Air Fryer Miso Caramel Pear Fritters

Name: Air Fryer Miso Caramel Pear Fritters
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired
Ingredients: 3 medium (900 g) firm pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, cored, and cut into 3-inch batons; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) table salt; 1 (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon (18 g) white or yellow miso paste, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water; 1½ teaspoons (7 ml) vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter; ¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar; 1½ teaspoons (9 g) white or yellow miso paste (for caramel); 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water; ¼ teaspoon (1.2 ml) vanilla extract; fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy-outside, tender-inside pear fritters kissed with umami-sweet miso caramel. A Japanese-inspired pastry that cooks in minutes in the air fryer, requiring no deep frying mess. The miso adds depth to the caramel coating while the pears stay juicy within their light, airy crust. Perfect as a dessert or afternoon snack with tea.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 16 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 41 min
Makes: 12 fritters

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 medium (900 g) firm pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, cored, and cut into 3-inch batons
¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
¾ teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) table salt
1 (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (18 g) white or yellow miso paste, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
1½ teaspoons (7 ml) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons (9 g) white or yellow miso paste (for caramel)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
¼ teaspoon (1.2 ml) vanilla extract
fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (8)

Air fryer basket (at least 6-inch capacity)
Large mixing bowl
Small bowl or ramekin
Whisk
Knife and cutting board
Paper towels
Small saucepan or skillet
Tongs or cooking chopsticks

Steps

Before you start

Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes
Peel and core pears just before battering to prevent browning
Have all ingredients measured and ready—battering and frying happen quickly

1
Make the miso caramel
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter with the brown sugar.
- Stir constantly until the mixture is bubbly and darkened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the 1.5 teaspoons (9 g) miso paste until smooth.
- Add the water and vanilla extract, whisking until combined.
- Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the batter.
- The caramel will thicken a bit as it cools.
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Ready when: Mixture bubbles and darkens slightly; miso whisks in smoothly
Tip: Don't let the caramel burn—it will taste bitter. Keep the heat moderate and stir constantly.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (0.75 cup / 90 g), cornstarch (0.25 cup / 30 g), baking powder (0.75 teaspoon / 4 g), and salt (0.25 teaspoon / 1.5 g).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no clumps
3
Make the wet batter
- In a small bowl, dissolve the miso paste (1 tablespoon / 18 g) in 1 tablespoon warm water.
- Whisk together the large egg, whole milk (0.5 cup / 120 ml), and the miso mixture until well combined and smooth.
- Stir in the vegetable oil (1.5 teaspoons / 7 ml).
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Ready when: Miso is fully dissolved; wet mixture is smooth and homogeneous
Tip: Warm water helps dissolve the miso completely, preventing lumps in the batter.
4
Combine batter
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fold together gently with a spatula or whisk just until combined—don't overmix.
- The batter should be thick but pourable, with some small lumps remaining.
- Do not stir until smooth.
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Ready when: Wet and dry ingredients are just combined; batter is lumpy
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the fritters tough. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour.
5
Prepare pear batons
- Peel, core, and cut the 3 medium pears (900 g) into 3-inch (7.5 cm) batons about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) thick.
- Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to prevent water from splattering in the air fryer.
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Ready when: Pears are cut into even batons and completely dry
Tip: Work quickly after peeling so the pears don't oxidize and brown. Pat them very dry—moisture will cause splattering and uneven cooking.
6
Coat pears with batter
- Working in batches of 4–5 batons at a time, dip each pear baton into the batter, turning to coat all sides evenly but not thickly.
- Let excess batter drip back into the bowl.
- Arrange the coated batons on a plate in a single layer.
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Ready when: Each baton is coated in a thin, even layer of batter
Tip: Don't let coated batons sit too long or the batter will absorb moisture and become soggy. Coat and fry in quick succession.
7
Air fry first batchOven 375°F / 190°C
- Arrange the first batch of 6 battered pear batons in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket at 375°F (190°C), making sure they don't touch.
- Air fry for 8 minutes, shaking the basket gently halfway through (at the 4-minute mark) to ensure even browning.
- The fritters should be golden-brown and crispy on the outside.
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Ready when: Exterior is golden-brown and crispy; a skewer inserted into a fritter meets no raw batter
Tip: Don't overcrowd the basket—air needs to circulate. If needed, use a parchment paper liner to prevent sticking, but it may reduce crispiness slightly.
8
Air fry second batchOven 375°F / 190°C
- Transfer the first batch to a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining 6 battered pear batons, air frying at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes with a shake at the 4-minute mark.
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Ready when: Exterior is golden-brown and crispy; no raw batter visible
Tip: If your air fryer basket is large enough, you can fit all 12 in one batch—just allow an extra 1–2 minutes.
9
Cool and glaze
- Let the fritters rest on the plate for 2 minutes to set, then transfer all 12 to a serving dish.
- Gently pour or drizzle the miso caramel over and around the fritters, coating them lightly.
- Sprinkle with fleur de sel if desired.
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Ready when: Fritters are warm but not steaming; caramel coats them lightly
Tip: Drizzle the caramel rather than dunking—the fritters will stay crispier. The salt brings out the umami sweetness of the miso.
10
Serve immediately
- Serve the fritters warm while the exterior is still crispy and the pear is tender inside.
- Serve with tea or as a dessert on its own.
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Tip: Fritters are best eaten within 10 minutes of frying while they're at peak crispiness.

Good to know

Tips

Miso comes in several varieties; white and yellow miso are mild and slightly sweet, perfect for this recipe. Red or dark miso will add too much saltiness and funk.
The batter must stay lumpy—overmixing develops gluten and makes the fritters chewy instead of tender and light.
Pat the pear batons completely dry before battering; any surface moisture will cause the batter to slide off or the fritters to splatter in the air fryer.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can deep-fry these in 2–3 inches of 350°F (175°C) oil for about 3–4 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels and glaze while warm.

Make ahead

The miso caramel can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently warm it in a small saucepan over low heat before serving. The batter can be prepared up to 1 hour before frying—keep it covered at room temperature. Pears must be cut, coated, and fried the same day for best results.

Storage & reheating

Fritters are best eaten fresh and warm, ideally within 10 minutes of cooking. Leftover fritters can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours (they will lose crispiness). Reheat in a 325°F (163°C) air fryer for 3–4 minutes to restore some crispiness. Do not refrigerate or freeze—the pear will become mushy and the batter soggy. Store caramel separately in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Substitutions

firm pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett) → firm apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and cut into batons. Apples are slightly crisper and less delicate than pears; add 1–2 minutes to the air fry time if needed.
white or yellow miso paste → omit the miso in the batter and caramel; add 1 teaspoon soy sauce to the caramel for umami depth instead. This removes the miso character but keeps the umami-sweet balance. The fritters will taste less complex.
whole milk → unsweetened plant-based milk (oat or almond). Works well with minimal change; may be slightly less tender but still delicious.
packed brown sugar → regular white sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses. Mimics brown sugar's flavor and moisture; mix them together before adding to the butter.