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!
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 ¼ 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!
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!
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.
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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Air Fryer Pickles
Ingredients
- 3-4 large dill pickles, cut into spears
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- ½ 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 ½ 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 ½ 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 Information
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If you’ve tried this or any other of my recipes, don’t forget to rate the recipe and to leave me a comment. I love hearing from you!
Kirsten Stellyes says
At first, the steps in this recipe had me a bit concerned. I have tried many air fryer recipes for pickles and this one is the best. The coating stays on and the pickles are nice and crispy. Didn’t notice they weren’t fried. I definitely will be making these again!
Stephanie says
These were super delicious! Most of the coating fell off, but I did cut them with a knife and fork to eat. Very easy to make.
Kelly Flowers says
can you make these ahead? say 1-2 days prior to cooking?
Thanks!
Julia Foerster says
I don’t recommend making these ahead.
J says
Omg yum! Ate all the pickles in the house and need to buy more!
I used regular speared dill pickles from a jar and had some batter leftover so I finished it off on my jar of sweet gherkin pickles! They were both AWESOME!!! Ate a plate FULL (I’m pregnant lol) and finished them off. I cooked them all in the air fryer at the same time, with the gherkins on the rack insert.
I did NOT have milk or buttermilk, so I used plain yogurt (no sugar added…the more sour tasting kind) and that was fine! I think it obviously made it more clumpy when shaking around in the panko, but the taste was great! Next time I’m adding more cayenne or hot sauce!
Really, really recommend the sweet gherkins!! Would make for an easy appetizer as they don’t have to be cut or pat dry.
Mrs. Webb says
Holy yum! Wow! These turned out amazing! I used Vlassic Dill Spears but thinking about upgrading to a spicy garlic deli pickles next time! This recipe is perfect if you have the munchies and want to keep your snacks on the healthier side. Not to mention you can whip these up in 5min.
Grace says
Planning on trying this recipe today – could you please update how it is with the spicy pickles? Would love to try that next. Thank you!
Jennifer Potts says
good
Grace says
I made these with my mom and we both loved them!!! We even did banana peppers!! I really recommend this recipe.
Tia says
I had some odd pickles this time around and found that double dipping them in the flour and egg then moving onto the panko mixture helped, but I really feel my pickles were to blame that on, the flavor and crispness were AMAZING. Saving this recipe for all my deep fried things! Can’t wait to try okra, and I’m even gonna try it on mushrooms!
Ryan says
Quick and simple. Loved it all.
I wasn’t able to use an egg due to allergies, so I simply added more butter milk.
No cayenne in the house so I used smoked paprika and onion powder, white pepper instead of black pepper too.
Marcia Myers says
Love this recipe! Great pickles.
Anne says
We use this batter recipe on everything! Pickles, okra, green tomatoes…etc.
So good!
Carroll Vinson says
Fried pickles
Christine says
Cannot wait to try! I am obsessed with the Pampered Chef Air Fryer – very much like the Cuisinart you posted. That was on my wishlist before I found PC’s!
Rhevyn Berry says
Delicious! My husband and I loved them and they were quick and easy. I added some parmigiano-reggiano cheese to the panko and it added a nice cheesy tang! Also coated some avocados in the same better and panko–also sooo good. Thanks
Zachary Buhrts says
Air frying them right now ! I bet they will taste awesome!
Julia says
Delicious. Was skeptical about tasting the spices but you get a nice hint of flavor. Will definitely make again. Thanks for helping me fulfill my pickle addiction :)
Paula says
Great crunch! Very like the deep fried version. Best air fried version I tried.
Billy says
I’ve never tried frying pickles with panko! Sounds so delicious. Thanks for sharing, cannot wait to make these at home!
Julia says
You have to give them a try! I think they would be super delicious with Bubbies Dill Pickles :)
Robin Gagnon says
Just the right amount of tanginess and crunch.
Jenn says
Fried pickles are EVERYTHING!!!! I basically need to run out and buy an air fryer STAT! I need these pickles like woah!