Catalina Castravet

Mar 24, 2022

Mar 22, 2022

Last updated on March 24th, 2022 at 12:02 pm

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Air Fryer Apple Bloom – Trader Joe’s Copycat

Air Fryer Apple Blooms made with just the right amounts of sugar, caramel, and apple, are just like Trader Joe’s apple blossoms. Making these in the air fryer is even better because you are using hot air instead of frying them the traditional way.

If you enjoyed this original recipe, you would love our Crispy AF Blooming Onion made with a sweet onion or yellow onion and dipped in your favorite sauce. Or try this AF Corn Recipe seasoned with parmesan, olive oil, and cilantro.

Once you serve these air fryer apple blooms, it will be one of your favorite apple recipes for game days, holidays, or any day.

These are up there in the top five sweet treats to serve for Halloween and other Fall parties as well as for Christmas dessert platters.

Also, they are a perfect after-school snack or sweet treat anytime.

Looking for a sweet treat? Our Red Velvet Hershey’s Kiss Cookies are mouthwateringly delicious.

Ingredients needed:

Here are the simple ingredients to make these air fryer apples with caramel sauce. For the full ingredient list and instructions, scroll down to our handy printable recipe card.

Fresh apples: We used Granny Smith, but you can use your favorite apples.
Butter: Melted and at room temperature.
Packed brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Caramel squares
Vanilla ice cream: We used Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream.
Extra caramel: For drizzling on top.
Cooking spray

How to make air fryer apple bloom recipe?

Fryer instructions:

Whisk: First, whisk the spices, sugars, and butter in a small bowl.
Coring: Then, cut the top of each apple off and use a spoon to scoop out the stem, seeds, and core. Use a paring knife to make two circular cuts around the inside of the apple.
Cut: Next, flip the apple upside down on a cutting board and slice crosswise. Be sure not to cut through the core.
Cook: Lastly, place two caramel pieces in the middle of each apple and then brush the butter mixture on top. Put them in the air fryer basket and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Serve: Finally, these are great served warm with ice cream and caramel drizzle on top.

photo collage of steps how to make air fryer apple bloom

Oven instructions:

Preheat: First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and use cooking spray to coat a cake pan or baking dish.
Mix: Then, whisk up the sugars, butter, and spices.
Coring: Then, cut the top of each apple off and use a spoon to scoop out the stem, seeds, and core. Use a paring knife to make two circular cuts around the inside of the apple.
Cut: Next, flip the apple upside down on a cutting board and slice crosswise. Be sure not to cut through the core.
Bake: Last, put the apples in your prepared pan before filling them with two caramel pieces each and coating them with melted butter. Bake until they are tender, which usually takes about 30 minutes.
Serve: Finally, these are great served warm with ice cream caramel drizzle on top.

Recipe variations:

Apple pie: You can also use apple pie spice instead of the spices we used.
Crispy: For a crispy topping, make a flour mixture of one teaspoon of flour with one tablespoon of oats and a teaspoon of melted butter.
Lemon: For a bit of a zing, add a bit of lemon juice on top of each apple before cooking.
No caramel: For a healthier option, leave out the caramels and top with sugar-free ice cream instead.
Added sugar: You can make these with no added sugar by using maple syrup or honey.

How to serve:

The best way to serve these delicious treats is to put each one in a medium bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Or you can try one of these serving ideas:

Another great way to serve this easy dessert is with a dollop of our homemade whipped cream and nuts on top.
Instead of vanilla, you may like these with a large bowl of blackberry, chocolate chip, or strawberry ice cream.
You could also add more fruit flavor by topping these with a spoonful of tangy homemade strawberry sauce on top.
For breakfast, try these with a scoop of yogurt or cottage cheese.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of apples are best for this?

Although we used Granny Smith apples because they are tart and sweet, others say that Pink Lady apples are even better.

You could also use Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, or whatever your favorite happens to be.

Can I make these into apple fritters?

If you have leftovers, go ahead and turn them into air fryer apple fritters. Just chop them up into one-inch squares and toss them with flour, eggs, and a few other ingredients.

Here is an easy recipe for our apple fritters.

What are the nutrition facts for these apples?

It really depends on what kind and size of apples you use as well as the number of toppings. However, the basic numbers include 175 calories, six grams of fat, 116 milligrams of carbohydrates, and 22 grams of sugar.

But the fiber count is three grams and there is one gram of protein.

How to store leftovers:

Store: Put leftovers into an airtight container or freezer bag. They will stay good refrigerated for several days.
Freeze: You could also freeze these for up to three months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Reheat: Reheat in the air fryer, microwave, or oven.

More apple recipes:

Cooking tips:

You could also cut the apples in half to make smaller blooms. After slicing in half, follow the directions above for the same delicious results. Just cut the cooking time in half.
The cooking time may be different depending on your air fryer or the type of apple you are using.
Use a melon baller for an easier way to scoop out the core and seeds.
If you are using a smaller fryer, cook in batches of two or three apples each.