Air Fryer Recipe
Churros
Churros are a much-loved Spanish treat, crisp on the outside and soft within, and this version gives them a lighter turn in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 125ml of water
- 60g of unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 75g of plain flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 50g of caster sugar (for coating)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- cooking spray
Method
- Put the water, butter, sugar and salt into a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat.
- Take the pan off the heat and add the flour, stirring until it comes together into a dough.
- Leave the dough to cool, then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C.
- Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe strips onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange the dough strips in the basket, leaving space between each one.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Toss the warm churros through the mixture.
- Serve straight away with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche.
Why this works in an air fryer
This is a small choux-style dough: boiling water and butter gelatinise the flour, then egg adds steam for lift. The star tip creates ridges with more surface area, helping the air fryer’s fast convection dry and brown the outside before the centre overcooks.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding one loose layer of 8–10cm churros. In a single-drawer air fryer, cook in batches and keep uncooked strips chilled on baking paper; in a dual-zone model, use both drawers but rotate or swap sides halfway if one zone browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Dough looks greasy or scrambled after adding the egg? It was too hot; cool the panade until warm, then beat the egg in gradually until glossy and pipeable.
- Churros spread into flat strips before cooking? The dough is too loose or warm; chill it for 10–15 minutes and use a larger star nozzle for better structure.
- Pale and soft at 10 minutes? The basket is crowded or the surface is under-oiled; leave clear gaps, mist lightly with cooking spray and add 2–3 minutes.
- Dark ridges but doughy centres? The strips are too thick or the fryer runs hot; pipe narrower lengths and cook at 170°C for a few extra minutes.
Variations & substitutions
- Orange zest in the dough adds aroma without changing the timing, but keep it finely grated so it does not block the star tip.
- Swap cinnamon sugar for cardamom sugar; the coating behaves the same, but cardamom is stronger so use about half as much as cinnamon.
- Use golden caster sugar for coating for a light caramel note; it clings similarly while the churros are still warm.
- For a dairy-free version, use a firm plant-based baking block instead of butter; the dough may be slightly softer, so chill briefly before piping.
Storage & reheating
Churros are best fresh, but keep leftovers airtight for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 3–4 minutes before re-coating lightly in sugar.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
