These Crispy Air Fryer Apple Pie Taquitos are a delightful 5-ingredient dessert that brings the taste of homemade apple pie to your table in a fraction of the time. Featuring warm apple pie filling wrapped in a soft flour tortilla, they are brushed with butter, coated in cinnamon sugar, and air-fried to golden perfection.
With a crunchy, churro-like exterior and a gooey fruit center, these handheld treats are perfect for a quick snack or a fun dessert to share with friends.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Classic apple pie spices shine through in the filling and coating, offering a sweet, warm, and buttery taste reminiscent of a cinnamon-sugar donut.
- Texture: The air fryer transforms the tortilla into a crispy, flaky shell that contrasts beautifully with the soft, warm apple filling.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Very Easy. It is a simple roll-and-cook recipe suitable for beginners.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need an air fryer to achieve that crispy texture without deep frying. A shallow dish is helpful for rolling the taquitos in the sugar mixture, and a pastry brush makes applying the butter mess-free. The ingredients are incredibly simple: canned pie filling, tortillas, and pantry staples like butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple Pie Filling – Use a 21-ounce can of your favorite apple pie filling. If the apple slices are very large, you might want to chop them slightly so they fit better inside the rolled tortilla.
- Flour Tortillas – Medium-sized soft flour tortillas (about 8 inches) work best. They are pliable enough to roll tightly and crisp up nicely in the air fryer. Corn tortillas are not recommended for this sweet application.
- Butter – Melted butter acts as the glue for the cinnamon sugar and helps the tortilla brown evenly.
- Cinnamon Sugar – A mix of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon creates the irresistible outer coating.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Fruit – You can easily swap the apple filling for cherry, peach, or blueberry pie filling for a different flavor.
- Caramel – Drizzling salted caramel sauce over the finished taquitos adds a decadent touch.
- Cream Cheese – Spread a thin layer of softened cream cheese on the tortilla before adding the apples for a creamy cheesecake-like center.
- Nuts – Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts inside the taquito for extra crunch.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Apple Pie Taquitos
- Fill: Lay the tortillas flat on a clean surface. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling in a line across the center of each tortilla. (Be careful not to overfill, or they might leak).
- Roll: Roll the tortillas up tightly around the filling.
- Butter: Brush the entire outside of each rolled taquito generously with melted butter.
- Coat: In a shallow, flat dish, stir together the sugar and ground cinnamon. Roll the buttered taquito in the mixture, ensuring it is well coated on all sides.
- Arrange: Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket, seam side down. Do not stack or overlap them; leave a little space for air to circulate. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Air Fry: Air fry at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes, until the taquito is golden brown and crispy.
- Flip and Finish: Use tongs to carefully flip them over, and air fry for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until they reach your desired crispness on all sides.
- Serve: Let them cool for a few minutes (the filling will be hot!) and serve warm.
Pro Tip: Placing the taquitos seam side down in the air fryer basket prevents them from unrolling during the cooking process. The heat seals the seam shut, keeping all that delicious apple filling inside.
Recipe Tips
- Chopping Apples: Open the can of pie filling and use a knife and fork to chop the apple slices into smaller pieces right in the can or a bowl. This makes rolling much easier and ensures you get apple in every bite.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Air circulation is key to crispiness. If the taquitos are touching, the sides will stay soft and doughy.
- Watch the Sugar: Sugar can burn quickly. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes of cooking. If they are getting too dark, lower the temperature to 325°F.
FAQs
- Can I bake these in the oven? Yes! Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- How do I store leftovers? Store cooled taquitos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- How do I reheat them? To restore the crunch, reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes. Microwaving will make them soft and chewy.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice Cream: Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream makes for a lighter topping.
- Breakfast: These are sweet enough to double as a dessert-style breakfast treat with coffee.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can roll the taquitos (without butter or sugar) a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Brush and coat them right before air frying.
- Freezing: You can freeze the uncooked rolled taquitos. When ready to eat, brush with butter, roll in sugar, and air fry from frozen (add a few extra minutes to the cooking time).
Crispy Air Fryer Apple Pie Taquitos
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 Taquitos 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Crispy Air Fryer Apple Pie Taquitos are a delightful 5-ingredient dessert that brings the taste of homemade apple pie to your table in a fraction of the time. Featuring warm apple pie filling wrapped in a soft flour tortilla, they are brushed with butter, coated in cinnamon sugar, and air-fried to golden perfection. With a crunchy, churro-like exterior and a gooey fruit center, these handheld treats are perfect for a quick snack or a fun dessert to share with friends.
Ingredients
The Filling & Wrapper
- 1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
- 6 medium soft flour tortillas (approx. 8-inch)
The Coating
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep
Empty the apple pie filling into a bowl. Use a knife and fork to chop the apple slices into smaller pieces. Why? Smaller pieces make rolling easier and ensure you get apple in every bite without tearing the tortilla.
Mix Coating
In a shallow dish, stir together the sugar and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
Fill & Roll
Lay the tortillas flat. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the apple filling in a line across the center of each tortilla. Roll: Roll the tortillas up tightly around the filling.
Coat
Brush the entire outside of each rolled taquito generously with melted butter.
Dip
Roll the buttered taquito in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, ensuring it is well coated on all sides.
Air Fry
Place the taquitos in the air fryer basket seam-side down. Space: Do not stack or overlap them; leave a little space for air to circulate (cook in batches if necessary).
Cook
Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes until golden brown.
Flip & Finish
Use tongs to carefully flip them over. Crisp: Air fry for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until they are evenly crispy on all sides.
Serve
Let them cool for a few minutes (the filling will be very hot!) and serve warm.
Notes
Seam-Side Down: Placing the taquitos seam-side down is crucial. The weight of the roll combined with the heat seals the seam shut, preventing them from unrolling and leaking during the cooking process.
Watch the Sugar: Sugar can burn quickly in an air fryer. Keep an eye on them during the last few minutes. If they are getting too dark before they are crispy, lower the temperature to 325°F.
Oven Method: No air fryer? Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until golden.
Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To restore the crunch, reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2–3 minutes. Do not microwave, or they will become soggy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American / Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Taquito
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: apple pie taquitos, air fryer dessert, cinnamon sugar recipes, 5 ingredient dessert, easy apple pie, churro taquitos, kids snacks
