Make these easy, healthy, and homemade Air Fryer Churros. Make the churros in the air fryer, then roll them in a cinnamon sugar topping. These are delicious alternatives to the traditional deep-fried churros recipe.
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Air fryer churros are a delectable treat that combines the best of both worlds: a crispy exterior and a soft, tender interior. The air frying method yields wonderfully golden and evenly cooked churros with a satisfying crunch as you take your first bite. Check out these super easy, healthy, and homemade Air Fryer Churros! You won’t be able to resist these mouthwatering treats! Whip them up and cook them in your air fryer.
Before we dig into these crispy air fryer churros, here are a few other recipes you might enjoy!
What is a Churro?
A churro is a delicious Spanish pastry typically made by piping dough through a star-shaped nozzle and then frying it until golden brown. The resulting churro is crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside, often coated in cinnamon sugar for extra flavor. It’s a popular treat often served with a dipping sauce like chocolate or dulce de leche.
Air fryer churros are a hit among home cooks because they’re super easy and convenient. You can whip up some mouthwatering, crispy churros without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s a win-win for your taste buds and your cooking sanity!
Let’s dig deeper into why you’ll absolutely love them!
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Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Churros
No deep frying: Unlike traditional churros that are deep-fried in a large amount of oil, air fryer churros require only a light coating of cooking spray to prevent sticking. This significantly reduces the mess, cleanup, and potential hazards of deep frying.
Crowd Pleaser Dessert: Whether enjoyed on their own or paired with a dipping sauce like chocolate, caramel, or dulce de leche, air fryer churros are a delightful treat that will leave you craving more. Their delicious taste and satisfying texture make them a crowd-pleasing dessert for any occasion.
Time and Temperature Control: Air fryers offer precise temperature control and even heat distribution, ensuring consistent cooking results. The cooking time for air fryer churros is typically shorter than deep-frying, with no need to constantly monitor or adjust the oil temperature.
Healthier option: Air frying requires much less oil than deep frying, making it a healthier alternative. Air fryer churros have significantly reduced fat content while maintaining a crispy exterior and soft interior, providing a guilt-free indulgence.
Photo: MyPhotography.com
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to Make Churros in the Air Fryer?
To make churros, combine water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a saucepan, then add flour, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pipe the dough into the desired shape onto a greased air fryer basket, cook until golden and crispy, then roll in cinnamon sugar.
Can you Reheat Churros in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can reheat churros in an air fryer! It’s a great way to bring back their crispiness and delicious texture. To reheat churros in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to around 350°F (175°C). Place the churros in a single layer in the air fryer basket and heat them for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they are heated through and have regained their crispness. Once they are warmed up, you can enjoy your churros as if they were fresh out of the fryer! Remember to keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking.
Are Churros Traditionally Baked or Fried?
Churros are traditionally fried rather than baked. The dough is piped into hot oil and deep-fried until golden and crispy, creating the classic texture and flavor that churros are known for.
Why Freeze Churros Before Frying?
Freezing churros before frying help them hold their shape and prevents them from becoming too greasy. The cold temperature of the frozen churros creates a contrast when immersed in hot oil, resulting in a crisper exterior while maintaining a soft interior.
Are Churros Supposed to be Crunchy or Soft?
Authentic churros are traditionally intended to have a crisp exterior and a soft, tender interior. The ideal churro balances the two textures, with a satisfying crunch on the outside while remaining fluffy and light on the inside. This combination of textures is what makes churros such a delightful treat.
Equipment You’ll Need:
Air Fryer
There are many air fryers on the market. It can be confusing. Here’s the Air Fryer Ninja I bought, and I love it. Here are a few reasons why I bought this brand:
One of the key features of the Ninja Air Fryer is its large capacity, allowing you to cook a significant amount of food in one batch. It comes with a spacious basket that can hold a variety of ingredients, such as French fries, chicken wings, vegetables, and even desserts like doughnuts or churros.
The Ninja Air Fryer is equipped with various cooking modes, including air frying, roasting, reheating, and dehydrating. This versatility allows you to explore a wide range of recipes and experiment with different flavors and textures.
