Air fryer apple donuts made with rice paper come out golden and blistered, then get rolled in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. Inside is soft, spiced apple. They take 10 minutes of hands-on time and 10 in the air fryer, with five ingredients. Make them for an after-school treat, a slow weekend breakfast, or any afternoon when someone asks for donuts and you’d rather not heat a pan of oil.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apples: Use firm apples that hold their shape, like Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Granny Smith if you want it tart. Dice them small, about ½ inch/1cm, so the log rolls neatly and no corners poke through the rice paper. Firm pears work the same way.
- Rice paper: Use the round spring roll sheets, about 8-9 inches/22cm across. Each donut uses two sheets, for a bit of extra stability. There’s no real substitute here.
- Eggs: The two eggs plus one white soften the rice paper and give it the golden, blistered finish.
- Brown sweetener: Use brown monkfruit, allulose, or erythritol sweetener, or similar. It goes into the filling, the egg wash, and the coating, and gives the whole donut a caramel-style flavour. Brown sugar or coconut sugar swaps in at the same amounts, but it browns faster in the pan, so you may need to cook it for lower/longer.
- Ground cinnamon: This goes into all three parts: the filling, the egg wash, and the coating.
How to Make Air Fryer Apple Rice Paper Donuts
- Cook the filling. Put the diced apples in a pan over medium heat with 2-3 tbsp brown sweetener and 1 tsp cinnamon. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the apple is soft, adding a splash of water if the pan looks too dry.
- Mix the egg wash. Whisk the eggs, egg white, 1 tbsp brown sweetener, and 1 tsp cinnamon until there are no lumps of sweetener left. Pour it onto a large dinner plate or into a wide bowl, big enough to lay a rice paper sheet flat.
- Soften the rice paper. Dip one sheet in the egg wash for a few seconds, then dip a second. Stack them on a damp chopping board. They’re ready when both sheets bend easily.
- Fill and roll. Lay a quarter of the cooled filling in a line down the centre, leaving a few cm clear at each end. Fold the long sides over the filling, then roll it into a log.
- Form the ring. Curl the log into a circle and pinch the two ends together firmly. The join is what holds the shape, so press it properly. Repeat with the remaining filling and rice paper.
- Air fry. Place the rings in the basket with space between them. Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for about 10 minutes, until golden and blistered. While they cook, mix 2 tbsp brown sweetener and ½ tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Coat. Spray each warm donut lightly with oil, then press both sides into the cinnamon sugar. Do this within a couple of minutes of them coming out, while they’re still warm enough for the coating to cling.
- Dig in and enjoy with a cuppa!
Tips for Getting It Right
Donuts that unroll in the air fryer come down to one of three things: a weak join, overfilled filling, or rice paper that was still stiff when you rolled it.
- Keep the ends of the log clear of filling. Those bare ends are what stick together.
- Wait until both sheets bend easily before filling. Stiff rice paper cracks when you curl it.
- Pinch the join and hold it for a few seconds. Egg-soaked rice paper is tacky and sticks to itself if you give it a moment.
Variations
- Pear and ginger: Swap the apples for firm pears and add a pinch of ground ginger to the filling.
- Berry: Use frozen mixed berries, cooked down until thick and jammy with no liquid pooling.
- Apple and sultana: Stir a small handful of sultanas into the apple as it cooks.
What to Serve With Them
- Something creamy: A spoonful of thick Greek yogurt on the side.
- Something cold: A small scoop of vanilla ice cream while the donuts are still warm.
- Something fresh: A bowl of sliced strawberries or orange segments.
FAQ
Firm apples that hold their shape when cooked, like Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Granny Smith. Soft varieties turn to mush and make the filling too wet.
It was either too stiff when you rolled it or you used a single sheet. Use two sheets per donut and wait until both bend easily.
No! You can if you prefer, but I don’t notice it when eating them.
The cinnamon sugar needs something to stick to, and a dry donut won’t hold it. A light brush of melted butter works instead.
Yes. Cook it up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. It goes into the rice paper cold.
They’re best eaten the day you make them, because the coating softens in the fridge. Keep leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 1 day, and reheat in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 2-3 minutes.
More cozy recipes you will love
- Air Fryer Rice Paper Dumplings
- Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
- Apple Pie Oats Smoothie
- Old Fashioned Sugar Free Apple Crisp
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Almonds
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Air Fryer Rice Paper Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 apples diced small
- 8 rice paper sheets
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- 5-6 tablespoons brown sweetener monkfruit or similar, divided
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Cook the apples with 2-3 tbsp brown sweetener and 1 tsp cinnamon over medium heat, about 8 minutes, until soft. Add a splash of water if it's really dry.2 apples, 5-6 tablespoons brown sweetener, 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Whisk the eggs, egg white, 1 tbsp brown sweetener and 1 tsp cinnamon until smooth. Pour onto a large plate.2 eggs, 5-6 tablespoons brown sweetener, 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 egg white
- Dip a rice paper sheet in the egg wash for a few seconds, then place it on a damp cutting board. Repeat for a second rice paper sheet, and stack on top of the other. Let them sit until both bend easily.8 rice paper sheets
- Lay a quarter of the filling in a line close to one side, keeping the ends clear. Roll into a log.
- Curl into a ring. Pinch the ends firmly to seal. Repeat to make 4.
- Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes, until golden and blistered.
- Mix 2 tbsp brown sweetener and ½ tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl.5-6 tablespoons brown sweetener, 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Spray the warm donuts with oil. Press both sides into the cinnamon sugar. Enjoy!Oil spray
Notes
- Cool the filling fully.
- Leave the ends of the log bare.
- Pinch the join hard and hold for a few seconds.
- Coat while still warm.