Crisp ridged batons rolled in warm spice sugar — these mini churros deliver the whole fairground moment, minus the vat of hot oil. A choux-style paste, a large star tip and a hot airfryer basket are all it takes to get that signature ridged crunch.
It’s one of the 20 recipes inside our Airfryer Cookbook, and we’re sharing it in full so you can taste the standard before you buy the book. Fifteen minutes of hands-on work and a single layer in the basket, and you’re tossing hot Airfryer Cinnamon Sugar Mini Churros in cinnamon sugar.
Why this recipe works
The star tip does the real work: those sharp ridges catch the olive oil spray and crisp into true churro texture in the airfryer, no deep-frying needed. Piping onto parchment cut to fit the basket lets you airfry in one clean single layer, and a gentle flip at minute 6 — instead of a shake — keeps the batons intact so they set sharp rather than puffing round.
Ingredients
Churro dough
- 120ml water
- 60g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 80g all-purpose flour
Coating & finish
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp olive oil spray
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Optional garnish
- 3 tbsp warm dark chocolate dipping sauce
Serves 2 · Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min · 265 kcal per serving
Instructions
- Cook the paste. Bring water, butter and 1 tbsp sugar to a rolling boil. Off heat, add flour and beat hard with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms and pulls from the pan. Cool 5 minutes, then beat in the egg until glossy.
- Pipe the churros. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe 8cm batons directly onto parchment cut to fit the basket, cutting with scissors. The ridges are what trap oil spray and crisp in the airfryer.
- Preheat and airfry. Preheat basket at 375°F / 190°C for 3 minutes. Mist churros evenly with olive oil spray and airfry in a single layer, spaced 1cm apart, at 375°F / 190°C for 9–10 minutes. Do not shake, flip gently at minute 6.
- Toss in cinnamon sugar. Combine 3 tbsp sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow dish. Tumble hot churros straight from the basket through the sugar until fully coated, then serve with warm chocolate sauce.
Air fryer tip
Pipe onto cold parchment, not directly into a hot basket. The ridges set sharper and survive the flip intact, giving true churro-shaped crunch rather than rounded puffs.
Get the full Airfryer Cookbook
Loved this one? It’s a single recipe from a 20-strong collection of air fryer favourites built the same way — clear ingredients, exact temperatures, no guesswork. Grab the full Airfryer Cookbook below.
