Irresistible Air Fryer Churros in Just 20 Minutes

There’s something magical about biting into a warm, crispy churro dusted with cinnamon sugar, isn’t there? I still remember my first fairground churro – that golden crunch giving way to a soft center, with sugar sticking to my fingers in the best possible way. Now imagine getting that same carnival treat in your own kitchen without the mess of deep frying! These air fryer churros give you all that crispy perfection with about half the effort (and zero oil splatters on your stove). My kids go absolutely wild when they smell these cooking – the cinnamon scent fills the whole house, and suddenly everyone’s hanging around the kitchen “just in case” a tester churro needs eating.

Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Churros

Oh, where do I even start? These little sticks of joy are about to become your new favorite dessert hack. First off – no giant pot of bubbling oil! Just toss them in the air fryer and boom, golden perfection in minutes. The cleanup? A breeze. The taste? Just like the fairground ones, but fresher and hotter (seriously, watch those eager fingers). That cinnamon-sugar coat sticks like a dream, and the ridges from the piping tip give that signature crunch we all crave. Plus, from mixing bowl to sugar-dusted treat in under 20 minutes? Yes, please!

Ingredients for Air Fryer Churros

Okay, let’s talk ingredients – and trust me, you probably have most of this in your pantry already! The magic of these churros is how simple they are. Here’s what you’ll need:

• For the dough:
  • 1 cup water (just regular tap water works fine)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (the white stuff in your sugar bowl)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (I use kosher, but table salt works too)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any neutral oil you’ve got)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned lightly into the cup – no packing!)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (pure if you have it, but hey, use what’s in your cabinet)
• For that iconic coating:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (yes, more sugar – it’s dessert!)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (fresh is best if you’ve got it)

See? Nothing fancy here. The real trick is in how you bring these basic ingredients together. Oh, and you’ll need a piping bag with a star tip – I use a Wilton 1M, but any medium star tip will give you those perfect ridges. Don’t have one? A gallon ziplock with the corner snipped off in a star shape works in a pinch!

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How to Make Air Fryer Churros

Alright, let’s get to the fun part – making these crispy delights! I promise it’s easier than you think, but I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make sure your churros come out perfect every time. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be biting into cinnamon-sugar heaven before you know it.

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

First things first – grab a medium saucepan and toss in your water, sugar, salt, and oil. Bring this to a rolling boil over medium heat. Now here’s the important part: as soon as it boils, remove it from the heat immediately. Why? Because if you don’t, you’ll end up with less water than you need, and that affects texture.

Dump in all your flour at once and stir like crazy with a wooden spoon. It’ll look weird at first, but keep stirring until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan. This only takes about 30 seconds. Stir in your vanilla last – the smell is amazing! Now let this cool just slightly while you get your piping bag ready.

Step 2: Pipe and Air Fry

While your dough is still warm (but not hot), scoop it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. I can’t stress enough how important that star tip is – it gives you those perfect ridges that make churros, well, churros! Cut some parchment paper into squares and pipe 4-inch strips onto them. Pro tip: twist the top of your bag and use steady pressure – the dough thickens FAST, so work quickly!

Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (yes, preheating matters!). Gently place a few parchment squares with churros into the basket, leaving space between them so they crisp up nicely. Air fry for 8-10 minutes until they’re gorgeously golden brown. No peeking for at least the first 6 minutes – you want that hot air to work its magic!

Step 3: Coat with Cinnamon Sugar

The moment your churros come out of the air fryer, they need to meet their sugary destiny. Mix your ½ cup sugar with cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Working with one churro at a time (they’re hot!), roll it in the mixture while it’s still warm – this is when the coating sticks best. I like to do a little toss in the bowl to get every nook and cranny coated in that sweet, cinnamony goodness.

Now comes the hard part – trying not to eat them all before they hit the serving plate! But seriously, these are best enjoyed immediately while they’re still warm and crispy. If you can resist, that is…

If you can’t get enough of that churro crunch, don’t miss these Vegan Air Fryer Churros — the same cinnamon-sugar bliss but with a plant-based twist.

Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Churros

Want foolproof churros every time? Here are my hard-earned kitchen secrets! First – work fast with that dough. It thickens quicker than you’d think, so have your piping bag ready to go the moment it’s cool enough to handle. Don’t crowd your air fryer basket – give those churros some breathing room or they’ll steam instead of crisp. And here’s my golden rule: start checking at 8 minutes. Every air fryer runs a bit different, and you want that perfect golden brown – not too pale, not too dark. Last tip? Make a double batch. Trust me, these disappear FAST!

Air Fryer Churros Variations

Who says churros have to be boring? I love playing with fun twists on this classic! My favorite? A drizzle of melted chocolate – just microwave some chocolate chips with a splash of oil for dipping magic. Brown sugar in the cinnamon coating adds delicious caramel notes. Feeling fancy? Roll them in crushed nuts right after the sugar coating for extra crunch. Want to go wild? Add a pinch of cayenne to the sugar mix for a sweet-spicy kick that’ll surprise everyone!

Serving and Storing Air Fryer Churros

Listen, I’ll be real with you – these churros are at their absolute best when served piping hot, fresh from the air fryer. That’s when the cinnamon sugar crust is at its crunchiest and the inside still has that dreamy soft texture. If you must wait, keep them uncovered on a wire rack (never a plate – they’ll sweat!) for up to 30 minutes.

For storage (though let’s be honest, leftovers are rare), pop them in an airtight container. They’ll lose some crispness but are still tasty for a day. To revive, a quick 2-minute blast in the air fryer at 350°F works wonders. Pro tip: re-coat with fresh cinnamon sugar after reheating for maximum magic!

For even more sweet air fryer magic, head over to our Pinterest where we’re sharing the hottest dessert trends everyone’s talking about.

Air Fryer Churros FAQ

I get asked these questions all the time, so let me save you some trial and error! First up

Nutrition Information

Okay, let’s talk numbers – but remember, these are estimates based on my exact ingredients and measurements. Your actual nutrition may vary depending on brands and how heavy-handed you are with that cinnamon sugar coating (no judgment here!). For one 4-inch churro, you’re looking at:

• Calories: About 120
• Sugar: 8g (most from that delicious coating)
• Sodium: 60mg
• Fat: 5g (mostly from the oil in the dough)
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 1g (who knew churros had protein?!)

Now, before anyone comes at me with calculators – yes, these numbers change if you make thicker or thinner churros, use different oil, or adjust sugar amounts. And that chocolate dip we talked about? That’s gonna add to these numbers, but sometimes deliciousness is worth it! As my abuela used to say, “Life is short – eat the churro first!”

Share Your Air Fryer Churros

Nothing makes me happier than seeing your churro creations! Did yours turn out extra crispy? Maybe you tried one of those fun variations? Snap a pic and tag me – I live for those golden-brown, sugar-dusted masterpieces. There’s something so special about seeing how the same recipe turns out slightly different in every kitchen (and hearing about which family member stole the first one off the plate!).

If you loved this recipe as much as we do, I’d be over the moon if you left a quick rating. Those little stars help other churro lovers find this recipe too. And hey, if you ran into any hiccups, tell me about that too – we’re all learning together in the kitchen! Just promise me one thing – save one churro for yourself before the hungry mob descends. Cook’s privilege, right?