How to make churros in air fryer: pipe choux-style dough, air-fry at 375°F until deep golden, then toss in cinnamon sugar.
Churros feel like a treat you buy, not a snack you make on a weeknight. An air fryer flips that script. You get the snap on the outside and a tender center, with less oil mess and less guesswork. If you’ve been searching how to make churros in air fryer and keep them crisp, the details below will save you a few batches.
A batch can hit the table in under 40 minutes, start to sugar-dusted plate.
You’ll make a quick stovetop dough, pipe short ropes, chill them so they hold their ridges, then air-fry in batches. The coating goes on while they’re hot. If you want filled churros, you’ll add that after cooking so the shells stay crisp.
| Churro Factor | What To Do | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Classic ridges | Use a large open-star tip (8–10 mm) and firm pressure | Ridges increase surface area, boosting crunch |
| Crisp shell | Air-fry hot (375°F) and don’t crowd the basket | Strong airflow dries the exterior instead of steaming |
| Even browning | Lightly spray basket and dough with neutral oil | A thin film helps browning without deep frying |
| No blowouts | Cook dough on the stove until it forms a smooth ball | Proper paste structure keeps steam inside the dough |
| Hollow centers | Use room-temp eggs and beat until glossy ribbons form | Eggs trap steam that puffs the interior |
| Soft or gummy | Chill piped churros 15–25 minutes before cooking | Cold fat and starch set the shape, reducing spread |
| Sweet coating sticks | Toss in cinnamon sugar while churros are hot | Heat melts butter and grabs the sugar |
| Faster batches | Pipe on parchment strips, then lift strips into basket | Clean transfer keeps ridges sharp and saves time |
| Bigger batch | Double the dough, but cook in the same basket layer | Stacking blocks airflow and turns crisp into soft |
How To Make Churros In Air Fryer With Crisp Results
This approach uses pâte à choux logic: a cooked flour paste that’s lightened with eggs. Steam is your lift, and airflow is your fry. Once you get those two pieces right, churros turn out steady batch after batch.
Gear That Makes The Process Smooth
- Air fryer with a flat basket (more surface area helps)
- Medium saucepan and a sturdy spoon or spatula
- Piping bag plus a large open-star tip
- Parchment cut into small strips (perforated sheets also work)
- Small bowl for cinnamon sugar and a pastry brush
Ingredients For 16 To 20 Churros
- 1 cup water
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
- Oil spray (neutral)
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
Step-By-Step Churros In The Air Fryer
- Heat the base. In a saucepan, bring water, butter, sugar, and salt to a steady simmer, stirring so butter melts fully.
- Make the paste. Dump in flour all at once. Stir hard until a smooth ball forms and a thin film shows on the pot bottom, about 60–90 seconds.
- Cool briefly. Move dough to a bowl. Stir for 1 minute so it stops steaming. This keeps eggs from scrambling.
- Add eggs. Beat in eggs one at a time. Dough will look split, then turn glossy and thick. It should fall in a slow “V” from the spoon.
- Pipe. Fit the piping bag with the star tip. Pipe 4–5 inch ropes onto parchment strips. Snip ends with scissors.
- Chill. Slide piped dough into the fridge for 15–25 minutes. This step keeps ridges defined.
- Preheat. Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes. Lightly spray basket and the tops of the churros.
- Air-fry. Cook 8–10 minutes, turning once if your model browns unevenly. Stop when deep golden and firm.
- Coat. Brush hot churros with melted butter, then toss in cinnamon sugar.
If your air fryer runs hot, drop to 360°F and add a minute. If it runs cool, stay at 375°F and extend time by 1–2 minutes. Aim for deep color, not blond. Pale churros taste bready and turn soft fast.
Dough Cues That Tell You It’s Right
Churro dough is forgiving once you know what “done” looks like. The paste stage should clump into one ball with no dry flour streaks. After eggs, the dough should feel elastic, not runny. When you lift the spoon, it should stretch, then break, leaving a clean point that slowly folds over.
Egg size matters. If your eggs are small, you may need a bit more. If they’re jumbo, you may not need all of the second egg. Add the last egg in small spoonfuls until the texture matches the cue above. A loose dough makes flat, ripply churros.
Food Safety Notes For Egg Dough
Churros cook through fast, but you still want full set inside. Cook until the shells are firm and deep golden. The heat needed to set egg-based dough aligns with the USDA safe minimum internal temperatures chart, so don’t stop early just to shave off a minute.
Air Fryer Basket Setup That Prevents Sticking
Sticking ruins ridges, and ridges are where crunch lives. Use parchment strips under each rope, not a full sheet that blocks airflow. After the first 2–3 minutes of cooking, the dough firms up and releases. At that point you can slide the parchment out with tongs for better browning if you want.
