This warm dessert combines soft cinnamon roll dough, sweet apple filling, and crunchy nuts into a gooey, caramelized cobbler-style bake. The air fryer turns the cinnamon rolls into fluffy, golden pockets while the apple filling bubbles underneath.
It’s rich, fast, and very “dessert-for-breakfast energy,” especially with a scoop of ice cream or drizzle of icing on top.
Ingredients
- 2 cans cinnamon rolls (with icing reserved)
- 1 can apple pie filling
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Butter or cooking spray (for dish)
- Optional: cinnamon, vanilla extract, caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 320°F (160°C) for 3–5 minutes.
- Lightly grease a small air fryer-safe baking dish (8×8 works better than 9×13 in most air fryers).
- Cut cinnamon rolls into quarters and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add apple pie filling and nuts. Gently mix so everything is coated but not mashed.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Place in air fryer basket and cook at 320°F (160°C) for 18–25 minutes.
- Check at 15–18 minutes:
- Top should be golden brown
- Center should be bubbling and set (not raw dough)
- If browning too fast, loosely cover with foil for the last 5–8 minutes.
- Remove and let rest for 5–10 minutes before drizzling icing on top.
Tips
- Don’t use a full 9×13 pan unless your air fryer is very large — it may block airflow and cook unevenly.
- Smaller, deeper dishes work better for “cobbler-style” air fryer baking.
- Stir the cinnamon roll pieces lightly into the apple filling so dough is partially submerged.
- Check doneness in the center — raw dough is the main risk in thick bakes.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for deeper flavor.
- Drizzle icing only after cooking so it doesn’t burn or disappear into the dish.
- Let it rest before serving so the filling thickens slightly.
- Pairs extremely well with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
