for . Lower the tin into the basket using a folded strip of foil as a sling. Cook for , then cover the pie loosely with foil, tucking the edges under the tin so the fan cannot lift it, and cook for another until the pastry is deep golden and the filling bubbles through the slits.
- Rest and serve Leave the pie in the tin for so the juices thicken and the pastry firms up, then lift it out with the foil sling and cut into four slices.
Cooking times and temperatures
| Apple Pie | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Apple pie, 15 cm tinFoil on top after 15 min | 170 °C | 28–32 min |
| Mini apple pies (muffin size) | 180 °C | 12–15 min |
| Puff pastry apple turnovers | 180 °C | 15–18 min |
| Frozen apple pieCover with foil if browning | 160 °C | 20–25 min |
| Reheating a slice | 160 °C | 4–5 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size of the food and the power of your air fryer. See also cooking times and temperatures for all dishes.
You may also like: How to convert oven recipes to the air fryer
Tips
- Choose a metal tin. Metal conducts heat quickly, so the base cooks through. Glass and ceramic are slower and tend to leave the bottom pale.
- Keep the pastry cold. Chill the lined tin for 10 minutes before filling it. Cold pastry holds its shape and bakes up flakier.
- Use a foil sling. Fold a long strip of foil under the tin before lowering it into the basket, then lift it out by the ends. Hot tins in a basket are awkward to grip.
Serving
Serve the pie warm with custard, double cream or vanilla ice cream. It sits happily next to other desserts on a Sunday table, and a plate of scones makes a good partner for afternoon tea. When you want a quick apple pie in air fryer form for one, bake the mini version instead.
Storing and reheating
Leftover pie keeps for up to 3 days, covered, in the fridge. To reheat a slice, put it in the air fryer at 160 °C for 4–5 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the filling is steaming hot all the way through. A whole cold pie needs 10–12 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
Variations
- Puff pastry turnovers: Cut ready-rolled puff pastry into squares, add a spoonful of cooked apple, fold into triangles, seal, egg wash and cook at 180 °C for 15–18 minutes.
- Mini pies: Press rounds of pastry into a silicone muffin tray, fill with the apple mixture, add a small lid and bake at 180 °C for 12–15 minutes.
- Crumble top: Leave off the pastry lid and rub 40 g butter into 60 g plain flour and 30 g sugar. Scatter over the apples and cook for 20 minutes at 170 °C.
Troubleshooting
- The top is dark but the apples are still firm
- The fan browns the lid fast. Cover the pie with foil after 15 minutes and keep the temperature at 170 °C, or slice the apples thinner.
- The base is pale and soggy
- Use a metal tin, not a glass or ceramic dish, which heats more slowly. Toss the apples in flour, prick the base and do not skip the 15-minute rest.
- The filling bubbles over
- Leave 1 cm between the apples and the rim, press the edges firmly together and do not overfill. A foil sling makes it easy to lift out a messy tin.
Frequently asked questions
How long does apple pie take in an air fryer?
A 15 cm homemade pie takes 27–30 minutes at 170 °C, with foil over the top for the second half. Small mini pies need only 12–15 minutes.
How long to cook shortcrust pastry in an air fryer?
Pastry on its own takes about 12–15 minutes at 170 °C for a blind-baked case, and 25–30 minutes when it is filled and covered with a lid.
How do I cook a frozen apple pie in an air fryer?
Take it out of any cardboard or plastic packaging, put it on baking paper or in its foil tin and cook at 160 °C for 20–25 minutes. Cover with foil if the top darkens and make sure the middle is steaming hot.
How long does it take to reheat apple pie in an air fryer?
A slice needs 4–5 minutes at 160 °C. Cold pie from the fridge is ready when the pastry is crisp again and the filling is steaming hot all the way through.
Will a normal pie dish fit in an air fryer?
A standard 20–23 cm pie dish is too wide for most 4–6 litre baskets. A 15 cm tin or foil pie dish fits, and so do muffin-tin-sized mini pies.
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