Apple Flautas

By Jennie Alley
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Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
$2.33 recipe / $0.38 serving
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Apple flautas will always remind me of my childhood. If you grew up in the 90s like I did, you probably remember the Schwann’s man making his rounds. I can still picture my mom pulling a box of frozen apple flautas from his freezer truck full of frozen goodies, and I knew dessert was about to get seriously upgraded. Warm, crispy, and coated in cinnamon sugar, it truly didn’t get much better. These days I make my own version using the air fryer, which is a little lighter compared to deep frying, but I promise they’re every bit as delicious as you remember!

A stack of air fried apple flautas.
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Homemade Air Fryer Apple Flautas

While testing this recipe for apple flautas, I was honestly surprised by just how easy and quick they are to make. And not only are they so, so good, they’re also incredibly inexpensive. All you need is a couple of apples and a few pantry staples!

Typically, flautas are a savory Mexican dish stuffed with meats, cheese, or beans, then fried until crunchy. This recipe takes the same idea but fills the tortillas with warm fried cinnamon apples instead. I’ve also heard people call apple flautas apple pie taquitos, and honestly, that’s the perfect description. They’re like bite-sized rolled up apple pies with a crunchy tortilla shell…the perfect cozy, hand-held dessert! 😋

Recipe Success Tips & Suggestions

  1. You can use any size air fryer, but you may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
  2. Don’t overfill the tortillas or they won’t roll up and stay closed!
  3. Swap the filling! The apple mixture in this recipe is like a quick, stovetop apple pie filling (and it’s INCREDIBLY delicious!), but you can try other fruit fillings if you like. Try cherry sauce, blueberry pie filling, peach sauce, or whatever fruit you want. I’d avoid anything too watery, though, as it’ll spill out of the tortillas and into your air fryer. Simmer homemade sauces for longer to thicken them up.
  4. Want to try the oven? I make these apple flautas in the air fryer because it’s just so easy and convenient. But I’m sure they’ll be equally delicous baked in the oven! Follow the directions below and bake until golden and crisp.
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Apple Flautas

Cost $2.33 recipe / $0.38 serving
No ratings yet
This easy Apple Flautas recipe makes crispy, golden rolls in the air fryer with a warm cinnamon-apple filling that’s perfect for dessert, snacking, or breakfast.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Author: Jennie Alley
A stack of homemade apple flautas.
Servings 6 servings
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 2 Granny Smith apples (peeled and diced, (medium-sized, 280g, 2 ½ cups once diced) $1.90*)
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.20)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon ($0.05)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice ($0.03)
  • tsp salt ($0.01)
  • 1 tsp cornstarch ($0.01)
  • 2 Tbsp water ($0.00)

To Assemble:

  • 6 small flour tortillas (6-inch, $0.11)
  • non-stick cooking spray ($0.02)

Instructions 

  • Gather all ingredients, then peel and dice the apples into small cubes.**
  • In a medium skillet over medium heat combine diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes until the apples start to soften.
  • In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Pour the slurry into the apple mixture and cook for 1–2 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly.
  • Spoon a line of the apple filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange the flautas in a single layer (work in batches if needed), seam-side down. Air fry for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and golden brown.
  • Let the flautas cool slightly before serving. You can enjoy them as is, or roll them in cinnamon-sugar while they’re still warm for an extra treat.***

See how we calculate recipe costs here.


Equipment

  • Medium Skillet
  • Air Fryer (any size)

Notes

*Granny Smith apples are my favorite to use in this recipe. They’re sweet-tart, budget-friendly, and hold their shape well. But any apple you’d use to make an apple pie will work in this recipe (e.g., Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious).
**Dicing apples tip: Cut the apples into quarters to easily remove the core, then slice each quarter into sticks and dice. This gives you even pieces and reduces waste.
***Sweet finish: While these apple flautas are delicious on their own, tossing them in cinnamon-sugar right after air frying adds a nostalgic churro-like crunch. They’re also incredible with a drizzle of our easy caramel sauce.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 149kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSodium: 272mgFiber: 3g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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how to make Apple Flautas step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make air fried apple flautas.

Gather all of your ingredients.

A hand using a vegetable peeler to peel a green apple.

Prep the apples: Start by peeling and dicing 2 Granny Smith apples.

A hand using a knife to dice an apple into small pieces on a wooden cutting board.

I like to cut my apples into quarters to remove the core. Then I slice the quarters into sticks and dice the apples small.

Diced apple, brown sugar, and spices in a skillet.

Make the filling: Add the diced apples, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes until the apples begin to soften.

A cornstarch slurry being poured into a skillet with softened diced apple.

Thicken the filling: Mix 1 tsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the apple mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened and glossy.

The filling for homemade apple flautas in a skillet.

Remove the skillet from the heat to allow the filling to cool slightly.

Hands rolling up a flour tortilla to make a homemade apple flauta.

Assemble the apple flautas: Spoon a line of the apple filling directly down the center of each small flour tortilla. Don’t overfill them! Roll the tortillas up tightly and place them seam side down. Repeat until all 6 small flour tortillas are filled.

Apple flautas in an air fryer basket.

Air fry: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and arrange the flautas in a single layer (seam side down). Work in batches here if needed.

Kitchen tongs flipping over filled apple flautas in an air fryer basket.

Air fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through until crisp and browned.

Air fried apple flautas in an air fryer basket.

Serve: Let your homemade apple flautas cool for a few minutes to allow the filling to thicken up slightly. You can serve them as is, but I love rolling them in some cinnamon-sugar while they’re still warm! Enjoy.

A stack of homemade apple flautas being drizzled in caramel sauce.

sERVING sUGGESTIONS

These easy apple flautas make the perfect dessert, but they’re also great for a sweet breakfast or snack. I love serving them warm and rolled in cinnamon sugar, with a drizzle of caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream. You can even slice them into bite-sized pieces and serve them with little dipping bowls of caramel, melted chocolate, or Greek yogurt for a fun party treat!

Storage & Reheating

So long as you don’t mind a softer texture, you can store leftover apple flautas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them after air frying. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.

To reheat, I like to use the air fryer (350°F for 4–5 minutes), but you can also warm them in the oven at 350°F for 10–12 minutes or pop them in the microwave for 30–45 seconds (though they won’t be as crisp).

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