My first encounter with churros was in a small breakfast spot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We had them with strong coffee that was steamed with milk. I had always thought that churros were a classic Mexican dessert. I learned that these might actually have been first made in Portugal or Spain. Either way, they are very popular in many Latin cuisines and are delectable.
What are Churros?
Churros are basically doughy donuts that are deep fried. The dough is simple and starts with flour, water, butter, sugar, and salt. They are always cooked to order and are extremely fresh. The pastries are then dusted with a little cinnamon sugar and are often served with a chocolate dipping sauce.
Here is where things get a little different. The dough isn’t shaped into a round donut that we are accustomed to. It is actually squeezed through a mechanical extruder or a pastry piping bag with a star shaped tip. The result is something resembling a fat noodle with ridges that the cinnamon sugar can settle into nicely.
Frying vs. Air Frying
Churros are traditionally deep fried in oil to give them a crispy outer shell and a soft interior. In Spain, the oil used is often olive oil. To be sure, these are calorie bombs, albeit delicious.
It is possible to make these treats in an air fryer to make them healthier. However, you might want to add an egg or two to the dough to help them puff up. While this is not traditional, I find that eggless churros in the air fryer are a little dense.
Just like the classic churros, it is best to eat air fried churros while still warm as soon as they come out of the air fryer. Just dust them with cinnamon sugar and have a chocolate syrup, or dipping sauce ready. These really are great with strong coffee or hot chocolate. This breakfast combo will kick start your morning.
Two Churro Recipes
A fairly traditional churro recipe for the air fryer incorporates all-purpose flour, water, butter, eggs, sugar, and salt. You could make dough without an egg and just add a little more water. For more flavor, add a few drops of pure vanilla extract. I have also tried adding some coco or cacao powder for an extra hit of chocolate.
To make churros that are gluten-free, you would swap out the AP flour for a gluten-free flour blend. I recommend adding a little baking powder to the flour blend. You can also exchange the egg with a replacer, such as the ones made by Ener-G or Just Egg.
You will need a pastry piping bag with a star tip for extruding the dough. Alternatively, you could take a sturdy plastic baggie and snip off one corner to pipe the churros. It is possible to roll the dough out and slice into 6” long pieces. If you choose to do that, just twist each churro like a Twizzler so you get some pockets where the cinnamon sugar can settle.
Air Fryer Churros
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 6 TBS unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 2 TBS light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large whole eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil pump or spray
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Total time:20 min – Prep time:10 min – Cook time:10 min – Serves:4 people
Author: Nick
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Cover the bowl and set aside.
2. Pull your eggs out of the refrigerator so they can come to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet. Give this a light spray of oil and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring this to a boil and continue to stir until everything is melted and combined.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour to the liquid mixture. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula until the dough comes together and is smooth in texture. Remove from the heat and place the dough in a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Set the dough aside to cool, approximately 5 minutes.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer until the eggs are well combined with the flour mixture. It should resemble creamy and sticky mashed potatoes.
6. Have a pastry piping bag ready with a large star shaped extrusion tip on the end. Using your hands, pull the dough together into a ball or two that will fit in the piping bag. Pipe the churros into the baking sheet in 4 inch to 6 inch lengths, depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
7. Once all the churros are shaped, you can place the pan in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour so they firm up. If they are firm enough to handle right out of the piping bag, go ahead and bake them right away.
8. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F or 380°F for 3 minutes.
9. Give the churros a light spray of oil. Using a spatula, gently transfer the churros to the air fryer basket or crisper plate, oiled side down. Give the exposed sides another light spray of oil. Cook until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Repeat until all are cooked.
10. Remove the churros to a serving platter and sprinkle immediately with cinnamon sugar. Serve with a chocolate dipping sauce. (Recipe follows).
Gluten-Free Air Fryer Churros
Ingredients:
- 1 cup + 2 TBS whole milk
- 1/2 cup (8 TBS) unsalted butter
- 2 TBS granulated or light brown sugar
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil pump or spray
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Total time: 20 min – Prep time: 10 min – Cook time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Cover the bowl and set aside.
2. Pull your eggs out of the refrigerator so they can come to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet. Give this a light spray of oil and set aside. In a mixing bowl, or bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the milk, butter, and sugar. Bring this to a gentle boil and continue to stir until everything is melted and combined.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour to the liquid mixture. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula until the dough comes together and is smooth in texture. Remove from the heat and place the dough into the mixing bowl that the flour was in. Set the dough aside to cool, approximately 5 minutes.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer until the eggs are well combined with the flour mixture. It should resemble creamy and sticky mashed potatoes.
6. Have a pastry piping bag ready with a large star shaped extrusion tip on the end. Using your hands, pull the dough together into a ball or two that will fit in the piping bag. Pipe the churros into the baking sheet in 4 inch to 6 inch lengths, depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
7. Once all the churros are shaped, you can place the pan in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour so they firm up. If they are firm enough to handle right out of the piping bag, go ahead and bake them right away.
8. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F or 380°F for 3 minutes.
9. Give the churros a light spray of oil. Using a spatula, gently transfer the churros to the air fryer basket or crisper plate, oiled side down. Give the exposed sides another light spray of oil. Cook until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Repeat until all are cooked.
10. Remove the churros to a serving platter and sprinkle immediately with cinnamon sugar. Serve with a chocolate dipping sauce. (Recipe follows).
Chocolate Dipping Sauce with a Kick
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chopped semi-sweet dark chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 TBS unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Total time: 10 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 5 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, pour the cream and heat until it just starts to boil. Remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.
3. As soon as the chocolate softens, whisk in the butter, cayenne, and salt until creamy and shiny.
4. Serve while warm with your churros. Or, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just warm it up quickly in a sauce pan or in the microwave. It is best served warm.
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