Keto Fried Pickles in the Air Fryer
Published January 26, 2020 • Updated February 24, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
I triple-coat these pickle chips in almond flour, egg wash, and crushed pork rinds, then air fry them until shatteringly crunchy. At just 2g net carbs, they're my favorite low carb appetizer to serve with ranch or alongside a bunless burger.
I’ve been making keto air fryer pickles for years, and I’ve tried every breading method out there. Almond flour alone? Too flat. Pork rinds alone? Falls right off. The three-bowl dredge is what finally worked, and it’s the reason these come out with a coating that actually stays put and crunches when you bite through it.
The trick I landed on is adding pickle juice to the egg wash. Most recipes just use beaten eggs, but that splash of brine does two things: it thins the wash so it coats more evenly, and it reinforces the pickle flavor through the entire breading. I tested this side by side (eggs only vs. eggs plus pickle juice) and the difference was obvious. The brine version had more flavor in every bite, not just the center.
The breading itself is a combination of almond flour in the first bowl and ground pork rinds in the third. The almond flour gives the egg wash something to grip, and the pork rinds deliver that deep, salty crunch you’d normally only get from deep frying. I grind my pork rinds in a food processor until they’re about the texture of panko. Too fine and they compress; too chunky and they won’t stick. Panko-sized is the sweet spot.
The cajun seasoning in the almond flour bowl is optional, but I almost always use it. It adds a background warmth that rounds out the garlic and cayenne in the pork rind coat. Without it the pickles still taste great, but with it there’s this extra savory depth that makes people ask what’s in the breading. I use about a teaspoon, which keeps the heat subtle enough for everyone.
At 400 degrees for about 12 minutes total (6 per side), the coating sets up golden and crispy without any oil pooling in the basket. I spray them lightly with avocado oil before they go in, just enough to help browning. If you already make fried jalapenos or avocado fries this way, you know how well breaded foods turn out. These pickles are right in that same wheelhouse.
For dipping, I go with ranch most nights, but a chili ranch (ranch plus a few dashes of hot sauce) is my favorite when I’m serving these as an appetizer. They sit nicely on a spread alongside keto mozzarella sticks, pickle wraps, and caprese bites for game day. At only 2g net carbs per serving, these are one of the most snackable low carb appetizers I make.
One thing I always do: pat the pickle chips dry before you start dredging. Pickles are soaked in brine, and if you skip this step, the almond flour turns into paste instead of a dry coating. Two paper towels, press gently, move on. That 30 seconds makes or breaks the whole batch.
Ingredients
1 (16 oz) jar of dill pickle chips -
1/2 cup almond flour
-
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (optional)
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
3 eggs
-
2 tablespoons pickle juice
-
2 cups ground pork rinds
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Paper towels
Place pickles between two paper towels to allow for most of the excess liquid to be absorbed.
The dipping bowls
Prepare the dipping bowls. For bowl 1, mix together almond flour, cajun seasoning (if using), and salt. For bowl 2, whisk together eggs and pickle juice. For bowl 3, mix together ground pork rinds, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
Air fry the pickles
Place a layer of breaded pickles on the basket in the air fryer. Spray breaded pickles with avocado oil or olive oil. Air fry at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. Flip over each pickle and continue to air fry for an additional 6 minutes. Remove from the basket and repeat with remaining breaded pickles.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these in the oven instead of an air fryer?
I've done these in the oven at 400 degrees on a parchment-lined baking sheet. About 12 minutes, flip, then another 8-10 minutes. They come out good, not quite as crispy as when I use the basket method, but still solid. I spray them with avocado oil before baking, same as the original recipe. The edges won't get that same crackle, but the breading still sets up and holds.
What's the best dipping sauce for keto fried pickles?
I keep coming back to ranch, honestly. But my favorite variation is what I call chili ranch: just ranch mixed with a few shakes of hot sauce until it's slightly pink. That little bit of heat plays off the pickle brine flavor really well. I've also done a garlic aioli (mayo, minced garlic, lemon juice) when I want something different. Both pair great with these, and they also go well with homemade guacamole if you want to skip the dairy.
