Air Fryer Churros Are Crispy Sweet Treats That Prep in 30 Minutes — Easy Recipe

Alexandria Brooks
·4 min read

We could never pass up freshly cooked churros — and making them less greasy just got a lot easier! Cooking them in the air fryer is the surprise method that achieves crunchy and golden brown churros without oil spitting everywhere. Additionally, a chef's trick allows you to prep a batch ahead so you can cook as many as you need. Pair those warm and sugary churros with a dipping sauce for a fun dessert to enjoy any night of the week. Find out how to make this treat in 30 minutes with the help of your trusty air fryer!

What are churros?

This Spanish treat traditionally starts with a sticky dough that’s piped into sticks and deep-fried. The piping hot churros are then tossed in cinnamon sugar and, sometimes, served with dipping sauces.

Related: These Churro Cookie Recipes Are Full of Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice — So Easy to Bake Up at Home

The perks of cooking churros in the air fryer

The air fryer makes it easy to enjoy churros and their sweet and spiced flavors. The appliance uses circulating heat, which evenly cooks the inside and outside of this treat. This method also requires less oil than deep-frying, producing churros that are crispy without being greasy. Plus, you don't have to clear up oil splatters afterwards! It’s best to cook the churros in batches as it allows the air flow around each one.

Our recipe videos for Crispy Air Fried Potato Slices and Air Fried Beef Kabobs showcase more ways this appliance cooks your favorite dishes with little oil.

Chef’s make-ahead trick for homemade churros

If you don't want to cook a ton of churros at once, Kevin Ashton, chef and culinary advisor at Restaurantji, says you can freeze them. "Pipe them on a silpat-lined baking sheet and freeze them for approximately 30 minutes [or until they're solid]." Wax or parchment paper work fine in place of a silicone nonstick mat. Once frozen, place the dough sticks in a plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to a month. The churros don't need to be thawed beforehand. So, you can grab your desired amount, pop them in the air fryer and savor a crunchy treat in no time.

How to make churros in the air fryer

Below, you can find an air fryer version of our test kitchen's Homemade Churros recipe. The dough comes together hassle-free thanks to Bisquick, which contains flour, salt and leavening agents all in one. After air frying, the browned churros are ready to toss in cinnamon sugar and serve.

Air Fryer Churros

Homemade air fryer churros served on a plate with cinnamon sugar and chocolate sauce
Bartosz Luczak/Getty

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Bisquick pancake and baking mix

  • ½ cup + 3 Tbs. sugar

  • 2 Tbs. + ½ tsp. cinnamon

  • ⅓ cup milk

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • Olive or avocado oil spray

Directions:

  • Yield: approximately 6 to 8 servings

  1. In bowl, mix Bisquick, 3 Tbs. sugar and ½ tsp. cinnamon. Stir in milk, vanilla and beaten egg until sticky dough forms.

  2. Preheat air fryer to 360°F. In small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup sugar and 2 Tbs. cinnamon. Set aside.

  3. Put dough in pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe four or five 3-inch churros onto parchment-lined air fryer basket, using scissors to cut. each one Leave enough room between between churros. Spray tops with light coating of oil.

  4. Air fry around 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from air fryer and toss in cinnamon sugar. Repeat process with remaining churro dough, unless freezing leftover mixture.

  5. Serve churros on their own or with dipping sauce. Enjoy!

5 best dipping sauces for air fryer churros

To enhance the flavor of your churros, serve them with any of these yummy sauces.

1. Chocolate sauce

Warm chocolate sauce adds a layer of richness to the churros. You can also make a spiced chocolate sauce by stirring in a small pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder.

2. Peanut butter sauce

Peanut butter fans can rejoice as this Homemade Peanut Sauce has the right amount of nuttiness and sweetness to take your churros to the next level.

3. Fruit sauce

Whether made with berries, apples or cherries, fruit sauce is a nice dipping sauce option that's both sweet and tart.

4. Caramel sauce

Rich and gooey caramel sauce makes for an appetizing addition to these churros.

5. Cream cheese sauce

Try this Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce for a sweet, creamy and tangy pairing.

Read on for more delectable dessert recipes!

Love Croissants and Waffles? Try ‘Croffles’ — Buttery, Flaky Treats That Cook In 5 Minutes

Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Bars: Rich + Creamy Treats That Prep in 20 Minutes

This Microwave Brownie Recipe Is Ready in Just 5 Minutes — So Easy + Fudgy