Preparing your dessert list or trying to organize your baking schedule for Thanksgiving Day? These are 50 of the best Thanksgiving air fryer desserts you’ll want to make this year, from pies to cobblers to cookies and layer cakes. Each dessert has been crafted to perfection, offering a convenient, time-saving, and mouthwatering experience.
Thanksgiving Day is approaching, and you have many dishes to prepare. You’re juggling turkey, stuffing, sides, and more. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the kitchen for hours, right? That’s where your trusty air fryer comes to the rescue.
Air fryers are not just for savory dishes. Today, we spotlight the importance of the unsung hero that is your air fryer as another essential kitchen appliance that makes your cooking workflow run smoothly. You’ll also have dessert in less time and free oven space for the main course.
Our collection of 50 air fryer desserts is here to make your Thanksgiving prep a breeze. These recipes are designed to shine in your air fryer, giving you that perfect blend of convenience, flavor, and time-saving magic. Say goodbye to oven-related stress and hello to more dessert and relaxation this Thanksgiving! While your turkey is roasting away in the oven, your air fryer can take care of your precious holiday desserts simultaneously. Plus, with desserts cooked in the air fryer, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company of your loved ones.
Tips & Tricks For Using An Air Fryer To Make Desserts
- Preheating Your Air Fryer: Just like with an oven, it’s good practice to preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before adding your dessert. This ensures that it starts cooking immediately and promotes even cooking.
- Using the Right Accessories: Air fryers often have accessories like racks, trays, and baking pans. Select the appropriate accessory for your dessert recipe, and consider using parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Overcrowding the Basket: Overcrowding can hinder proper air circulation and result in uneven cooking. Leave enough space between dessert items to allow the hot air to circulate freely. If needed, cook in smaller batches.
- Lightly Grease or Spray: Depending on the recipe, lightly grease or spray the air fryer basket or accessory with cooking oil to prevent sticking and help achieve a crispy texture.
- Cooking Time: Keep a close eye on your desserts, especially the first time you make a particular recipe. Air fryers cook quickly, so it’s easy to overcook or burn items if you’re not attentive.
- Rotate or Flip as Needed: If your air fryer doesn’t have a rotating basket, consider flipping or rotating your desserts halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning and cooking.
- Be Cautious with Fillings: For recipes with fillings, like turnovers or pies, be mindful of overfilling, as the filling can leak and create a mess in the air fryer.
- Adjust Temperatures and Times: Air fryers can vary in performance, so don’t hesitate to adjust cooking temperatures and times to match your specific appliance and preferences.
- Use a Foil Tent: If the top of your dessert is browning too quickly while the inside is not fully cooked, you can create a foil tent to shield it from direct heat, allowing the inside to continue cooking.
- Allow Desserts to Cool: Give your desserts a few minutes to cool before serving. This allows them to set and be more manageable when serving.
- Clean Your Air Fryer: After using your air fryer, make sure to clean it thoroughly to prevent any residual flavors or odors from affecting your next batch of desserts.
Air Fryer Apple Desserts
- Apple Pie Puff Pastry In Air Fryer – Make a warm apple pie wrapped in crispy layers. The flaky pastry and sweet apple filling are both buttery and delicious.
- Air Fryer Apple Pie Scones – Fluffy, buttery scones packed with chunks of apples and warm spices. These air fryer apple pie scones are just like a bakery treat but made at home!
- Air Fryer Frozen Apple Pie – Turn your frozen apple pie into a warm, sweet dessert with the magic of an air fryer. Save time and maintain that perfect apple pie flavor.
- Air Fryer French Apple Pie Crullers – Think of these as fancy donuts with a French twist. Crispy on the outside, soft inside, and filled with yummy apples and cinnamon.
- Air Fryer Caramel Apple Hand Pies – Small handheld pies filled with sweet caramel and apples are little pockets of happiness! Perfect for eating on the run or serving to the little ones.
- Air Fryer Apple Pie Baked Apples – Spice-filled apple halves! Simple and little prep makes these spiced apples a quick and delicious Thanksgiving treat.
- Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs – An explosion of flavor! These bite-sized treats feature a fluffy exterior wrapped around a warm spiced apple filling. Try with a drizzle of caramel or sweet icing!
- Air Fryer Mini Muffin Tin Apple Pies – Small in size but large in flavor. Each mini pie features a golden crust and a generous helping of apple pie filling.
- Air Fryer Apple Pie – A timeless dessert with a buttery crust, tender apples, and warm spices all baked to perfection in your air fryer!
- Air Fryer Caramel Apple Pie Crescents – Elevate your apple desserts with crescents! A flaky layered pastry filled with apple pie filling. Customizable for any filling!
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie – Cinnamon rolls and apple pie? Sign me up! A delicious infusion of flavors. Fluffy cinnamon rolls rolled around a tasty apple pie filling.
- Air Fryer Apple Plum Tarts – Level up your pastry game with apple plum tarts. Individual tarts feature sweet apples and juicy plums, then air fried to perfection.
Air Fryer Blueberry Desserts
- Air Fryer Blueberry Streusel Crumble Pie – A burst of blueberries in every bite, ending the summer with this dessert is a must!
- Air Fryer Blueberry Galette – A beautiful and rustic dessert. Tasty blueberries nestled in a golden crust.
- Air Fryer Blueberry Bread Pudding – Everything you love about bread pudding but with juicy blueberries.
Air Fryer Cherry Desserts
- Air Fryer Mini Cherry Pie – All the flavor of homemade cherry pie, in mini size!
- Air Fryer Cherry Pie Bubble Up – Imagine a cherry pie turned into a warm and gooey bubbly dessert. Comfort food at its best!
