20 Effortless Desserts You Can Whip Up In The Air Fryer
Air fryers may be famous for fries and wings, but they’ve got a sweet side too. With minimal effort and big flavor, this handy appliance can whip up everything from gooey cookies to fruit-filled treats in no time.
If you’re craving dessert without the fuss, it might just become your new favorite way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
1. Two-Ingredient Nutella Pockets
Puff pastry and Nutella create magic in your air fryer. Cut pastry into squares, add a dollop of Nutella in the center, fold into triangles, and seal the edges with a fork.
Cook at 350°F for 7 minutes until golden and flaky. The contrast between crisp exterior and molten chocolate interior makes these irresistible for impromptu dessert emergencies or midnight snacking sessions.
2. Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bites
Refrigerated biscuit dough transforms into delightful donut holes with zero deep frying. Cut each biscuit into quarters, roll into balls, and air fry at 360°F for 5 minutes.
While still warm, toss in cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated. The outside gets perfectly crisp while the inside stays soft and fluffy.
Your family will think you spent hours making these addictive little morsels.
3. Chocolate Lava Cake Cups
Individual molten chocolate cakes in just 7 minutes? Absolutely. Mix boxed cake mix with fewer liquids than called for to create a thick batter. Fill oven-safe ramekins halfway, then push a chocolate square into each center.
Air fry at 320°F until the edges are set but the center remains gooey. The magic happens when your spoon breaks through the cake exterior, releasing a river of melted chocolate that will make everyone at your table swoon.
4. Banana Bread Muffins
Overripe bananas find their purpose in these speedy muffins. Mix mashed bananas with your favorite banana bread recipe, then divide into silicone muffin cups. The air fryer cooks them in half the oven time.
Set to 310°F for 12 minutes, checking halfway. I always add chocolate chips to mine because the way they melt in the air fryer creates pockets of gooey goodness.
The tops get beautifully caramelized while the insides stay moist.
5. Churro Sticks
Store-bought puff pastry transforms into bakery-worthy churros with minimal effort. Cut pastry into strips, brush with melted butter, and air fry at 380°F for 5-6 minutes until golden and puffy.
Immediately roll in cinnamon sugar while still hot. The exterior develops that distinctive churro crunch while maintaining a tender, layered interior.
Serve with chocolate dipping sauce for an authentic Spanish street food experience without leaving your kitchen.
6. Peach Hand Pies
Fresh or canned peaches make these individual pies absolutely scrumptious. Place peach filling on half of a small pie crust round, fold over, crimp edges with a fork, and brush with egg wash.
Air fry at 350°F for 10 minutes until golden. Last summer, during peach season, I made these three times in one week. My neighbor even traded her famous brownies for a batch.
The crust gets wonderfully flaky while the fruit filling becomes jammy and intensely flavored.
7. S’mores Cookies
Campfire flavors without the smoke in your hair. Press refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough into small discs. Top each with mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces.
Air fry at 320°F for 6 minutes until cookies are set and marshmallows turn golden brown. The marshmallows get that perfect toasty flavor while the chocolate melts just enough.
Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers immediately after cooking for the complete s’mores experience.
8. Baked Stuffed Apples
Core apples and fill with a mixture of oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. The air fryer cooks these in half the time of a conventional oven, creating tender fruit with a caramelized topping.
Cook at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, depending on apple size. The skin holds everything together while the flesh becomes soft and infused with spices.
A drizzle of caramel sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes these irresistible on chilly evenings.
9. Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
Press peanut butter cookie dough into silicone muffin cups, creating an indentation in the center. The air fryer gives these treats crisp edges while maintaining chewy centers.
Cook at 325°F for 6-7 minutes, then immediately press chocolate candies into the centers while still hot. The warm cookies slightly melt the chocolate, creating that perfect peanut butter-chocolate marriage.
These bite-sized delights disappear faster than you can make them.
10. Crispy Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Cut flour tortillas into triangles, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Arrange in a single layer in your air fryer basket without overcrowding.
Cook at 370°F for just 4 minutes until crisp and golden. The simplicity of this dessert saved me when unexpected guests arrived last month.
