Air-Fryer Frickles: A Quick, Crispy, Tasty Treat

Air fryers are a great way to make your favourite fried foods with less oil and mess. One such snack is frickles, or fried pickles, which can be made in an air fryer in just a few simple steps. Using pre-sliced pickles as a shortcut, you can make this crispy and satisfying snack by dredging the pickles in flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs before air-frying them in batches.

Preparing the pickles

Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F. While you wait for it to heat up, place your chosen sliced pickles on paper towels and let them rest for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. The drier the pickles are, the better the coating will stick.

Once your pickles are dry, set up your dredging station. You'll need three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, combine flour with salt. In the second, whisk together eggs, pickle juice, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. In the third bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with fresh dill.

Now it's time to coat the pickles. First, dip them into the flour mixture, coating both sides, and shake off any excess. Then, dip them into the egg mixture, followed by the bread crumb mixture, patting the coating on to help it adhere.

Creating a dredging station

To create a dredging station for making frickles in an air fryer, you'll need three shallow bowls and a selection of dry and wet ingredients.

In the first bowl, combine the flour with salt and any other seasonings you wish to include. Common choices are cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. You can also use seasoned flour, which is a blend of flour and various spices. This first bowl will be used for the initial coating of the pickles.

The second bowl will contain the wet ingredients that act as a binding agent. A simple combination of eggs and milk will work, but if you want to enhance the pickle flavour, use a mixture of eggs and pickle juice with some extra seasoning like cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.

The third bowl will contain the final coating for the pickles before they go into the air fryer. Combine the panko breadcrumbs with fresh or dried dill. You can also add extra flavourings to the breadcrumbs if desired.

Once you have your three bowls set up with the correct ingredients, you can start the dredging process by dipping the pickles into each bowl in succession, shaking off any excess coating and patting them to help the coating adhere.

Coating the pickles

To coat the pickles, you'll need to set up a dredging station. Line up three shallow bowls and prepare each with a different mixture. In the first bowl, combine flour with salt. The second bowl should contain a mixture of eggs, pickle juice, cayenne, and garlic powder—whisk these together. For the third bowl, combine panko and dill.

Now, take your pickles and dip them into the flour mixture, coating both sides. Shake off any excess flour, then dip them into the egg mixture. Finally, dip them into the bread crumb mixture, patting the coating on to help it adhere.

It's important that your pickles are as dry as possible before you start coating them. This will help the coating stick. If you're using pre-sliced pickles, drain them and dry them on paper towels before you begin.

Air-frying the pickles

Preparation

First, you will need to preheat your air fryer to 400°F. While the air fryer is heating up, place your chosen pickles on paper towels and let them rest for about 15 minutes to absorb any excess liquid. It is important that the pickles are as dry as possible, as this will help the coating stick better.

Dredging station

During the 15 minutes that the pickles are drying, you can prepare your dredging station. For this, you will need three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, combine all-purpose flour with salt. The second bowl will be for the egg wash: whisk together eggs, pickle juice, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. You can add extra seasoning to the egg wash if you like your frickles spicy! The third bowl will be for the final coating: combine panko bread crumbs with fresh, snipped dill.

Coating the pickles

Now it's time to coat the pickles! Start by dipping the pickles into the flour mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Shake off any excess flour, then dip them into the egg mixture. Finally, dip them into the bread crumb mixture, patting the coating to help it adhere.

Air-frying

Once all your pickles are coated, it's time to air-fry them! Place the pickles in a single layer on a greased tray in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, which can affect the cooking. Fry the pickles for 5-7 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.

Final touches

After the first side is crispy and golden, it's time to flip the pickles. Spritz them with cooking spray and air-fry for another 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.

And that's it! You now have delicious, crispy frickles ready to serve. They go great with a creamy dipping sauce like ranch dressing, fry sauce, or aioli. Enjoy!

Storing and serving the frickles

Storing and serving frickles is simple! They are best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days. To reheat, place the frickles in a single layer in the air fryer, spritz them with a little cooking spray, and air-fry at 400°F for three to five minutes.

Frickles are a fantastic snack on their own, but they go well with an assortment of dipping sauces. Serve them with condiments such as mayonnaise, ranch dressing, or a spicy aioli. They also make a great topping for burgers, adding a ton of texture.

When storing frickles, it is important to use a sterilized container. Most people prefer clear glass jars because they can easily see the contents. To sterilize a glass jar, half-fill it with water and place it in the microwave oven. Heat on high power for 2-3 minutes until the water boils. Then, empty and drain the jar upside down on kitchen paper. The jar should still be warm when you fill it with frickles. Screw on the lid tightly, and make sure it is also sterilized by pouring hot boiling water on it and letting it dry on a rack.

If you are using a plastic container, the same principle applies. Sterilize the container by pouring hot boiling water on it and its seal. Do not immerse the container in water, as this can loosen the lid, causing it to no longer be airtight or watertight.

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