Air Fryer Churros

by: Air Fryer Eats Team
Updated: May 23, 2023


These Air Fryer Churros are light, crispy, and simple to make. Dip these cinnamon-sugar-coated dessert bites in a powdered sugar glaze for a decadent treat that will instill feelings of being at the county fair.

Top view photo of a plate filled with Air Fryer Churros. There is a small white bowl filled with a powdered sugar dipping glaze on the plate.

Air Fryer Churros Recipe

These Air Fryer Churros are much simpler to make than you may expect! This recipe uses a basic choux pastry to get a light and fluffy texture that your family is sure to love.

Churros are a dessert that originated in both Spain and Mexico. In Spain, it’s traditional to coat your churros in granulated sugar. In Mexico, they’re coated in cinnamon sugar.

Try both and see which one is your favorite. This recipe uses cinnamon sugar to finish these golden brown churros.

Looking for more fun air fryer dessert ideas? Check out this Air Fryer Donuts recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Churros Recipe

  • Tastes just like deep-fried churros, but without the excess oil. It’s a much healthier option than the carnival staple.
  • Before the air fryer, if you made these at home, you either had to bake them or deep-fry them. If you baked them, they didn’t crisp up enough. And if you fried them, you were adding a lot of extra oil to your diet. This is the perfect solution to both problems!
  • Churros might not be on your list of go-to dessert ideas. But after you see how easy they are to make, you can add them to your baking arsenal. Invite your friends over and show off your new skills.

Want to make more air-fried desserts that remind you of the carnival? These Air Fried Oreos are just 3 ingredients and only take 5 minutes to make.

Top view photo of all the ingredients to make Air Fryer Churros, in separate bowls.

Ingredients in Air Fryer Churros

Water: Water is the base of our doughโ€“ it adds moisture and helps bring the dough together.

Butter: Butter adds moisture and richness to the dough.

Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar adds just a hint of sweetness to the dough.

Salt: Salt helps balance out all of the sweetness in the churros.

Flour: Flour adds structure to the dough.

Egg: Egg adds moisture and helps bind the dough together.

Vanilla: Vanilla adds a subtle sweetness and enhances the flavor of the churros.

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: Every good churro needs a cinnamon-sugar coating so thatโ€™s what weโ€™re using to coat the churros. You could always switch it up by using pumpkin pie spice, adding a pinch of nutmeg, or even a bit of lemon zest.

If you have any questions about Air Fryer Churros ingredients, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!

Collage of photos showing the steps to make Air Fryer Churros.

How To Make Air Fryer Churros

  1. Gather your ingredients.
  2. Add the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
  3. When the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-low and add the flour. Stir until the dough comes together in a ball.  Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
  4. When the dough has cooled slightly, add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Use a wooden spoon (or sturdy rubber spatula) to incorporate the eggs into a smooth, thick batter.  Transfer the churro dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.  Pipe your desired length of churros onto a Silpat mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the churros in the freezer to chill as directed or until they are stiff.
  5. When youโ€™re ready to cook the churros, preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes. Spray your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and then add the first batch of churros to the air fryerโ€“ make sure not to overcrowd the basket.
  6. Cook the churros in the air fryer at 350ยบF/180ยบC for 5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the churros from the air fryer and immediately roll them in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm and enjoy.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. Please see the recipe below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions for Air Fryer Churros.

Photo of a hand dipping an Air Fryer Churro into a small bowl of powdered sugar glaze.

Tips For Making Air Fryer Churros

  • To get the traditional churros shape, use a star tip with your piping bag.
  • If you don’t have a piping bag, that’s okay. Just use a zip lock bag and snip off the corner with a pair of scissors.
  • These churros are made into bite-sized pieces which makes them fun for dipping and fit into the air fryer more easily.
  • Remember to freeze the dough until they are stiff so they maintain its shape in the air fryer.
  • If you have leftover dough, feel free to store it in the refrigerator or freezer, wrapped in clear plastic wrap. Let the dough fully come to room temperature before piping.
  • Toss the air-fried churros in the cinnamon-sugar coating while they are still warm as this will help the coating to stick to the churros.
  • This recipe includes a simple powdered sugar glaze for dipping these tasty bites. But you can dip them in whatever you like! A couple of great alternatives are;

What To Serve With Air Fryer Churros

These Air Fried Churros would be the perfect addition to a Mexican-themed party. Serve alongside Air Fryer Tacos or Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas with a side of guacamole for a festive ambiance.

