These air fryer churros are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and coated in cinnamon sugar. They taste just like the ones you get at fairs and food stands.
The best part is how quick and easy they are to make. No deep frying, no big mess, and no need for any fancy ingredients.
You just make a simple dough on the stove, pipe it into strips, and let the air fryer do the rest. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Once they come out golden and crispy, you roll them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. That’s when the magic happens.
If you’ve never made churros at home before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. It’s simple, fun, and the results are seriously good.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crispy on the Outside and Soft on the Inside – The air fryer gives these churros a perfectly golden crust while keeping the inside light and pillowy.
That Cinnamon Sugar Coating is Irresistible – Every single bite is covered in sweet cinnamon sugar that sticks perfectly to the warm crispy surface.
Way Less Oil Than Deep Fried Churros – You get the same satisfying crunch as traditional churros but with just a light spray of cooking oil instead of a pot full of it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Sugar for coating
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- Cooking Spray
How To Make
Step 1
In a saucepan, bring water, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in flour until a ball forms. Let cool for 5 minutes, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth.
Step 2
Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 4-5 inch strips onto parchment paper cut to fit your air fryer basket.
Step 3
Spray churros generously with cooking spray on all sides. Carefully transfer parchment with churros to air fryer basket.
Step 4
Air fry at 375°F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through.
Step 5
Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon in a shallow dish. While churros are still warm, roll them in cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated. Serve immediately.
Tips
Let the Dough Cool Before Adding Eggs
That 5-minute cooling step after mixing in the flour is really important. If the dough is too hot when you add the eggs, they’ll start to cook on contact and you’ll get little scrambled bits mixed into your dough.
You want the dough to be warm but not hot. If you can comfortably hold your hand against the side of the saucepan, it’s ready for the eggs.
Add them one at a time and fully mix the first egg in before adding the second. The dough will look like it’s falling apart at first, but keep stirring and it’ll come together into a smooth, thick paste.
Use a Large Closed Star Tip
A closed star tip (like a Wilton 1M or 2D) gives you those classic ridges on the outside of the churro. Those ridges aren’t just for looks – they crisp up in the air fryer and give you that crunchy texture you want.
If you use an open star tip or a round tip, the surface stays too smooth and the churros won’t get as crispy. They also won’t hold the cinnamon sugar coating as well because there are no grooves for it to stick to.
Pipe Onto Parchment First
Don’t try to pipe the dough directly into the air fryer basket. The dough is thick and sticky, and you’ll end up with uneven, messy shapes. Pipe strips onto small pieces of parchment paper that are cut to fit your basket.
Once the churros are in the air fryer and have set after about 3-4 minutes, you can carefully pull the parchment paper out from under them. If you leave the parchment in the whole time, the bottoms won’t crisp up properly.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Beignets
- Air Fryer Doughnut Holes
- Air Fryer Funnel Cake Bites
- Air Fryer Fried Oreos
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Donut Cakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a star tip, or can I pipe churros without one?
You really do want a large star tip for this recipe. The ridges it creates are what give churros their classic look, but more importantly, those ridges crisp up beautifully in the air fryer and give you that signature crunchy texture.
If you don’t have a star tip, you can use a large open tip or even a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off, but the churros will come out smooth and won’t get quite as crispy on the outside.
Air Fryer Churros
- piping bag with star tip
- air fryer
- 1 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Sugar for coating
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- Cooking Spray
- In a saucepan, bring water, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in flour until a ball forms. Let cool for 5 minutes, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth.
- Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 4-5 inch strips onto parchment paper cut to fit your air fryer basket.
- Spray churros generously with cooking spray on all sides. Carefully transfer parchment with churros to air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 375°F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through.
- Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon in a shallow dish. While churros are still warm, roll them in cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated. Serve immediately.