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Air Fryer Pickles are super crispy and make a great game day or party snack! Fried Pickles made in the Air Fryer are healthier because they are made with a lot less oil and have a crunchy panko breadcrumbs coating that makes them taste even better than the deep fried original.

We love our Air Fryer for making extra crispy snacks without the added calories from deep frying like our Air Fryer Onion Rings, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, and AirFryer Chicken Drumsticks!

A heap of air fryer dill pickles on a white plate with a small glass bowl with a dip in it.Air Fryer Pickles

My husband and I love everything deep fried, especially fried pickles. They make a perfect snack and are so flavorful, salty, and crunchy! But I’m not a big fan of deep frying at home because of the mess and the added calories. The Air Fryer is the perfect tool to make crispy fried pickles in your own kitchen that have less than a 1/4 of the calories of the deep fried version and are as crunchy and flavorful as the real deal.

Dill Pickle spears are dredged in a spiced batter, coated with panko breadcrumbs and then air fried to crispy, golden perfection. Using a batter and panko breadcrumbs gives the pickles a deliciously crunchy crust that adds flavor and makes them taste very similar to pickles that are battered and deep fried.

Love deep fried pickles? Then you have to try this Air Fryer version, you will love it even more!

Dill pickle wedges, with a whole dill pickle on a cutting board with a kitchen towel. There\'s a white bowl with batter and a glass bowl with flour in the background.

Tips for Making Fried Pickles in the Air Fryer

  • Pat the pickle spears dry with paper towels so the batter and coating will stick better!
  • You can buy pickle spears or cut normal large dill pickles into spears
  • Instead of pickle spears, you can also use pickle slices
  • If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make your own by adding 1 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon/lime juice to a ½ cup of milk.
  • If you like it extra spicy add a few dashes of hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture
  • Using panko breadcrumbs makes these Fried Pickles extra crispy but you could also use normal breadcrumbs
  • Divide the panko breadcrumbs mixture in two so you can switch to the fresh breadcrumbs when the first batch gets clumpy
  • Different models of Air Fryers cook food differently so always keep an eye on the food
  • If your Air Fryer doesn’t go as high as 400F, fry them at the highest temperature

Looking for more air fryer recipe ideas? Check out all my easy air fryer recipes!

Breaded pickle spears in an air fryer basket.

How to make Air Fryer “Deep” Fried Pickles

Follow the directions to dredge in flour, dip in batter, and roll the pickle spears in panko, then place them in the Air Fryer basket. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees F until golden brown. For extra crispy, crunchy pickles, spray with cooking spray (or coconut oil) after half the cook time is over.

How many calories do fried pickles have?

A deep fried pickle is much higher in calories than an air fried pickle. A deep fried pickle spear contains about 170 calories, while an air fried pickle spear contains only about 40 calories.

What to serve with Fried Pickles?

Serve with ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.

A fried dill pickle is dipped into sauce in a small glass bowl, with more fried pickles next to it on a white plate.

Tools and Ingredients used for making this Fried Pickle Recipe

Air Fryer: This is the model I own. I really like it and would recommend it for smaller families. It came with a rack which doubles the space in the basket. Before buying this model I had the older XL Air Fryer which was bigger but took a lot more space to store.
Air Fryer Oven: This oven is on my wishlist! I saw it at Costco and it has great reviews. It has a lot more functions then an Air Fryer!
Panko Breadcrumbs: This is my go-to brand for breadcrumbs! I usually buy them at Costco.


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4.99 from 51 votes

Air Fryer Pickles

Air Fryer Pickles are super crispy and make a great game day or party snack!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 3-4 large dill pickles, cut into spears
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, see tips above for making your own
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Oil Spray, optional

Instructions 

  • Dry the pickles with paper towels.
  • You need three shallow bowls or deep plates. In the first one combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt.
  • In the second combine buttermilk (or milk and vinegar/lemon juice) and egg, then add ¼ cup of the flour mixture from the first bowl. 
  • In the third combine panko breadcrumbs, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and olive oil with a fork until the oil is evenly distributed.
  • Dredge the pickle spears in the flour mixture, drop them in the buttermilk mixture and then dredge them in the panko mixture until coated evenly.
  • Place pickle spears in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. Use a rack to make a second layer.
  • Cook at 400°F until golden brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Spray with some cooking spray after about 6 minutes for a more golden finish. Repeat with remaining pickles spears.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1307mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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About Julia Foerster

Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch, with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions.

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29 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Everybody loved these. It definitely makes a difference what kind of pickles you use though. I tried every pickle in the house and I prefer dills but ours were on the small side. Next time I’ll use longer spears. But there were NO leftovers.

  2. 5 stars
    These were amazing! I haven’t had a fried pickle since before the pandemic started, but now that I have an air fryer, I can make these right at home. And these were probably the best fried pickles I’ve ever had. I added a few splashes of hot sauce to the milk/egg mixture and served with Spicy Ranch dressing. Yum!

  3. 5 stars
    I have tried many recipes for fried pickles in an air fryer. This recipe is the best one. The addition of olive oil in the breadcrumbs seems odd to me. But it’s essential to give it that fried taste and not dried out.

  4. 5 stars
    I am going to have to try this air fryer pickles. It looks so yummy and healthier, and it has 3 of my favorite flavors olive oil ,dill pickles and buttermilk. Thanks for sharing!