Serve with fruit salsa, caramel dip, or chocolate sauce for a dessert that feels fancy but takes minutes to prepare.
11. Blueberry Turnovers
Store-bought puff pastry sheets make these fruit-filled pockets a breeze. Cut pastry into squares, add blueberry filling to one side, fold diagonally, and seal edges with a fork press.
Air fry at 350°F for 8 minutes until puffed and golden. The high heat creates perfectly flaky layers while the fruit filling bubbles and intensifies in flavor.
A simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk drizzled over the warm turnovers adds a professional bakery finish.
12. Caramelized Bananas
Slice ripe bananas, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with brown sugar. These simple ingredients transform into a decadent dessert in the air fryer.
Cook at 400°F for just 5 minutes until caramelized and golden. The intense heat quickly creates a beautiful caramelized exterior while warming the fruit to the perfect temperature.
Serve over ice cream, pancakes, or enjoy them straight from the basket as a healthier dessert option.
13. Grilled Pound Cake & Fruit
Store-bought pound cake slices get a gourmet upgrade in the air fryer. Brush slices lightly with butter and air fry at 370°F for just 3 minutes until golden and slightly crisp on the edges.
The contrast between the toasty exterior and soft interior is divine. I discovered this by accident when trying to revive slightly stale pound cake.
Top with macerated berries and whipped cream for a dessert that looks and tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant.
14. Crunchy Baked Apples
Thinly slice apples, toss with cinnamon sugar, and arrange in a single layer. Unlike traditional baked apples, these develop a chip-like crunch that’s utterly addictive.
Cook at 380°F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. The natural sugars in the fruit caramelize beautifully while the edges crisp up. Keep a close eye during the last minute as they can go from perfect to burnt quickly.
These make a fantastic topping for ice cream or yogurt.
15. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cups
Place pineapple rings with brown sugar and butter in the bottom of small ramekins. Pour cake batter on top for individual upside-down cakes that cook in half the time.
Air fry at 320°F for 10 minutes until the cake is set. The butter and sugar create a gorgeous caramel sauce that coats the fruit. This retro dessert became my go-to after receiving rave reviews at a family gathering last summer.
16. Cannoli Shells
Wrap circles of pie crust around metal cannoli forms or aluminum foil tubes. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar before air frying at 360°F for 6 minutes until golden and crisp.
Carefully remove the shells from the forms while still warm. The air fryer creates perfectly crisp shells without deep frying.
Fill with traditional ricotta cream or chocolate mousse for an impressive dessert that looks like it came from an Italian bakery.
17. Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish
Unfold puff pastry, cut into squares, and add a dollop of sweetened cream cheese and raspberry preserves to the center of each. Fold corners toward the center, leaving the filling visible.
Air fry at 350°F for 7-8 minutes until puffed and golden. The pastry layers separate beautifully in the circulating hot air. These elegant pastries look like they took hours but come together in minutes.
A drizzle of simple icing adds the perfect finishing touch.
18. Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Tear day-old croissants into pieces and toss with chocolate chips. Soak in a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, and sugar, then transfer to a small baking dish that fits your air fryer.
Cook at 320°F for 15 minutes until set but still moist. The already buttery croissants create the richest bread pudding you’ll ever taste. I started making this when looking for ways to use leftover pastries.
Now my family deliberately leaves croissants out to get stale.
19. Shortbread Cookie Bites
Roll store-bought or homemade shortbread dough into small balls. Place them in the air fryer basket with space between each for proper air circulation.
Cook at 325°F for 5-6 minutes until just set but not browned. The gentle heat creates perfectly tender cookies with that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate and add sprinkles for a festive touch that makes them disappear twice as fast.
20. Cinnamon Roll Bites
Cut refrigerated cinnamon roll dough into quarters and roll into balls. The smaller size creates perfect two-bite desserts that cook quickly and evenly.
Air fry at 330°F for 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through. These little gems puff up beautifully in the air fryer. My weekend brunch guests always think I made them from scratch.
Drizzle with the included icing while still warm for that classic cinnamon roll experience in miniature form.