Can I use pickle spears instead of chips?
I've tried spears, and they work, but the breading-to-pickle ratio changes a lot. With chips, every bite has a crunchy shell around it. With spears, you get crunch on the outside and a big burst of pickle in the middle, which some people actually prefer. I cut my spears in half lengthwise so they aren't too thick, and I add an extra minute or two per side since the center is denser.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
I've tested this side by side. Coconut flour absorbs way more liquid, so you need about a third of the amount you'd use for almond flour. I used roughly 2-3 tablespoons where the recipe calls for half a cup. The coating comes out a bit lighter in color and slightly more delicate, but it still holds together. If you're out of almond flour, it's a solid swap.
How do I store leftover fried pickles?
I put any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and they keep for about 3 days. The breading softens up overnight, but I reheat them in the air fryer at 375 for 3-4 minutes and they crisp right back up. I don't recommend the microwave for reheating. It turns the coating soggy and there's no saving it after that.
How many net carbs are in each serving?
Each serving comes out to about 2g net carbs, which is one of the reasons I make these so often. The pork rind breading is essentially zero carb, and the small amount of almond flour in the first dredge keeps the total low. I track my macros pretty carefully, and a full plate of these barely makes a dent. If you need more low carb snack ideas, my keto trail mix is another one I keep in regular rotation.
Can I make these spicier?
I bump up the cayenne to a full teaspoon and add a couple dashes of hot sauce directly into the egg wash. That way the heat gets baked into every layer, not just the outside. My husband likes them even hotter, so I sometimes dust them with extra cayenne right when they come out while the oil is still tacky. If you like heat in your appetizers, my spicy maple pork belly bites are in the same family. Start with what the recipe says and work up from there.
Air fryer fried pickles are a perfect bite sized appetizer or snack. Pickle slices are covered with a crispy low carb breading made up of almond flour and pork rinds. Just a touch of oil and an air fryer gets these pickles extra crispy.
Share this snack with your friends and family on all of your big game day activities – like the Super Bowl. I like to serve these next to a big bunless burger. Dip them in your favorite dressing and enjoy!
The benefit of using an air fryer to fry pickles is that it creates a very crispy fried pickle with very little oil. Air fryers circulate air around the entire food, so every angle gets baked and fried.
I recommend spraying a thin layer of avocado or olive oil on the breaded pickles before air frying. This will help the pickle crisp up even more.
Any brand of air fryer will work for this recipe. The air fryer I own is by 
The crispy coating on these air fried pickles is made up of almond flour, 
There are several dips you can use to dip your air fried pickles in. My favorites are ranch dressing, spicy ranch dressing, and 
My daughter is normally suspicious of anything I make that's 'supposed to taste like something else,' but she didn't even ask what the coating was, she just kept eating. That's kind of a big deal in our house. Only thing I'd say is give yourself extra time to set up the dipping stations the first time around.
Ha, a kid who eats without interrogating the coating. That's the whole goal. First time setup takes some figuring but after that it goes fast.
Didn't think pork rinds could actually do that but I made a second batch before I even sat down. Genuinely shattery in a way I wasn't expecting from an air fryer.
Never used pork rinds before and the triple coating had me nervous, but it all stuck and the crunch was legit. Would these still be crispy if I made them an hour ahead for a party?
Make them ahead, then run back through the air fryer at 375 for 3-4 minutes right before people show up. Crisps right back.
I tried three other keto fried pickle recipes before this one and none of them got the crunch right. The pork rind triple coat is what all the others were skipping, and it shows. Four stars because I over-seasoned mine the first time, but that is completely on me.
Ha, the cajun is listed as optional because I did the exact same thing my first few batches. The pork rind coat already has garlic and cayenne, so it holds up without it.
The triple-coat method gets the crunch right, I'll give it that. My one note: dry the pickles more than you think you need to. I gave them a full 10 minutes under paper towels and the coating still slid on a few, but when it sticks, the pork rind crust is genuinely impressive.
10 minutes isn't enough. I press mine between stacked paper towels with a sheet pan on top, 20-25 minutes. Even a little moisture left and the whole triple coat just slides.