Additionally, the Ninja Air Fryer often features adjustable temperature settings and a timer, giving you precise control over your cooking process. This helps ensure that your food is cooked to perfection, whether you prefer it lightly crisp or more well-done.
Maintenance and cleaning are also relatively easy with the Ninja Air Fryer. The non-stick coating on the cooking basket makes it simple to remove food residue, and many parts are dishwasher-safe for added convenience.
Pastry Tip: The Best Pastry Tip for Making Churros
The Ateco #847 pastry tip is the best for making these easy air fryer churros! It creates strong and sturdy churros with deep ridges perfect for holding all that sweet cinnamon sugar topping! It’s like a closed star with a broader opening, giving you thick churros that are fluffy inside and crispy outside, just perfect, in my opinion. You’ll love this tip!
Photo: MyPhotography.com
Ingredients You’ll Need For Delicious Air Fryer Churros
Water – Water is the primary liquid ingredient that hydrates the churro dough and helps create the desired consistency.
Granulated Sugar – Sugar adds sweetness to the churro dough, enhancing its flavor. It also contributes to the texture and helps with browning during frying.
Salt – Salt enhances the overall taste of the churro dough by balancing the sweetness and adding a subtle savory note. It helps bring out the flavors of other ingredients.
Vegetable oil – Vegetable oil adds moisture and richness to the churro dough, making it more tender. It also aids in achieving a crispy exterior when the churros are fried.
Flour – Flour is the main dry ingredient that provides structure and body to the churro dough. It creates the desired texture and helps hold the churro shape during frying.
Eggs – Eggs act as a binder in the churro dough, helping to hold everything together. They contribute to the structure and texture of the churros, making them light and fluffy.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract adds flavor to the churro dough, giving it a pleasant and aromatic taste. It complements the sweetness and adds depth to the overall profile.
Cooking spray – Cooking spray greases the churros, preventing them from sticking and facilitating easy removal after cooking.
Butter – The baked churros are swathed in a layer of melted butter, creating a perfect surface for the cinnamon sugar topping to cling onto.
Cinnamon Sugar (for coating) – Cinnamon sugar is a classic coating for churros. It adds a delightful sweetness and a warm, aromatic flavor that complements the churros perfectly.
Photo: MyPhotography.com
Air Fryer Churros Instructions:
Combine water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
Let the dough cool for 20 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Line a cookie sheet with edges with parchment paper.
Transfer the churro dough into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. Pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet, leaving some space between each churro.
Place piped churros in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for a few minutes.
Spray and brush oil on both sides of the frozen churros.
Place the churros in the preheated air fryer and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 5 minutes until they turn golden brown and crispy. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Once cooked, remove the churros from the air fryer and brush with melted butter.
Roll the warm churros in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar until they are coated to your liking.
Serve the air fryer churros immediately and enjoy them while they’re still warm and delicious.
Note: You can also serve them with a side of chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or any other dipping sauce you choose.
Air Fryer Churros Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or Crisco
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- cooking spray
- 3 tbsp butter melted
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
- Let the dough cool for 20 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Line a cookie sheet with edges with parchment paper.
- Transfer the churro dough into a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. Pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet, leaving some space between each churro.
- Place piped churros in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for a few minutes.
- Spray and brush oil on both sides of the frozen churros.
- Place the churros in the preheated air fryer and cook for about 5 minutes and flip and cook another 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crispy. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Once cooked, remove the churros from the air fryer and brush with melted butter.
- Roll the warm churros in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar until they are coated to your liking.
- Serve the air fryer churros immediately and enjoy them while they're still warm and delicious.
- You can also serve them with a side of chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or any other dipping sauce of your choice.
Nutrition
These are the best air fryer churros. When you sink your teeth into an air fryer churro, you’ll experience a burst of flavors. The churro dough, subtly sweetened and delicately spiced with hints of cinnamon and vanilla, is perfectly balanced. The exterior has just the right amount of crispness, adding a delightful texture to every bite.
Enjoy this yummy dessert recipe!
Happy Baking.
Cheers,
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