Air Fryer Recipe
Apple Crumble Bites
Apple crumble bites are a lovely little twist on classic apple crumble, giving you all that cosy flavour in neat, easy-to-serve portions.
Ingredients
- 2 large apples (Bramley or Granny Smith)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- A pinch of salt
Method
- Peel, core and chop the apples into small bite-sized pieces. Toss them with the sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats and a pinch of salt. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (355°F). Shape the apple mixture into rounds, then coat each one with the crumble topping.
- Place the bites in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove the bites, leave them to cool slightly, then serve warm with ice cream or custard.
Why this works in an air fryer
Small apple pieces soften quickly as the air fryer’s fast convection drives off surface moisture, while the butter in the crumble melts into the flour and oats, then browns on exposed edges. Keeping the pieces separate matters: trapped steam makes the topping pasty instead of crisp.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–6 litre basket holding the bites in one loose layer; use a perforated liner or silicone muffin cups if your basket has wide gaps. In a single-drawer model, rotate or shuffle at 6 minutes; in a dual-zone air fryer, use the smaller load per drawer and check 1–2 minutes earlier, as reduced crowding browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Bites collapsing when moved? The apple pieces are too large or too wet; chop them smaller and pat off excess juice before coating so the crumble can cling.
- Crumble looks floury and pale at 10 minutes? The butter was not rubbed in evenly; pinch any dry patches with a little softened butter and air fry for another 2–3 minutes.
- Topping browns before the apple softens? The rounds are too thick or the apple is very firm; lower to 170°C and cook 3–4 minutes longer to give the centre time to steam through.
- Wet, porridge-like base? The basket is overcrowded or lined with solid baking paper; leave gaps between bites and use perforated parchment so moisture can escape.
Variations & substitutions
- Use eating apples such as Cox or Braeburn for a sweeter, firmer bite; they release less water than Bramley, so check for tenderness a minute earlier.
- Swap half the oats for chopped pecans or walnuts; the nuts brown quickly, so start checking from 8 minutes.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the apple mixture; it does not change timing, but sharpens the flavour and balances the butter-rich crumble.
- Use dairy-free block butter instead of unsalted butter; it can melt faster, so chill the crumble mixture for 10 minutes before coating to help it stay crumbly.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers chilled in an airtight container for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 3–5 minutes until the topping crisps again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
