Air-Fryer Apple Fritters

The apple fritter is the pastry that exists at the intersection of "breakfast" and "dessert" and steadfastly refuses to commit to either side. At a roadside diner in Pennsylvania it shows up at breakfast next to the eggs. At a bakery in suburban California it shows up at 3pm next to the donuts. In a home kitchen, it can be whatever you want it to be.

The traditional version is deep-fried, which is part of what gives the fritter its craggy, irregular crust — a deep-fried batter spreads and crisps unevenly, creating dozens of little ridges and craters. The air-fryer version doesn't quite replicate that craggy texture (the convection heat is more even, so the crust sets more uniformly), but what it loses in surface drama it gains in being doable on a Tuesday morning without a vat of oil.

The technique: cinnamon-spiced batter made with self-rising flour (or all-purpose plus baking powder), diced apples folded in, dropped by the heaping tablespoon onto parchment in the basket, air-fried at 350°F for 8 minutes. Then drizzled with a simple powdered-sugar glaze that sets to a thin white crackled shell.

The photo shows them tucked into a small basket — about 8 fritters, golden-bronze with visible glaze drizzles. Tight, irregular shapes. This is what you want — they shouldn't look like donuts. They should look like accidents.