Description
Delicious homemade churros cooked to golden perfection in the air fryer, offering a healthier alternative to traditional frying. These crispy, cinnamon-sugar coated treats are perfect for a sweet snack or dessert and come together with simple ingredients like water, butter, eggs, and flour.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Churros Dough
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- oil spray
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Mat: Put a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet and spray it with oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Make Dough Base: In a medium saucepan, combine water, cubed butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add Flour: Reduce heat to medium-low and add the flour to the saucepan. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together and becomes smooth, forming a thick paste.
- Cool Dough: Remove the dough from heat and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Let it cool for 4 minutes to avoid cooking the eggs when added.
- Mix in Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the cooled dough. Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to combine until the dough becomes smooth and gluey like mashed potatoes. Use your hands to press any lumps together into a ball.
- Pipe Churros: Transfer the dough ball to a large piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped tip. Pipe 4-inch lengths of dough onto the greased silicone baking mat. Cut the ends with scissors.
- Refrigerate: Place the baking sheet with piped churros into the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up the dough.
- Air Fry Churros: Carefully transfer the churros to the air fryer basket using a cookie spatula, leaving about a 1/2-inch space between each churro. Spray the churros lightly with oil spray. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook: Air fry the churros at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Coat with Cinnamon Sugar: In a shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Immediately transfer the hot churros to the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss them to coat evenly.
- Serve: Serve the churros warm with Nutella or chocolate dipping sauce for a delightful treat.
Notes
- Refrigerating the piped churros is essential to help them hold their shape and achieve a crispy exterior.
- If you don’t have a star-shaped piping tip, you can use a large round tip, but star tips give churros their traditional ridged texture.
- Adjust the air fryer temperature and time depending on your model to avoid burning or undercooking; cook until golden brown.
- Use oil spray sparingly to keep the churros crispy and reduce added fat.
- Store leftover churros in an airtight container and reheat in the air fryer for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