- Air Fryer Homemade Cherry Pie – Homemade cherry pie in the air fryer? Yes! Sweet and tart cherry filling with a classic golden crust.
Air Fryer Cobblers and Crisps
- Air Fryer Apple Cranberry Crisp – Sweet and tart, this combination is truly perfect. Serve with French vanilla ice cream.
- Air Fryer Blueberry Crisp – Juicy blueberries with a golden crispy topping. A family favorite!
- Air Fryer Cherry Crisp – Bursting with sweet and tart cherries, a perfect choice for your Thanksgiving holiday menu.
- Air Fryer Apple and Pomegranate Cobbler – A delicious combination of apples and pomegranate arils in a warm and comforting dessert.
- Air Fryer Easy Blueberry Cobbler – Quickly whip up this blueberry cobbler. Sweet wild blueberries are the best part of this dessert.
- Air Fryer Apple Cobbler – Tender fall apples beneath a buttery, spiced cobbler.
- Air Fryer Old Fashioned Cherry Cobbler – A nostalgic dessert with juicy cherries and a sweet cobbler topping.
Air Fryer Cranberry Desserts
- Air Fryer Apple Cranberry Bread – Classic flavor combinations are infused into this deliciously sweet air fryer quick bread.
- Air Fryer Cranberry Crumble Bars – A sweet base, tart cranberries, and a buttery crumble topping make for a well rounded delicious dessert.
- Air Fryer Cranberry Bread With Orange Glaze – Zesty and sweet, this orange and cranberry combination is a burst of flavor in every bite.
- Air Fryer Cranberry Orange Scones – Boldly flavored scones showcase the flavors of fall. Great with tea or coffee.
- Air Fryer Cranberry Walnut Bread – Fruity and nutty. A perfect representation of the autumn season in bread form.
- Air Fryer Cranberry Muffins – Tart cranberry muffins are a delicious dessert or breakfast.
Air Fryer Pecan Desserts
- Air Fryer Pecan Pie Muffins – Pecan pie in a fluffy muffin. Because everyone loves a pecan pie your can eat on the go!
- Giant Caramel Pecan Air Fryer Cookie – A dessert for sharing! Large and in charge, this cookie is warm, gooey, and loaded with caramel and crunchy pecans.
- Air Fryer Maple Pecan Bars – Sweet and nutty, these maple pecan bars are the essence of the holiday season.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Desserts
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie Squares – A delicious twist on pumpkin pie, these squares are a treat that is perfect for Thanksgiving
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie With Graham Crust – A twist on a classic pie. Creamy pumpkin pie in a buttery graham cracker crust!
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Lava Cake – A warm and gooey pumpkin lava cake. Serve this with cold vanilla ice cream.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Bread Pudding – Warm, cozy, and perfect for Thanksgiving. It’s a delicious combination of bread, pumpkin, and spices.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Tarts – Tiny treats with a big pumpkin flavor. A perfect bite-sized Thanksgiving dessert.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Beignets – Soft, pillowy, and dusted with powdered sugar, these pumpkin beignets are a must try!
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Pecans – Crunchy and full of spice! It is a perfect snack while cooking your Thanksgiving dinner.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies – These cookies are soft, cake-like, and filled with the pumpkin spice flavor we love.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Layer Cake – Level up with an impressive pumpkin layer cake. Moist, spiced, and packed with fresh pumpkin flavor.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Cream Donuts – Pumpkin cream donuts are fluffy, spiced, and filled with a luscious cream.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Churros – Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with pumpkin spice.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes – Each bite is a perfect blend of warm spices and moist pumpkin cake.
- Air Fryer Glazed Pumpkin Scones – A homemade bakery treat. Pumpkin scones are flaky, tender, and drizzled with a sweet glaze.
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie – A classic pumpkin pie prepared in the air fryer. A must try this Thanksgiving!
- Air Fryer Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Nut Bread – Full of flavor with none of the gluten! Moist, nutty, and infused with pumpkin spice.
- Air Fryer Mini Pumpkin Pies – Cute and delicious! All the flavor of traditional pumpkin pie in mini form.
- Air Fryer Homemade Pumpkin Donuts – These homemade pumpkin donuts are soft, spiced, and hard to resist.
Air Fryer Dessert FAQs
1. Can I make desserts in an air fryer?
- Yes, you can! Air fryers are versatile appliances that can be used to make a wide range of desserts, from pies and cookies to cakes and crisps. They’re a convenient and efficient way to prepare sweet treats.
2. How do I adjust cooking times and temperatures when making desserts in an air fryer?
- It’s important to follow the specific recipe instructions provided for your dessert. You may need to reduce the cooking temperature by about 25°F and shorten the cooking time. However, times and temperatures can vary depending on your air fryer model and the dessert you’re making.
3. Can I use regular dessert recipes in an air fryer?
- Yes, you can adapt many traditional dessert recipes for use in an air fryer. To do this, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and temperature. Additionally, using air fryer-safe pans, trays, or accessories that fit your appliance is essential.
4. How do I prevent desserts from sticking to the air fryer basket or tray?
- To prevent sticking, you can lightly grease the air fryer basket or accessory with cooking oil or use parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using non-stick accessories specifically designed for air fryers can also help. Check out this article on how to use oil in an air fryer.
5. What types of desserts work best in an air fryer?
- Air fryers excel at preparing desserts that benefit from crispiness and browning, such as pies, turnovers, cookies, and certain cakes. They’re also great for recipes that you’d like to cook quickly, like muffins or cinnamon rolls. However, not all desserts are suitable for air frying, so it’s essential to choose recipes that are designed for this cooking method.
