Sweet Maple Air Fryer Nectarine

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If you ask me, air fryer nectarines are a genius way to enjoy summer fruit.

These warm, juicy nectarines turn into a sweet treat that’s perfect for dessert or breakfast. The natural sugars caramelize just right, creating a simple but wonderful flavor that reminds me of pie filling.

The air fryer does all the work in just a few minutes, giving you tender fruit with slightly crispy edges. A drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon is all you need to make them shine.

It’s an easy recipe that makes the most of fresh nectarines, ideal for those warm days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

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What Kind of Nectarines Should I Use?

For air frying, you’ll want to pick nectarines that are ripe but still slightly firm – if they’re too soft, they might turn mushy during cooking. Yellow nectarines tend to be a bit sweeter and work great in this recipe, while white nectarines have a milder, more delicate sweetness. When shopping, look for fruits that give slightly when pressed and have a sweet aroma at the stem end. Try to avoid nectarines with any green coloring or bruising, and don’t worry about the occasional blemish or spots on the skin – these won’t affect the taste once they’re cooked.

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Options for Substitutions

This simple air fryer dessert is pretty flexible with substitutions. Here’s what you can swap:

• Nectarines: You can easily swap nectarines with peaches, plums, or apricots. Just make sure they’re slightly firm and not overripe. If using smaller fruit like apricots, reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
• Vegan butter: Regular butter works perfectly fine here. You could also use coconut oil or even a light brush of neutral oil like avocado oil.
• Maple syrup: Honey makes a great substitute (if you’re not vegan). Agave nectar or even brown sugar will work too – just use the same amount.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: Feel free to play with different spices! Apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice, or just plain cinnamon alone would work great. You can skip the nutmeg if you don’t have it.
• Sugar: Since it’s optional anyway, you can leave it out or replace it with any granulated sweetener you prefer, including coconut sugar or brown sugar.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Air Frying

The biggest challenge when air frying nectarines is getting the timing right – cooking them too long can turn these sweet fruits into a mushy mess, while not cooking them enough leaves them too firm and less caramelized. To get that perfect tender-yet-structured texture, start checking your nectarines at the 6-minute mark and look for slight softening and caramelization around the edges. Another common mistake is overcrowding the air fryer basket – make sure to leave enough space between the nectarine halves so the hot air can circulate properly and create that beautiful caramelization. For the best flavor development, don’t skip letting the butter-maple mixture settle into the fruit’s flesh for a minute before air frying, and remember to place the nectarines cut-side up to prevent the sweet topping from dripping off during cooking.

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What to Serve With Air Fryer Nectarines?

These warm, sweet air fryer nectarines make an amazing dessert that’s just begging for some tasty toppings! A scoop of vanilla ice cream (dairy or non-dairy) is perfect here – it melts slightly over the warm fruit creating an amazing sauce with the maple and spices. You can also serve these nectarines with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of granola for some crunch, or even a drizzle of caramel sauce. For breakfast or brunch, try serving them over yogurt with a handful of toasted nuts, or alongside some French toast or waffles to make it extra special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Air fried nectarines are best enjoyed right away while they’re still warm and caramelized. If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the texture might become a bit softer.

Make Ahead: You can mix the butter, maple syrup, and spices ahead of time and store the mixture in the fridge for up to a week. When you’re ready to make the nectarines, just warm up the mixture slightly so it’s spreadable.

Enjoy Again: To enjoy leftover nectarines, you can pop them back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes to warm them up. They’re also pretty good cold, mixed into yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 250-300
• Protein: 2-4 g
• Fat: 10-12 g
• Carbohydrates: 38-42 g

Ingredients

• 2 ripe nectarines
• 1 tbsp plant-based butter
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Small pinch salt, optional
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar, optional

Step 1: Prepare the Air Fryer and Nectarines

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (180°C).

Meanwhile, cut the nectarines in half and remove the pits.

If the pits are difficult to remove, use a small spoon to carefully dig them out.

Step 2: Make the Cinnamon-Maple Glaze

• 1 tbsp plant-based butter
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• small pinch salt, optional

In a small pot over medium heat, combine the plant-based butter, pure maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a small pinch of salt if using.

Whisk continually until the butter is melted and the mixture is well combined, then remove from the heat.

I like to taste the glaze at this stage and add a bit more cinnamon if I want a deeper spice flavor.

Step 3: Air Fry Nectarines, Cut-Side Down

• nectarine halves from Step 1
• cinnamon-maple glaze from Step 2

Line the air fryer basket, then arrange the nectarine halves cut-side down.

Brush the tops with some of the prepared glaze (from Step 2).

Air fry for 3 minutes to start softening and caramelizing the fruit.

Step 4: Flip, Glaze, and Finish Air Frying

• air-fried nectarine halves from Step 3
• remaining cinnamon-maple glaze from Step 2
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar, optional

Carefully open the air fryer and flip the nectarine halves so the cut side faces up.

Brush again with the remaining glaze (from Step 2).

Sprinkle granulated sugar on top for extra caramelization if desired.

Air fry for another 5 minutes until the nectarines are bubbling and golden.

Step 5: Cool and Serve

Remove the nectarines from the air fryer and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

I find that serving them slightly warm really brings out their flavor!