17 Desserts You Didn't Know You Could Make In Your Air Fryer

No kitchen appliance has gotten quite the same buzz as the air fryer in recent years. The countertop gadget is a staple in many modern kitchens thanks to its ability to effectively cook a variety of fried foods in much less time (and much less oil). Now, you may not realize your air fryer can be used to make numerous desserts, as well. But once you've tasted a sweet treat created in your favorite appliance? You'll rethink how you can use your air fryer forever.

While air fryer dessert options range from cakes to cookies, there are some important precautions you'll need to take. Sweet recipes typically imply sugar, which can easily burn and stick to the inside of an air fryer. Consequently, you should always use parchment paper to make cleanup easier.

To help you discover new ways to optimize your air fryer and make some pretty delicious desserts, we've gathered a list of sweets that can be made in the appliance. If you follow these recipes to a T, you'll be rewarded with a sugary triumph. Here are 17 desserts you didn't know you could make in your air fryer.

Although we love the nostalgic feeling of biting into s'mores — only to have the marshmallow and chocolate squeeze all over our hands and clothes — we're still not going to build a fire outside in the depths of winter. The good news is you can pop some marshmallows into your air fryer to savor year-round s'mores no matter the temperature outside.

Using your air fryer to make easy s'mores requires graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows. Place a graham cracker on the bottom of the air fryer with halved marshmallows on top; we're not engineers, but we can say that cutting the confection in half makes it a bit more stable while cooking.

Once your marshmallow is cooked to perfection, carefully remove the graham cracker from the basket. Then, place a piece of chocolate on top of the marshmallow before adding the other cracker to create a sweet sandwich. It's melty, delicious, and relatively easy — all without having to construct a fire. 

Melted chocolate isn't necessarily a dessert on its own (though we won't judge you for grabbing a spoonful occasionally). Still, it's an important ingredient for items like chocolate-covered strawberries. But rather than worrying about getting the perfect melting temperature on your stovetop, turn to your handy air fryer instead.

For smoothly melted chocolate in the air fryer, start by preheating your appliance (if you have that option available) to a relatively low temperature. Then, grate or chop your chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and nestle it inside the basket. Breaking the bars into smaller pieces dramatically increases the surface area, which helps chocolate melt more easily.

Heat the chocolate for three to five minutes, but be sure to check it regularly after this short interval since it may begin to burn around the edges. For the best result, be sure to dry all of your tools completely; water is the enemy when melting chocolate, after all. You can also use a glass or ceramic bowl (rather than a metal one) to mediate the risk of burning.

Cannolis is one dish we can confidently say we've never wanted to make at home. But you can make cannolis in your air fryer at home — and it's easier than you'd think. Considering the kitchen appliance is a master at heating air and getting snack foods perfectly crisp, it's not entirely surprising that it can do the same to your crispy cannoli shells without the oil. You will need metal cannoli tubes for this hack, though, so be prepared before starting a batch.

After you've rolled the dough flat, cut it into circles and carefully wrap it around the tube to make the cannoli shape. A brush of egg whites and turbinado sugar will ensure that the pieces crisp up and give you the familiar crunch you know and love. After the cannoli tubes have cooked and cooled, fill them with your sweetened ricotta filling and enjoy. You can also make your life much easier by swapping out homemade cannoli dough with a store-bought pie crust (sorry, Nonna!).

Banana bread is one of our favorite homey desserts to make. And although we typically classify it as a dessert, there's no reason it can't be eaten for breakfast or as a snack, too.

Making banana bread in your air fryer is simple — in part because loaf pans are more likely to fit in the basket than a cake or cupcake pan. Of course, you'll want to read your air fryer's manual to determine what kind of pan is best for baking a loaf of bread; depending on the manufacturer, ceramic, silicon, glass, and metal might all be options.

Keep a keen eye on how fast your banana bread cooks and potentially add a layer of aluminum foil on top if you notice it's baking too quickly. You'll also want to use a toothpick to ensure your entire loaf is cooked (not just the top). If you notice the bottom of the toothpick comes out raw, try flipping your loaf out of the tin and baking it bottom-up for a few extra minutes to finish it to perfection.

If you're a bain marie novice, air fryer cheesecake is a stress-free solution that will save you time and effort in the long run. To make this classic dessert in the modern appliance, you'll want to first ensure your springform pan fits in the basket. Assuming it does, you simply prepare your cheesecake crust, pour the filling in, and bake the concoction in your air fryer for about 20 minutes. Some models may be less efficient, however, and may take upwards of 30 minutes to finish cooking.

The easiest way to know when to pull your cake from the appliance is to do a wobble test: The middle should shake like Jell-O, while the edges should be set. Once your cheesecake comes out of the air fryer, there are numerous ways to make it your own. Try topping it with a sweet serving of macerated strawberries or adding a dollop of whipped cream (among many other options).

Fried foods have a strong association with the air fryer; after all, the appliance was designed to make fried favorites fast (minus the subsequently greasy eating experience). Unsurprisingly, then, you can harness the power of your air fryer to whip up a batch of deep-fried Oreo cookies.

The key to making this recipe in your air fryer is to adequately line the basket with parchment before cooking. This will ensure your batter doesn't drip into the bottom of the appliance and keep it contained around the cookies. You can make your own batter with flour, milk, sugar, and leavening agents; or you can take the easy way out with a box of just-add-water pancake mix.

Once your cookies are coated in batter, pop them in the tray and cook them until they're golden brown and slightly puffy. The best thing about using your air fryer to whip up a small batch of this dessert when a craving hits is the simplicity — especially since deep-fried Oreos don't keep well.

A simple churros recipe generally requires a pan full of hot oil, a ton of patience to rotate the twists, and the sense to take them out of the oil at just the right time. But with an air fryer, you can create a less greasy alternative to this fried favorite without having to play babysitter while cooking.

You'll want to start by making your own churros dough and piping it onto parchment paper. Be sure that you can tuck the parchment right into your air fryer basket since this will save you the time and agony of transferring it over with a spatula. The little dough pieces will increase in size slightly as they cook, too, so avoid overcrowding them in your basket. Once you've adequately cooked your dessert, immediately transfer the hot pieces to your cinnamon sugar mixture, as the warmth is critical to helping the coating stick. Furthermore, churros are best served warm with a side of caramel or chocolate sauce. 

When people think of food items to make with leftover apples, pies typically come to mind first. But the next time you have a surplus of apples from your orchard, consider making air fryer buttermilk apple fritters instead. It's as simple as mixing a fritter base with small cubes of peeled and sliced apples, then cooking it in your air fryer.

Since the batter will spread as it cooks, you should only use ¼ cup of batter for each fritter. Additionally, don't forget to leave a little space (less than an inch) between each fritter to accommodate the expansion.

Your fritters will be hot and ready to coat with a quick glaze after less than ten minutes of cooking. Our recipe uses buttermilk and powdered sugar, which gives the glaze an unexpected tartness and helps balance out the sweet notes of the apples and batter. The fritters make an excellent treat for a cool fall evening, especially when served with warm mulled cider.