Air Fryer Churros

These homemade air fryer churros deliver all the warm, cinnamon-sugar crunch of the classic treat without the mess. This recipe is made with simple ingredients: all purpose flour, butter, water, sugar, cinnamon, salt and eggs.  These air fryer churros are golden and crispy, they’re perfect with coffee or as a sweet afternoon treat.

I love churros, they were one of my favorite treats at fairs and festivities growing up in Ecuador. Now as an adult living in Luxembourg, I will occasionally indulge and share an order of churros at our annual Schueberfouer funfair and at the local Christmas markets, clearly their appeal has gone global. Of course, every now and I then I have a craving for authentic homemade churros.

The only thing I really dislike about making churros at home is the oily mess and that after frying smell that lingers around.  Before air fryers became a thing, I used to take my deep fryer outside and plug it in on the patio, at least this way I kept the smell out of the house. But now air fryers have made this so much easier. Lately I’ve been on a kick of recreating some of my childhood favorite fried treats, from Ecuadorian empanadas de viento to chifles and now churros, in the air fryer.

Why I love making churros in the air fryer

• Less messy than frying in oil. Keep your kitchen cleaner by frying these churros in the air fryer instead of hot oil.
• Easy for beginners and kids. The dough is super easy to make and can even be used to make other treats like cream puffs and eclairs.
• Great for parties. These grab-and-go treats are easy to grab and walk around with, so they’re great for an easy dessert that people can still walk around with and mingle.
• Simple ingredients. There’s nothing fancy in these homemade churros and you probably already have all of the ingredients to make them in your pantry and fridge.
• Budget friendly. These churros are a treat that will disappear quickly, but can be made without breaking the bank

Ingredient Notes

• Water: You can also replace the water with milk, but I like the crispier texture that plain water gives.
• Unsalted butter: You use salted butter, just leave out the added salt.
• Granulated sugar: A small amount adds just the right sweetness to the dough.
• Sea salt: Salt gives some extra flavor and enhances the light sweetness of the dough.
• All-purpose flour: When the flour hits the liquid it starts to gelatinize which gives the churros structure, so they stay stiff.
• Large eggs: There’s no leavener or baking powder in this dough so the eggs are used to create steam and make the dough full up so it’s soft and fluffy on the inside and crisp on the exterior.
• Cinnamon sugar: For that classic churro spice.

Equipment used for this air fryer churro recipe

• Pot
• Electric or stand mixer: You can mix this by hand, but it’s quite the arm workout.
• Piping bag or resealable plastic bag: If you use a plastic bag, use a quart or gallon-sized bag. They’re a little thicker than a sandwich bag and can handle the stiff texture of the dough.
• Star tip: I used a Wilton 1M tip, but if you don’t have piping tips, you can still make these air fryer churros. They just won’t have the classic ridges.
• Baking pan
• Parchment paper: If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use a silicon baking mat or wax paper. In a pinch you could brush the pan with oil but the parchment paper makes it a lot easier to remove the frozen dough without damaging the ridges.

Variations of churros

Try these other variations of churros for a different twist:

• Add 1-2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dough for chocolate churros.
• Make smaller, 1-2 inch churro bites for a perfectly poppable sweet treat.
• Instead of piping them into logs, make them into a coil and air fry them. Sandwich ice cream between two of the coils for the best ice cream sandwich of your life.
• Instead of using cinnamon, use apple pie spice and dip them in apple pie filling.
• Add pumpkin pie spice to the dough for a fall-flavored twist.
• Make them savory by adding a teaspoon of garlic powder to the dough and rolling them in grated parmesan cheese.

Tips for making the best air fryer churros

• Make sure that you give them some space in the air fryer. If they’re too close together, they will steam and get soggy.
• Roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still hot, so the seasoning sticks.
• Make sure you let the dough cool before adding the eggs. If the eggs are cold and the dough is hot, the eggs can scramble which can create eggy chunks in your dough.
• Make the whole batch. It’s tempting to cut the recipe in half because it makes so many churros, but trust me, they’ll disappear fast. You can always freeze uncooked churros if you have more than you need.
• You might have leftover cinnamon sugar mixture. Save it for sprinkling on toast or oatmeal in the morning.

What to serve with air fryer churros?

While these air fryer churros are perfectly wonderful on their own, they can also be served with a variety of other items to make them even tastier.

• Chocolate sauce or Nutella: Chocolate sauce is a classic dipping option for churros.
• Dulce de leche or caramel sauce: In Latin America, dulce de leche caramel sauce and churros are often served together.
• Whipped cream: The contrast of creamy and crunchy textures makes these air fryer churros outrageously delicious.
• Coffee or hot cocoa: Dunk your churros in a cup of warm coffee, and they’ll be absolutely irresistible. Or serve them with rich hot cocoa for the kiddos. In Spain, churros with a thick chocolate drink (thickened with flour or corn starch) is a popular breakfast option.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store my air fryer churros?

If you have leftover air fryer churros, you can store them in an airtight container or resealable bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, although I doubt they’ll last that long. To reheat, place them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes to make them light and crispy again.

Can I make these churros ahead of time and freeze it?

Yes! Air fryer churros freeze well, making them perfect for a make-ahead sweet treat. Pipe the churros and let them freeze solid (uncooked) on the parchment paper. Transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook them, they can go straight from the freezer and into the air fryer.

Air Fryer Churros

These homemade churros in the air fryer are made with simple ingredients and are golden and crispy, without any of the mess or grease from frying.

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Course: Dessert, Sweet treats

Cuisine: Ecuadorian, Latin American, Spanish

Keyword: Air Fryer, Churros, Comfort food

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Freezer time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 30 -32 small churros

Ingredients

For the churros:

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs

For the cinnamon sugar topping:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dipping sauce ideas:

• Chocolate sauce or Nutella (see chocolate sauce recipe in Notes)
• Dulce de leche

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a small pot, combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt and bring to a gentle simmer.
  
• Turn the heat off and stir in the flour until the mixture turns into a soft ball. You should see a thin film still on the bottom of the pot.
  
• Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
  
• Then transfer it to a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and add the eggs.
  
• Mix the dough at medium speed with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer for 1-2 minutes or until it has thickened slightly and the dough looks smooth and shiny.
  
• Transfer the dough to a piping bag or resealable bag fitted with a large open star tip (I use a Wilton 1M) and pipe the dough into 4-inch sticks onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  
• Freeze for at least 1 hour (up to overnight) until the dough is solid.
• While the dough freezes, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping and dump it onto a small tray or plate.
  
• Once the dough is solid, preheat the air fryer, and working in batches of 5-6, place the frozen churros into the basket of the air fryer about ½ an inch apart. (That ½ inch will allow them to expand and get crispy. If they don’t have room, they’ll be floppy and you’ll be sad.)
  
• Spray with cooking spray or brush with a very light coat of oil and cook at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until the ridges are browned and the dough is cooked through (I used exactly 11 minutes, but air fryers can vary by brand).
  
• Immediately transfer to the cinnamon and sugar mixture and toss until well coated.
  
• Serve warm with chocolate or caramel sauce if desired.
  

Notes

For a quick homemade chocolate dipping sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. In a small pot, over medium heat, place the water, sugar, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
2. Let it heat for a couple of minutes and when the syrup thickens, remove from the heat.
3. Add the teaspoon of vanilla, mix again and let it cool before serving.

Photos the step by step preparation process for Air Fryer Churros:

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