These air fryer churros have a crispy and golden texture, coated in cinnamon sugar, and are dipped in chocolate sauce.
Air fryer churros are a delicious and healthier alternative to the traditional deep-fried version.
By using an air fryer, you can achieve the same crispy texture without the need for excessive oil.
These delightful treats are typically made from a simple dough that is piped into long shapes and then cooked in the air fryer until golden brown.
Once cooked, they can be rolled in a sweet cinnamon sugar coating for an extra burst of flavor. Air fryer churros are a quick and easy dessert that will satisfy your cravings without the guilt.
If you like cinnamon desserts, check out my cinnamon roll cookies, apple upside-down cake, peach crisp with canned peaches, cinnamon bundt cake, and cinnamon streusel muffins.
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Why this recipe works
- Made in the air fryer- these churros are made in the air fryer! It results in a healthier and less greasy alternative to traditional deep-frying methods.
- Flavor- these have a hint of cinnamon and sugar that creates a perfect balance of sweetness. These taste even better dipped in hot fudge sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
- Texture- these churros have a deliciously crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior which melts in your mouth.
- Perfect for any occasion- these churros are perfect for any occasion and especially for Cinco de Mayo.
- Simple- these are made with simple pantry staple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
What are churros?
Churros are a popular Spanish dessert that consists of deep-fried dough, typically in a long, thin shape.
They are often rolled in cinnamon sugar and can be enjoyed plain or served with a variety of dipping sauces such as chocolate or caramel.
Churros have a crispy exterior and a soft, doughy interior, making them a delightful treat to enjoy at any time of the day.
They are commonly found at street food stalls, carnivals, and fairs, and have gained popularity worldwide for their delicious taste and unique texture.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Water- room temperature water will work.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious churros.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. Make sure that you measure your flour correctly.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your egg is at room temperature.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract adds extra flavor. For extra vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean extract or an actual vanilla bean!
Kosher salt- you will need about ⅓ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe. This will help to balance out the flavor.
Cinnamon- use ground cinnamon mixed with sugar for dipping the churros immediately after they are done baking.
Instructions
In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, water, vanilla extract, and salt, over medium heat, and mix with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and the mixture is well mixed.
Add the flour, turn the heat to medium-low, and stir constantly using a wooden spoon until you don't see lumps of flour visible and the mixture is well combined.
Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes to release extra moisture from the dough.
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes to cool down the dough.
Add 2 eggs, one at a time, and let each egg mix thoroughly into the dough. Mix for another minute to let the mixture mix well and be smooth.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a star piping tip and pipe the churros onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Snip the churros with clean scissors.
Transfer the pan to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to allow the churros to firm up.
Brush the air fryer basket with oil and place the churros in the basket leaving a little bit of space between each churro. Spray the churros with oil spray.
Cook the churros in the air fryer at 180c (350f) for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
In a shallow bowl, add the granulated sugar and cinnamon and mix. Brush the churros with a little bit of butter and dip the churros in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make sure you pipe the puffs to be the same size to make them bake evenly.
- Avoid opening the air fryer when baking them, and make sure that your air fryer is properly preheated. The heat makes these develop a nice crust.
- Freeze the piped churros for at least 30 minutes or until they are firm, this will make it easy to transfer them to the air fryer without making a mess.
- Use a star piping tip for a beautiful and classic churros shape. I use wilton 1M piping tip.
- Don't freeze the piped churros for more than 1 hour or they will dry out.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist churros and not dense and dry churros.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
Faq's
Yes! To bake churros, simply prepare the dough as usual and pipe it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a 200c (400f) preheated oven until golden brown and crispy for about 18020 minutes.
When it comes to the shelf life of churros, it is important to note that they are best enjoyed fresh.
Generally, churros can last for about 24 to 48 hours if stored properly at room temperature in an airtight container. However, their texture and taste may start to deteriorate after the first few hours.
We use very little oil in this churros recipe, so I don’t recommend skipping it. You will need to lightly oil the air fryer basket, and spray the churros with oil spray before baking.
Storing
I highly recommend baking these and eating them on the same day. If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezing
After air frying them, allow them to cool completely and freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
When ready to use, defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes and reheat in a toaster oven for 2-3 minutes.
Substitutions
Dairy-free- to make this dairy-free, swap the butter with vegan butter. Use unsalted and unflavored butter for this.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour. I haven’t tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work very well.
Variations
Extract- swap the vanilla extract with your favorite extracts like almond extract, peppermint extract, or lemon extract!
Zest- add lemon or orange zest to the dough for a delicious flavor and aroma.
Glaze- make a simple glaze which is made with milk and powdered sugar and dip each warm churro in the glaze and allow it to set. This will result in a delicious sugary coating that will melt in your mouth.
Serving tips
- Dip- you can dip these in your favorite dips like vanilla pastry cream, dulce de leche, Nutella, chocolate spread, jam, vanilla or chocolate pudding, etc.
- Coating- instead of rolling these in cinnamon sugar, roll them in just sugar, or powdered sugar.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Piping bag
- Star piping tip
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
More similar desserts
Fried donut holes- These no-yeast donut holes are soft and fluffy donuts that take minutes to whip up together, and are the most delicious donuts with minimum effort and time invested!
Boston cream donuts- These Boston cream donuts are made with fluffy yeast dough, filled with creamy vanilla custard, and topped with chocolate ganache.
Bavarian cream donuts- These Bavarian cream donuts are made with soft and fluffy donut dough, rolled with sugar, and filled with decadent vanilla pastry cream.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
The BEST Air fryer Churros
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- ⅓ cup Butter unsalted
- ⅓ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Flour AP, plain
- 2 Eggs
Assembly
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon Butter melted
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, water, vanilla extract, and salt, over medium heat, and mix with a wooden spoon until the butter is melted and the mixture is well mixed.
- Add the flour, turn the heat to medium-low, and stir constantly using a wooden spoon until you don't see lumps of flour visible and the mixture is well combined.
- Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes to release extra moisture from the dough.
- Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer for about 2 minutes to cool down the dough.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, and let each egg mix thoroughly into the dough. Mix for another minute to let the mixture mix well and be smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a star piping tip and pipe the churros onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Snip the churros with clean scissors.
- Transfer the pan to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to allow the churros to firm up.
- Brush the air fryer basket with oil and place the churros in the basket leaving a little bit of space between each churro. Spray the churros with oil spray.
- Cook the churros in the air fryer at 180c (350f) for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- In a shallow bowl, add the granulated sugar and cinnamon and mix. Brush the churros with a little bit of butter and dip the churros in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure you pipe the puffs to be the same size to make them bake evenly.
- Avoid opening the air fryer when baking them, and make sure that your air fryer is properly preheated. The heat makes these develop a nice crust.
- Freeze the piped churros for at least 30 minutes or until they are firm, this will make it easy to transfer them to the air fryer without making a mess.
- Use a star piping tip for a beautiful and classic churros shape. I use wilton 1M piping tip.
- Don't freeze the piped churros for more than 1 hour or they will dry out.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist churros and not dense and dry churros.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
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