Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danish
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These air fryer upside down apple danishes are buttery, flaky, and topped with sweet, caramelized apples. Perfect for brunch or dessert!
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danishes
If you’ve seen these apple danishes online, you already know why they’re so popular. These air fryer upside down apple danishes are buttery, flaky, and topped with caramelized apples and honey. They’re perfect for a sweet brunch, dessert, or even an afternoon snack.
The best part? They’re incredibly easy to make, in the air fryer or the oven, they’re ready in just minutes.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
This recipe combines the buttery goodness of puff pastry with the natural sweetness of apples and honey. The air fryer makes these danishes perfectly crisp and golden without the hassle of preheating an oven.
They’re so versatile, you can even swap out the apples for peaches or other fruits. Plus, you’ll find this recipe in my latest book, Fitwaffle’s Easy Air Fryer, available on Amazon. It’s filled with even more air fryer recipes to inspire your cooking!
Equipment You’ll Need
To make these danishes, you’ll need:
- Air fryer (or oven) – For perfectly crisp puff pastry and caramelized apples. I used a Tower 11L Air Fryer, it’s my favourite Air Fryer.
- Pastry brush – To apply the egg wash.
- Pizza cutter or knife – To slice the puff pastry into rectangles.
- Thick baking paper – To line the air fryer and prevent sticking.
Why Air Fryers Are Perfect for This Recipe
- Quick Cooking: The air fryer crisps the puff pastry in just 10–12 minutes.
- Perfect Results: It creates evenly golden and flaky pastries with minimal effort.
- Energy-Efficient: Using an air fryer is faster and more energy-efficient than preheating and using an oven.
- Easy Cleanup: With no large baking trays, cleanup is a breeze.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danish
- 1 sheet ready-roll puff pastry (I use Jus Rol 320g)
- 1 medium apple (I recommend Granny Smith for a tart contrast)
- 6 tbsp honey
- 1 small egg + 1 tsp milk or water (for the egg wash)
How to Make Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danish
Step 1: Prepare the Puff Pastry
Unravel the puff pastry and cut it into 6 even rectangles using a knife or pizza cutter. For an easy guide, lay the pastry in a portrait position, slice vertically down the middle, then horizontally into thirds.
Step 2: Slice the Apple
Thinly slice the apple into pieces, leaving the skin on or removing it, depending on your preference.
Step 3: Prepare the Air Fryer
Line the air fryer or a large baking sheet with a sheet of thick baking paper. The number of danishes you can bake at once will depend on the size of your tray or air fryer basket.
Step 4: Assemble the Danishes
For each danish:
- Drizzle a line of honey (about 7.5 cm/3 in long) onto the baking paper.
- Spread the honey out to the sides slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Place about 5 apple slices on top of the honey, overlapping slightly.
- Drizzle a little more honey over the apples.
Place a pastry rectangle on top, ensuring the apples are in the middle. Press down gently around the apple slices with your fingers.
Step 5: Apply the Egg Wash
In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk (or water) together to make an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash evenly over the top of the pastry.
Step 6: Air Fry the Danishes
Preheat the air fryer to 180˚C (350˚F) or if using the oven preheat to 190C/(170C fan). Air fry the danishes for 10–12 minutes, or until they are crisp, puffed, and golden brown, they may need a few more minutes if baking in the oven.
Step 7: Flip and Serve
Allow the danishes to cool slightly before flipping them over to reveal the sticky, caramelized honey apples. They’re now ready to enjoy!
Why These Danishes Are Perfect for Any Occasion
These air fryer upside down apple danishes are versatile enough for any time of day. Serve them for brunch with a cup of coffee, enjoy them as a light dessert with a dollop of whipped cream, or simply snack on them when you fancy something sweet.
Their simple ingredients and quick prep time make them perfect for when you want a bakery-style pastry without the hassle.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danishes
- Choose the Right Apples: Granny Smith apples work well because their tartness balances the sweetness of the honey (any apples will work though).
- Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer: Cook the danishes in batches if needed to ensure even cooking.
- Flaky Pastry: Keep the puff pastry cold before assembling to help it puff up beautifully.
- Experiment with Flavours: Swap the apples for peaches, pears, or even thinly sliced plums to create different variations.
- Crispy Edges: Make sure to brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash for a beautiful golden finish.
Bonus Tip: Homemade Peach Danishes
For a fun twist, replace the apple slices with thin slices of fresh peaches. The honey will caramelize beautifully with the peaches, creating a delicious variation.
Serving Suggestions
These danishes are delightful on their own, but you can elevate them with these serving ideas:
- With Whipped Cream: Add a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream on top.
- With Ice Cream: Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert.
- Drizzle of Extra Honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon: Add a touch more honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon before serving for extra sweetness and flavour.
Watch My Step-by-Step Video
Want to see how easy these danishes are to make? Watch my tutorial on the Fitwaffle Kitchen YouTube channel.
For more quick and delicious air fryer recipes, follow me on Instagram @fitwafflekitchen and TikTok @fitwaffle.
Why You’ll Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
These air fryer upside down apple danishes are the perfect blend of buttery pastry, sweet honey, and tart apples. They’re so simple to make yet look and taste like something you’d find in a bakery.
Whether you’re serving them at brunch, bringing them to a gathering, or enjoying them yourself, they’re guaranteed to impress every time.
Other Recipes to Try
If you loved this recipe, check out these other air fryer favourites from Fitwaffle Kitchen:
- Air Fryer Lava Cakes: Molten chocolate lava cakes made for two in the air fryer.
- Air Fryer NYC cookies: Crisp on the outside, soft and gooey in the middle made easily in the air fryer.
Both recipes are simple, delicious, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth!
Air Fryer Upside Down Apple Danish
Ingredients
- 1 sheet ready-roll puff pastry I use Jus Rol 320g
- 1 medium apple I recommend Granny Smith for a tart contrast
- 6 tbsp honey
- 1 small egg + 1 tsp milk or water for the egg wash
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Puff Pastry
- Unravel the puff pastry and cut it into 6 even rectangles using a knife or pizza cutter. For an easy guide, lay the pastry in a portrait position, slice vertically down the middle, then horizontally into thirds.
Step 2: Slice the Apple
- Thinly slice the apple into pieces, leaving the skin on or removing it, depending on your preference.
Step 3: Prepare the Air Fryer
- Line the air fryer or a large baking sheet with a sheet of thick baking paper. The number of danishes you can bake at once will depend on the size of your tray or air fryer basket.
Step 4: Assemble the Danishes
- Drizzle a line of honey (about 7.5 cm/3 in long) onto the baking paper.
- Spread the honey out to the sides slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Place about 5 apple slices on top of the honey, overlapping slightly.
- Drizzle a little more honey over the apples.
- Place a pastry rectangle on top, ensuring the apples are in the middle. Press down gently around the apple slices with your fingers.
Step 5: Apply the Egg Wash
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk (or water) together to make an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash evenly over the top of the pastry.
Step 6: Air Fry the Danishes
- Preheat the air fryer to 180˚C (350˚F) or if using the oven preheat to 190C/(170C fan). Air fry the danishes for 10–12 minutes, or until they are crisp, puffed, and golden brown, they may need a few more minutes if baking in the oven.
Step 7: Flip and Serve
- Allow the danishes to cool slightly before flipping them over to reveal the sticky, caramelized honey apples. They’re now ready to enjoy!
