These quick and easy Air Fryer Dill Pickles are crunchy, tangy, and an appetizer that will disappear in minutes. They’re the perfect bite for game day, parties, or an afternoon snack. Forget the hassle of deep frying at home, with the air fryer there’s much less mess and clean up too!
Anything fried is extra delicious, but a perfectly fried crispy, zesty dill pickle? That’s next-level delicious. These crispy Air Fryer Dill Pickles deliver all the flavor and everything you love about the classic fried pickle, but without the mess and oil. This easy version is so simple to make and so irresistibly crunchy, you’ll wish you knew about these sooner!
Tangy, crunchy sliced dill pickles are coated in not one but two crunchy breadcrumbs for the ultimate texture combination, then air fried to crispy golden-brown perfection. These Air Fryer Dill pickles are unbelievably satisfying and curb every deep-fried craving without the hassle and heavy clean-up. Served with a creamy, cool homemade dipping sauce on the side, you’ll be hooked from your first bite.
If you’re a pickle lover like we are, try these other pickle-inspired recipes (we happen to be famous for them!). We love these Pickle Smash Burgers and this Dill Pickle Egg Salad for tangy twists on the classics.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy Without Deep Frying: Get that delicious crisp, golden-brown crunch without the mess and hassle of deep frying in a huge pot of oil. This method is just as delicious, and no fuss.
- Quick and Easy: Thanks to a simple method and the air fryer, you can whip these up quickly, without a huge set-up or clean-up.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: These crispy “fried” bites are made with simple items you likely already have in your pantry and fridge.
- Perfect Appetizer or Snack: Bite-sized and extra satisfying, these are great to serve as a starter or a quick snack.
- Customizable: Switch up the seasoning easily and adjust the spice level to your liking. These are great to customize.
Ingredients
- Dill Pickles: Crunchy and tangy, use your favorite variety cut into slices for the perfect poppable bite.
- All Purpose Flour: For dredging, to get that golden-brown crust.
- Eggs: Use size large with a splash of water.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Light and airy for crunch.
- Plain Breadcrumbs: For even more crispy texture.
- Garlic Powder: Added depth of flavor.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Always season to taste.
- Cooking Spray: A generous coating so the pickles get nice and golden.
Dipping Sauce:
- Mayonnaise: A rich and creamy base.
- Ketchup: A tomato-y tang.
- Dill Pickle Juice: For even more of that signature pickle flavor.
- Dijon Mustard: Sharp and spicy.
- Worcestershire Sauce: For an umami note.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Aromatic seasonings.
- Cayenne Pepper: For heat. Add as much or as little as you’d like.
How To Make Air Fryer Dill Pickles
1. Lay out the pickle slices on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides. Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
2. Set up a breading station by lining up 3 shallow bowls next to a baking sheet. Add the flour into the first bowl, add the eggs and a splash of water, beating with a fork until well combined into the second bowl and add the panko, breadcrumbs, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir well to combine.
3. Add a pickle slice to the flour bowl and turn to coat, shaking off the excess.
4. Next, add the pickle to the egg bowl and turn to coat, letting the excess drip off.
5. Then add the pickle to the breadcrumb bowl and press gently to adhere the crumbs to the pickle. Flip over and do the same on the other side.
6. Transfer pickle to a baking sheet and repeat with remaining pickles.
7. Add breaded pickles to the basket of the preheated air fryer, in a single layer and not overlapping, you will cook in batches.
8. Lightly spray with cooking spray, then air fry for 5-8 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking.
9. Transfer cooked pickles to cooling rack and repeat with remaining batches of pickles.
10. Let the pickles cool for a few minutes, then serve hot/warm, with desired dipping sauce.
For The Sauce:
1. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and ketchup. Mix them well until they are fully incorporated. Add the dill pickle juice to the mixture. Stir it in thoroughly.
2. Add the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to the bowl.
3. Taste the sauce and season it with salt and pepper according to your preference.
4. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it out with a little more pickle juice or water. Conversely, if it’s too thin, you can add a bit more mayonnaise.
5. For the best flavor, cover the dipping sauce and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. However, you can use it immediately.
