I have to tell you, air fryer churro bites are a little too easy to whip up. Last time I made them, my kids magically appeared in the kitchen, noses twitching like bloodhounds who’d found treasure. You know how some recipes are just “oh, that was nice” and sit forgotten in a binder? Not these. One fateful Saturday I made a batch (well, two, because we have zero self-control during cartoons), and even my usually healthy-eating husband tried to smuggle the last couple bites behind his book — rookie move. Anyway, if you’re ever craving something sweet, comforting, and covered in cinnamon sugar without the deep-fry drama, these air fryer churro bites just hit differently.

Why You’ll Love This (I Definitely Do…)

I make these whenever I want to convince myself I’m the mom who can serve fresh churros without a vat of oil or trip to the funfair. My family goes absolutely bonkers for them because they’re crisp but not heavy, and there’s just enough cinnamon and sugar. (Honestly, sometimes I do double the cinnamon sugar if I’m feeling wild.) These guys are bite-sized, so you can eat a shocking amount before anyone blames you. Don’t even ask how many I’ve eaten straight form the basket; I lost count after the third rerun of Bake Off.

What You Need – Ingredients & Substitutions

1 cup all-purpose flour (Sometimes I cheat and use cake flour if it’s what’s in the cupboard. Not traditional, but the bites end up fluffier – go figure.)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt (My grandma always swears by Maldon, but whatever you’ve got is fine.)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut in pieces (I use salted butter occasionally, then just skip the extra pinch of salt. Rebel move.)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating, though I’ve used caster sugar in a pinch)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Cooking spray or a bit of neutral oil

How To Make ‘Em (And Not Burn ‘Em)

Mix flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. No need to sift, unless you’re feeling fancy (I rarely am).
In a small saucepan, warm the water and butter over medium heat till the butter’s, well, melted. Don’t let it boil itself into the next postcode.
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and then pour the buttery mix over your dry stuff. Stir it with a wooden spoon till it looks a bit shaggy and weird—this stage always looks like a mess, don’t worry.
Let it cool down for a minute (I always rush this and regret it), then crack in your egg. Give it some elbow grease to mix. It’ll get glossy and sticky, almost like playdough. If it’s too stiff, a teaspoon more water usually sorts it.
Fit a piping bag with a star tip if you’ve got one; otherwise, a zip-top bag with the corner snipped sort of works (the bites look odd, but who’s judging?).
Pipe walnut-sized blobs onto a parchment-lined tray. Doesn’t need to be perfect — makes it more fun, honestly.
Spritz the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Pop in the churro blobs, leaving space between them. You’ll probably need to work in batches. (That’s when I drink my coffee.)
Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8–9 minutes. Peek at 7 minutes; you want golden brown with a bit of puff. If they look pale, let ’em go a smidge longer but don’t wander off!
Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a dish that lets you roll stuff around.
Once the churro bites are cooked, while they’re still warm (this part’s non-negotiable!), toss them in the cinnamon sugar. This is where, honestly, I sneak the first bite. For quality control, obviously.
Repeat till you’ve air fried and coated every last one. Try not to eat them all before anyone else gets some.

Notes from the Trenches

If your dough is runny, it probably needs a tad more flour — blame the humidity, not yourself. If it’s super stiff, I just add a splash more water rather than risk a crumbly bite.
I find the bites best eaten warm, but if you must store them, a quick zap in the air fryer brings back the crunch almost like magic.
One time I tried all brown sugar instead of white; it was… fine, kind of caramel-y, but not very churro-y.

Churro Experiments (Some Worked, Some… Didn’t)

Once, I threw mini chocolate chips in the dough. Tasted good, but they made a mess in the air fryer basket. Didn’t love cleaning that up.
Swapped part of the flour for whole wheat. I mean, it’s healthier but also, hmm, not quite a churro vibe. Maybe the birds will appreciate that batch.
Tried mixing orange zest into the cinnamon sugar – surprisingly delicious! Definitely recommend for a little Sunday morning twist.

What You’ll Need (And Panic If You Can’t Find it)

Air fryer (obviously; if you don’t have one, an oven at 400°F kinda works, but they won’t be quite as puffy or golden.)
Mixing bowl
Saucepan
Piping bag/Star tip (optional – I’ve used a plastic bag plenty of times. They taste the same, just look a bit rustic.)

Storing Your Churro Bites (If, By Some Miracle, You Have Leftovers)

Stick ‘em in an airtight container at room temp. They’ll start to go soft after a day or so — but honestly, in my house, they never last more than a few hours, let alone overnight! If you’re somehow slowing down, you can always re-crisp them with a minute in the air fryer the next morning.

How I Like To Serve These (Besides “Hot and Direct”)

I think they’re epic with a little warm chocolate sauce on the side for dipping. If it’s a birthday, we sometimes pile them into a bowl and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Warning: massive sugar rush incoming. My neighbor likes to serve them with salted caramel for dipping — she calls that “extra credit” dessert.

What I Learned The Hard Way (a.k.a. Pro Tips)

Don’t rush the piping– once, I tried to squeeze the bag too forcefully and dough sprayed everywhere. That’s a clean-up you won’t soon forget.
Let the bites cool for about a minute before tossing them in cinnamon sugar. If you do it immediately, sometimes the sugar melts and gets sticky (though still tasty!). On second thought—that might not be such a bad thing…
If you try making bigger churros, they usually end up doughy inside. Stick to bites, trust me on this one!

FAQ — The Real Questions I Hear

Can I freeze these air fryer churro bites? Sure, you can—freeze them after air frying. Warm them back up in the air fryer for a few minutes and they’re almost like fresh. Won’t fool a churro aficionado, but they’ll still disappear.
Can I make the dough in advance? You can, but don’t leave it in the fridge too long—maybe a few hours at most. If it gets cold, it’s hard to pipe, so let it come up to room temp before air frying.
Can I use self-rising flour? Actually, yes, just skip the added baking powder and salt. Made that mistake once and ended up with churro pancakes. Not my proudest moment, but edible!
My churro bites are pale and bland—what gives? Most likely they just need a minute or two more in the air fryer, or go wild and double your cinnamon sugar for coating. You won’t regret it.
Do you have to pipe them? Piping gives you the classic ridges, but honestly sometimes I just scoop with a spoon like cookie dough. Tastes exactly the same—just less “pinteresty.”
Are these healthier than fried churros? Eh, probably? Less oil, but still a treat in my book. I wouldn’t swap ‘em for my morning oatmeal, but I’m not stopping you.

And, quick tangent—I once dropped a whole batch of these bites on the floor, and the dog got to them before I could save a single one. So if you’ve got pets, keep your guard up! Happy cooking, and here’s hoping you get at least a few before the family raids the kitchen.