We also love the idea of dipping them in hot chocolate on a cozy winter day. Is there a better way to warm up than that?

These Air Fryer Churros are perfect along side a root beer float!

What Is A Churro?

A churro is a fried dough that’s popular in Spain and Mexico. It can be tossed in granulated sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mixture and dipped in different dipping sauces.

What Is A Churro Made Of?

Spanish churros are made with flour, water, and salt. We are using a basic choux pastry made with flour, butter, sugar, water, salt, eggs, and vanilla, which is the same type of dough as eclairs.

We found this gave us the best results in the air fryer.

Why Are My Churros Not Crispy?

There are a couple of reasons your churros might not be crispy.

First, did you allow the piped churros to harden enough in the freezer? If not they may get soft and chewy in the air frying process.

Second, did you cook them long enough? It’s always a good idea to cook one test churro first to make sure it’s had enough time to crisp up.

They should look golden brown when finished.

Can You Reheat Churros In The Air Fryer?

We don’t recommend it, as they tend to lose their crispiness over time (though the flavor will still be great). But if you don’t mind that, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Reheat churros in the air fryer at 350ยฐF/180ยฐC for 3-5 minutes.

Closeup photo of golden brown churros in the basket of an air fryer.

Pro Tips

Use Any Air Fryer: This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you’re using an air fryer oven, place your food on the middle rack and select the “air fry” function.

Check your food as it cooks! Since each air fryer runs differently, sometimes air frying is a trial and error process. When cooking a new recipe, be sure to check on your food often. This will help you avoid over or undercooking, and help you learn your air fryer’s specific ways!

More Yummy Dessert Recipes

We found this recipe for Churros with Spiced Hot Chocolate that we have to try!

Pinterest photo of a hand dipping an Air Fryer Churro in powdered sugar glaze.

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Photo of a hand dipping an air fryer churro in a sweet dipping sauce. The sauce is in a small white bowl on a plate filled with air fryer churros.
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Air Fryer Churros

These air fryer churros are a great sweet treat to make when you donโ€™t want to bring out a big pot of oil. Just like traditional churros, theyโ€™re crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and coated in cinnamon sugar.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 40 (2-3″) churros
Calories: 24kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ยฝ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ยฝ cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon, for rolling
  • 1 cup all purpose flour

Instructions

  • Gather your ingredients.
    Top view photo of all the ingredients to make Air Fryer Churros, in separate bowls.
  • Add the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan set over medium heat.
    Top view photo of a saucepan filled with butter, sugar, water, and salt, and mixed until combined over medium heat.
  • When the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-low and add the flour. Stir until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.
    Top view photo of a saucepan with the dough to make Air Fryer Churros, mixed until a ball is formed.
  • When the dough has cooled slightly, add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Use a wooden spoon (or sturdy rubber spatula) to incorporate the eggs into a smooth, thick batter. Transfer the churro dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Iโ€™m using a Wilton 1M). Pipe your desired length of churros onto a Silpat mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Iโ€™m making 2.5โ€ long churros but you can make them as big or as little as you like. Place the churros in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes, or until they are stiff.
    Top view photo of Air Fryer Churro dough, piped onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, ready to place in the freezer.
  • When youโ€™re ready to cook the churros, preheat your air fryer (either using the preheat function or at 350ยบF/180ยบC for 5 minutes). Spray your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and then add the first batch of churros to the air fryerโ€“ make sure not to overcrowd the basket.
    Top view photo of an air fryer basket filled with Air Fryer Churro dough, ready to cook.
  • Cook the churros at 350ยบF/180ยบC for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove the churros from the air fryer and immediately roll them in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm and enjoy.
    Top view photo of a golden brown churro in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar. It's coated completely and ready to serve.

Notes

Cooking Tips
  • If youโ€™re cooking the churros in batches, make sure to keep the uncooked churros in the freezer. If they become too warm, they will become soft and lose their shape.
Serving Tips
  • Churros can be enjoyed on their own or served with a dipping sauceโ€“ warm chocolate sauce, warm Nutella, strawberry sauce, or just a simple powdered sugar glaze.
  • To make an easy vanilla glaze, whisk together 1 ยฝ cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Serve immediately.
Storage Tips
  • These churros are best enjoyed immediately after they are made but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They will lose their crispness and become soft but the flavor will still be delicious.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 2mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.02mg
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