Keep a single layer with space between ropes. Air fryers cook by moving hot air. When churros touch, you get steam pockets and soft spots. If you’re making a big batch, set cooked churros on a rack, not a plate, so the bottoms don’t sweat.
Oil Spray Choices That Change Browning
Air fryer churros still need a hint of fat for color. Use a neutral spray that’s meant for cooking, not a pump bottle with butter flavoring. A light mist is enough. If you see wet droplets, you used too much and sugar will clump on the surface.
Coating And Dips That Stay On The Churro
Cinnamon sugar works because sugar sticks to a slightly greasy surface. That’s why brushing with butter right after cooking is the move. If you skip the butter, sugar falls off and collects on the plate.
Quick Cinnamon Sugar Ratios
- Classic: 1/2 cup sugar + 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Less sweet: 1/3 cup sugar + 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Extra spice: 1/2 cup sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon + pinch of salt
Dips That Pair Well
- Chocolate sauce: melt chocolate with a splash of milk, stir until smooth
- Dulce de leche: warm gently so it pours
- Vanilla yogurt: stir in honey and a pinch of cinnamon
If you’re serving kids, keep dips warm, not hot. Thick sauces can burn tongues faster than you’d think. The FDA safe food handling guidance has clear reminders for serving and storage.
Filled Churros Without Soggy Shells
Fill after cooking. Always. Piping filling into raw dough blocks steam and can split the churros. Once cooked and coated, poke a hole in one end with a skewer, then pipe in pastry cream, chocolate, or whipped cream. Keep fillings chilled and serve soon.
Fast Pastry Cream Shortcut
Heat 1 cup milk with 2 tbsp sugar until steaming. Whisk 2 yolks with 1 tbsp cornstarch. Temper with hot milk, then cook until thick. Chill with plastic wrap touching the surface.
Storage And Reheating That Keeps Crunch
Churros are peak within 30 minutes. If you need a make-ahead plan, cook them, cool on a rack, then store uncovered for 1 hour so steam leaves. After that, move to an airtight container with paper towel lining.
- Room temp: 1 day, then reheat to revive the shell
- Fridge: up to 3 days, but coating will melt a bit
- Freezer: freeze uncoated churros on a tray, then bag
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2–4 minutes. Toss in fresh cinnamon sugar after reheating. Microwaves soften the shell, so use them only if crunch doesn’t matter.
Timing And Temperature By Churro Size
| Churro Size | Air Fryer Setting | Doneness Check |
|---|---|---|
| Mini (3 in) | 375°F, 6–8 min | Firm, deep golden, light in hand |
| Standard (4–5 in) | 375°F, 8–10 min | Ridges crisp, no soft center feel |
| Thick (6 in, wider tip) | 360°F, 11–13 min | Even color, no wet dough at ends |
| Frozen piped dough | 375°F, 10–12 min | Shell set, steam stops puffing |
| Reheat cooked churros | 350°F, 2–4 min | Crisp returns, sugar still clings |
| Gluten-free blend* | 360°F, 9–12 min | Fully set, cracks stay shallow |
*Gluten-free results vary by blend. Aim for a dough that pipes clean ridges and holds shape in the fridge.
Troubleshooting When Churros Act Up
Most churro issues trace back to dough texture or airflow. Use this list to fix the next batch instead of guessing.
- Flat ridges: dough too loose or tip too small. Hold back a bit of egg next time.
- Hollow but chewy: under-browned. Cook longer to drive off moisture.
- Split sides: basket too hot or dough too dry. Lower temp to 360°F or add a spoon of egg.
- Soft bottoms: cooled on a plate. Use a rack so air can move under them.
- Sticky coating: butter too heavy. Brush lightly, then toss fast.
Batch Planning For Consistent Results
Churros don’t like waiting in the basket while you pipe the next round. Set up a small assembly line: pipe all ropes onto parchment strips, chill them together, then cook in steady batches. While one batch cooks, mix cinnamon sugar and melt butter so you can coat the second they come out.
If you want a steady crunch for a group, keep cooked churros on a rack, then coat right before serving.
Printable Batch Checklist
Use this quick run-through each time you make a batch. It keeps your steps tight and your results steady.
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F and cut parchment strips.
- Cook flour paste until it forms a smooth ball and leaves a film.
- Beat in eggs until dough falls in a slow “V.”
- Pipe 4–5 inch ropes with a large star tip.
- Chill 15–25 minutes, then spray lightly with oil.
- Air-fry 8–10 minutes until deep golden and firm.
- Brush with butter, toss in cinnamon sugar, serve warm.
If you’re teaching someone else how to make churros in air fryer, have them watch for color and firmness, not the clock. Once they nail that cue, the rest is smooth.