Apple Fries Recipe
Apple fries are the absolute best recipe for Fall, for apple lovers!
Autumnal flavors come together to make a delicious and healthy snack or dessert. Apple fries are so yummy! They are definitely considered healthy snacks for kids and adults alike. They make great after-school snacks that won’t ruin dinner too!
HEALTHY APPLE FRIES
So apparently, these are a big deal for those who have been to LegoLand, where they are called Granny’s Apple Fries. They sell them there, deep fried and coated in all sorts of things I probably wouldn’t want to think I was eating (I’ve never had them). But apple fries are inherently healthy, depending on how you make them.
We all know that apples are a healthy snack. They are low calorie, extremely low in fat (about .03 of a gram per apple), nutritious and even low on the glycemic index at a comfortable 38. You can’t go wrong with an apple for a snack. But bake, roast or fry them, and you take them to a whole other level.
Oh! And these are vegan apple fries too! Yay for more plant-based recipes!
APPLE PIE FRIES
The recipe below is for cinnamon apple fries. But if you prefer a more authentic apple pie flavor, you can use this apple pie spice recipe instead of the cinnamon. It’s an easy switch, and mixes up the flavors a bit. Try them both ways to see which one you like best!
WHAT KIND OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR MAKING APPLE FRIES?
Granny Smith apples are the best apples for making apple fries. They are the go-to apples for this type of recipe. However, I have made these fried with a few different types of apples and all of them have been delicious. So be a rebel and use whatever type you have on hand.
I will say that tart apples seem to make the best fries. So here is a list of the tartest apples on the market.
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady
- Braeburn
- McIntosh
- Jonathan
- Empire
- Cortland
BEST SWEETENERS
It’s hard to go wrong with sweeteners when making a recipe like this. However, some are better than others.
- Use only dry sweeteners.
- Powdered sweetener makes it easier to evenly dust your apple fries, but bigger granules will give them an extra nice crunch factor.
- Darker sweeteners are best. Sucanat and coconut sugar come to mind. However, because of my blood sugar, I only use Xylitol these days, and it works just as well. The dark-sugar flavor isn’t there, but the sweetness definitely is.
- If you are not concerned with avoiding processed sugars, then brown sugar is always a safe bet, though regular sugar will work too.
- Other possible sweeteners are Monk Fruit, maple sugar and powdered stevia (read the ingredients!).
HOW TO MAKE APPLE FRIES
This apple fries recipe is easy to make, and cooks up pretty fast. I’ll show you three different ways to make them. Let’s dive in!
Air Fryer Apple Fries
I personally always make my apple fries in the air fryer. They turn out perfect each and every time. I have an Instant Vortex Pro Air Fryer
(affiliate link) that has a rotating roasting basket that I love to use. But you can also use a regular air fryer with these.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Peel your apples.
- Dust them with arrowroot powder OR cornstarch.
- Spritz with an oil sprayer.
- Sprinkle on your spice of choice.
- Place your apple fries in a single layer on your air fryer try or in your air fryer basket.
- Cook to desired doneness (about 10-15 minutes).
- Place in a bowl and sprinkle with your favorite sweetener to taste.
- Note that in an air fryer, you can easily make these as apple chips instead of as fries. This is not recommended for oven baking or frying.
Baked Apple Fries
These are wonderful just out of the oven. Your house will smell amazing by the time these are done!
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Peel your apples.
- Dust them with cornstarch or arrowroot powder.
- Spritz them with an oil sprayer.
- Sprinkle on your spices.
- Bake for about 10-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool slightly.
- Sprinkle with sweetener to taste and more spices if desired.
Fried Apples
If you love fried apples, the recipe below is somewhat similar, just without the butter. But if you love the buttery flavor, you can certainly drizzle a little melted butter over these just like you would popcorn. You will cut the fat content considerably by doing this.
However, if you really prefer to fry your apple fries:
- Bring several inches of oil up to 300F.
- Cut your fries evenly (about 1/2″ thickness)
- Toss the fries with arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- Fry them in the heated oil for 2 minutes
- Remove and cool
- Sprinkle with spices and sweetener
Sweet Dips
If you are wanting to serve your fries with some sort of dip, I don’t blame you! These are delicious with many different dips. And while I would never rule out ketchup (Mini Chef used to love apples dipped in ketchup!), I feel like a good majority of you would probably appreciate some sweeter suggestions. Here are a few ideas.
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Apple Fries Recipe
CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!
Equipment
- Air fryer (helpful, but not essential)
Ingredients
- 2 large Granny Smith apple
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 1 tsp. oil
- 1 tsp. cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
- granular sweetener (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F. (See directions in post above if using oven or deep frying for temperatures) Core and peel your apples if you wish. I didn't peel mine.
- Cut them into fries and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss them with the arrowroot powder or cornstarch.
- Spritz them with the oil.
- Dust them with the spice of your choice.
- Place them in a single layer on your air fryer try or in your air fryer basket. Note that if you have a basket air fryer, you can add a second layer if you toss the fries several times during the cooking process.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of doneness. Turn them at least once during cooking.
- Remove from air fryer and allow to cool until you can safely touch them without burning yourself. Sprinkle on as much sweetener as you'd like (try them first! Some apples do not need any sweetener!) and serve.
