Air Fryer Churros with Cinnamon Sugar

Churros are one of Spain's best-loved treats. Long ridged strips of fried dough, they are traditionally eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, often dipped into a cup of thick hot chocolate. In Spain and across Latin America they are sold at cafés, fairs and street stands, usually served hot and crisp.

The traditional method is deep-frying, which is not always the most practical thing to do with children around. The air fryer gets surprisingly close, especially if you use the right dough and a couple of simple tricks.

The dough makes the difference

Classic Spanish churros are often made from just flour, water and salt. That dough works beautifully in hot oil, but in an air fryer it can turn out dry and hard. A dough enriched with butter and egg, similar to a choux pastry, holds its shape better and stays soft inside. It is also easier to pipe.

The other trick is chilling. Pipe the churros onto parchment and freeze them for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. This firms them up so they keep their ridges rather than spreading in the heat.

A useful comparison is this guide to churros in the air fryer from a Spanish site, which shows how the method is handled by cooks who know churros well.

The recipe

• Prep 40 min
• Cook 20 min
• Makes about 16 churros

IngredientsTap to check off

• 1 cup water
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, for coating

MethodTap a step when it is done

1. 1Step 1: Bring the water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add the flour all at once and stir hard until a smooth ball forms. Cook 1 minute more.
2. 2Step 2: Transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, until glossy.
3. 3Step 3: Spoon into a piping bag with a large open star tip. Pipe 5-inch strips onto parchment and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. 4Step 4: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Arrange the churros in a single layer and spray with oil.
5. 5Step 5: Air fry for 9 to 11 minutes until golden and crisp, working in batches.
6. 6Step 6: Roll the hot churros in cinnamon sugar and serve with chocolate dip.

Print recipe

A quick chocolate dip

Spanish hot chocolate for churros is thick enough to coat the dough. For an easy version, heat 1 cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, whisking until it starts to thicken. Remove it from the heat and stir in 3 ounces of chopped dark or semisweet chocolate until smooth. Serve it warm in small cups for dipping.

If your children prefer something sweeter, a little dulce de leche or chocolate hazelnut spread works too.

Jobs for little helpers

Making churros is a great weekend project. Older kids can help stir the dough and pipe the strips, which takes some strength but is very satisfying. Younger children are perfect for the cinnamon sugar step: give them a shallow dish and let them roll the warm churros until they are completely coated. The hot dough and the air fryer basket are adult territory, so keep small hands clear of those.

Serving and storing

Churros are best eaten warm, within an hour of cooking. If you need to make them ahead, keep the piped, uncooked strips frozen in a bag for up to a month and cook them straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes. Cooked churros can be crisped up again in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes, but they are never quite as good as fresh, which is a fine excuse to eat them all at once.