Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Apple Pie Spring Rolls
A unique twist on a classic dessert, these apple pie spring rolls offer a crispy, sweet treat perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium-sized tart apples (Granny Smith or Pink Lady)
- sugar (granulated or brown)
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- lemon juice
- spring roll wrappers
- butter
- cornstarch
- optional: caramel sauce or vanilla sauce
Method
- Peel, core, and dice the apples into small, even pieces.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Add apples, sugar, and spices to the pan and cook until apples are slightly softened.
- Stir in lemon juice and cornstarch, cooking until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare spring roll wrappers, a bowl of water or egg wash, and the cooled filling.
- Place a wrapper on the work surface in a diamond shape.
- Add a spoonful of the cooled apple mixture to the center of the wrapper.
- Fold the corner nearest to you over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll towards the remaining corner. Seal edges with water or egg wash.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Place rolls in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch.
- Lightly spray rolls with cooking oil spray.
- Air fry at 180°C for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pre-cooking drives off apple moisture and activates the cornflour thickener, so the filling stays jammy rather than steaming the wrapper from inside. A light oil film helps the air fryer’s fast convection brown the starch-rich spring roll pastry evenly, while spacing prevents trapped steam softening the seams.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 6–8 rolls in one layer; smaller baskets need batches. In a single-drawer fryer, place rolls seam-side down with gaps around each one. In dual-zone models, split evenly between drawers and check 1–2 minutes early, as smaller loads often brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Wrappers blister but stay pale after 10 minutes: there is too little oil on the surface; mist again lightly and cook 2–3 minutes more, rather than raising the heat and risking burnt edges.
- Filling leaks from the ends: the apple mixture was too wet or warm, or the roll was overfilled; cool until thick and spoonable, use less filling, and keep the first fold tight before sealing.
- Rolls are crisp at the tips but soft along the sides: they are touching or the basket is overloaded; separate them by at least 1 cm and cook in batches so hot air reaches the side seams.
- Dark spots appear before the centre is crisp: sugar or sauce on the outside is scorching; wipe sticky smears from the wrapper, reduce to 170°C, and extend cooking by 2–4 minutes.
Variations & substitutions
- Use pears instead of apples, but cook the filling a little longer because ripe pears release more juice and need extra thickening before wrapping.
- Swap brown sugar for dark muscovado for a deeper toffee flavour; it browns faster, so start checking the rolls from minute 8.
- Add chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the cooled filling for crunch; keep pieces small so they do not puncture the wrappers.
- Use filo pastry if spring roll wrappers are unavailable, layering two buttered sheets per roll; filo browns quicker and may need 1–2 minutes less.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled rolls in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 4–6 minutes until the wrapper re-crisps and the filling is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
