Air Fryer Churros with Cinnamon Sugar (No Deep Frying)
Air fryer churros cook at 190°C / 375°F for 10–12 minutes and need only a light spray of oil. They come out crisp and ridged outside, soft inside, and go straight into cinnamon sugar while they are still warm.
The dough is piped through a large star tip and chilled so the strips hold their shape in the basket.
For another dessert from the same basket, try Air Fryer Chocolate Lava Cake.
Why Make Churros in an Air Fryer?
Three reasons these are worth making: there is no pot of hot oil to deal with, the dough uses basic ingredients you probably already have, and a batch is on the table in about 30 minutes.
Churro Dough and Coating
For the Churro Dough
- 💧 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 🧈 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 🍚 1 tablespoon sugar
- 🧂 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 🌾 125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 🥚 2 large eggs
- 🍶 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 🫒 Oil spray
For the Cinnamon Sugar
- 🍚 70 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 🌿 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 🧈 2 tablespoons melted butter
For the Chocolate Dip
- 🍫 80 g (3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
- 🥛 80 ml (⅓ cup) warm cream or milk
Piping Bag, Star Tip and Other Tools
- Medium saucepan
- Piping bag with a large open star tip (about 1.5 cm)
- Baking paper
- Kitchen scissors
Making Air Fryer Churros
Cook the Dough Base
Add water, butter, sugar, and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir quickly until a smooth ball forms.
Dry the Dough
Return the pan to low heat and stir for 1 minute. This dries the dough slightly and helps the churros hold their shape.
Add the Eggs
Let the dough cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time with the vanilla, beating well after each, until the dough is thick, smooth, and glossy.
Pipe the Churros
Spoon the dough into a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe 10–12 cm (4–5 inch) lines onto baking paper and snip the ends with scissors. Chill the piped churros for 15 minutes so they are easier to move.
Air Fry the Churros
Lightly spray the air fryer basket and the churros with oil. Place them in a single layer with space between each one and cook at 190°C / 375°F for 10–12 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
Coat in Cinnamon Sugar
Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Brush each warm churro with melted butter, then roll it in the cinnamon sugar until fully coated.
Make the Chocolate Dip
Pour warm cream over the chopped chocolate, wait 1 minute, and stir until smooth. Serve the air fryer churros warm with the dip on the side.
- Use a large star tip. Ridges help the churros cook evenly and create the classic crispy edges.
- Chilling the piped dough makes the churros much easier to lift into the basket without losing their shape.
- Cook in batches and never overcrowd the basket, or the churros will steam instead of crisp.
- Brush with butter only after cooking; this helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the air fryer churros.
Tips for Crisp, Ridged Churros
Dips for Churros
- Chocolate sauce: warm equal parts cream and chopped dark chocolate and stir until glossy.
- Dulce de leche: loosen with a spoonful of warm milk so it is dippable.
- Vanilla custard: thick, cool custard is a good contrast to hot churros.
- Coffee or hot chocolate: does the job with no extra cooking.
Cook Times: Full-Size, Bites and Frozen
| Stage | Temperature | Time |
| Standard churros (10–12 cm) | 190°C / 375°F | 10–12 minutes |
| Mini churro bites | 190°C / 375°F | 7–9 minutes |
| Frozen homemade churros | 190°C / 375°F | 12–14 minutes |
| Re-crisping leftovers | 180°C / 355°F | 2–3 minutes |
Variations
- Churro bites: Pipe short 3 cm pieces and cook for 7–9 minutes.
- Filled churros: Pipe dulce de leche or Nutella into the cooked churros with a small tip.
- Cardamom sugar: Swap half the cinnamon for ground cardamom.
- Caramel dip: Serve with warm caramel sauce instead of chocolate.
Storing and Re-Crisping
Air fryer churros are best enjoyed fresh. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Re-crisp them at 180°C / 355°F for 2–3 minutes. You can also freeze uncooked piped churros on a tray, then bag them and cook from frozen for 12–14 minutes.
Churro Problems and Questions
Wrapping Up
Pipe them thick, chill them, spray lightly and cook at 190°C / 375°F for 10–12 minutes. Roll these air fryer churros in cinnamon sugar while they are warm so the coating sticks.
They are at their best within a few minutes of cooking, so call everyone to the table first.