6. Your homemade dipping sauce is now ready to accompany your crispy fried pickles. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Pat Pickles Dry: Remove as much excess moisture as possible. The dryer the pickle, the better, so the coating sticks for the crispiest results.
- Don’t Overcrowd Basket: Place the pickles in an even, single layer in the air fryer basket. If you stuff too many in, they won’t crisp up nicely.
- Use a Mix of Panko and Plain Breadcrumbs: A combination of both will give you the best, crunchy texture.
- Spray Lightly for to help with Browning: Use a liberal coating of cooking spray or olive oil spray so the pickles crisp up and get golden-brown.
- Serve Immediately: When they’re hot and crispy fresh from the air fryer, that’s when they’re the crunchiest.
Variations
- Use Spears: Slices are poppable, but try making spears for a larger serving size of these air frier pickles.
- Add Heat: Mix in some cayenne pepper into the flour or breadcrumb mixture while dredging, or hot sauce into the sauce for a little kick.
- Go Gluten-Free: Swap out the breadcrumbs for a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch.
- Try Different Seasonings: Add ranch seasoning or Old Bay spice into the dredging mixture for different, zesty flavor twists.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Pickles
These are delicious little bites on their own, but make them a side or as part of a spread with some our other favorites here:
- Crack Chicken Burger
- Sheet Pan Burgers
- Crockpot Shredded BBQ Sandwiches
- The Best Fried Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer French Fries
Storage
Store leftover air-fried pickles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes until they crisp up.
You can freeze air fryer pickles in an airtight container for up to 2 months, but we recommend freezing them before they’re cooked. When you’re ready to cook, air-fry from frozen, just add a few additional minutes to the cook time.
Bread the pickles ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking in the air fryer. We recommend enjoying them right away, once they’re cooked and hot.
FAQs
We recommend slicing whole pickles into spears if you aren’t going to do slices or “chips”. These are easier to handle, bread, and fit into the air fryer basket.
This can happen if you didn’t pat the pickles dry before coating, or if you overcrowd the basket while cooking.
Anything you’d like! We like a creamy mayo or sour cream-based sauce, but experiment with your favorites.
Yes. You can freeze them for up to 2 months in an airtight container, then thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. But we actually recommend freezing them before you cook them for the best texture.
More Easy Appetizers
Air Fryer Dill Pickles
Ingredients
Method
- Lay out the pickle slices on a cutting board and pat dry on both sides. Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Set up a breading station by lining up 3 shallow bowls next to a baking sheet. Add the flour into the first bowl, add the eggs and a splash of water, beating with a fork until well combined into the second bowl and add the panko, breadcrumbs, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir well to combine.
- Add a pickle slice to the flour bowl and turn to coat, shaking off the excess. Next, add the pickle to the egg bowl and turn to coat, letting the excess drip off. Then add the pickle to the breadcrumb bowl and press gently to adhere the crumbs to the pickle. Flip over and do the same on the other side.
- Transfer pickle to a baking sheet and repeat with remaining pickles.
- Add breaded pickles to the basket of the preheated air fryer, in a single layer and not overlapping, you will cook in batches.
- Lightly spray with cooking spray, then air fry for 5-8 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking.
- Transfer cooked pickles to cooling rack and repeat with remaining batches of pickles.
- Let the pickles cool for a few minutes, then serve hot/warm, with desired dipping sauce.
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and ketchup. Mix them well until they are fully incorporated. Add the dill pickle juice to the mixture. Stir it in thoroughly.
- Add the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to the bowl.
- Taste the sauce and season it with salt and pepper according to your preference.
- If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it out with a little more pickle juice or water. Conversely, if it’s too thin, you can add a bit more mayonnaise.
- For the best flavor, cover the dipping sauce and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. However, you can use it immediately.
- Your homemade dipping sauce is now ready to accompany your crispy fried pickles. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftover air-fried pickles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes until they crisp up.
- Freeze air fryer pickles in an airtight container for up to 2 months, but we recommend freezing them before they’re cooked. When you’re ready to cook, air-fry from frozen, just add a few additional minutes to the cook time.
- Bread the pickles ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking in the air fryer. We recommend enjoying them right away, once they’re cooked and hot.