Air Fryer Churro Bites Recipe

Name: Air Fryer Churro Bites
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Ingredients: 1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough (Or pizza dough); 3 tablespoons butter, melted (Unsalted butter); 1/2 cup granulated sugar (For coating); 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (Adjust to taste); 1/4 cup chocolate sauce (Optional for dipping); 1/4 cup caramel sauce (Optional for dipping)

These air fryer churro bites are the quick dessert that tastes like carnival treats made at home. Bite-sized pieces of dough cooked until crispy then tossed in cinnamon sugar create this addictive sweet snack. Takes about 15 minutes total. I make air fryer churro bites whenever I need an air fryer churro bites recipe that satisfies sweet cravings without deep frying or complicated dough mixing.

Crescent roll dough pieces brushed with butter, air fried crispy, and tossed in cinnamon sugar. Leave space between pieces so air circulates and they get golden instead of steaming together.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Churro Bites Recipe

Real talk, this air fryer churro bites recipe is one of the easiest desserts I've made and my kids beg for these every weekend.

What Actually Works: This recipe uses store-bought crescent roll dough or pizza dough cut into small pieces, brushes them with melted butter, air fries until golden and crispy, then tosses everything in cinnamon sugar while still hot. Simple ingredients, about 15 minutes from start to finish. Tastes like air fryer angel food cake churro bites from a food truck but requires no oil vat or thermometer monitoring.

The thing that changed everything: Understanding that you need to leave space and brush with butter for air fryer churro bites. My first attempt I packed the air fryer basket full because I wanted to make a big batch fast and skipped the butter because I thought it was optional. The pieces stuck together into one giant blob and stayed pale and doughy instead of golden and crispy. Some parts burned while others stayed raw with zero cinnamon sugar sticking to the dry surface.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Churro Bites Recipe
What You'll Need for Air Fryer Churro Bites
How to Make Air Fryer Churro Bites
Top Tip
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
Storage and Reuse Instructions
What to Serve With Air Fryer Churro Bites
My Air Fryer Churro Bites Journey
FAQ
More Recipes You'll Love
Air Fryer Churro Bites
Related
Pairing

What You'll Need for Air Fryer Churro Bites

Basic ingredients you probably already have. This is the easiest churro bites recipe you'll make this month.

For the Churro Bites

Refrigerated crescent roll dough or pizza dough
Melted butter
Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon

For Serving

Chocolate sauce
Caramel sauce
Whipped cream
Dulce de leche

Optional Add-Ins

Vanilla extract in the butter
Cocoa powder in the sugar
Nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Mini chocolate chips

Exact measurements in the Recipe card.

How to Make Air Fryer Churro Bites

Let's get these air fryer churro bites cooking.

Prep your ingredients: Open the crescent roll dough, melt the butter, and mix the cinnamon sugar in a bowl. Having everything ready before you start makes the process smooth and quick.

ingredients for air fryer churro bites on marble counter

Cut the dough: Unroll the crescent roll dough and cut it into small bite-sized pieces about 1 inch square using a pizza cutter or sharp knife. The pieces for churros recipe easy air fryer style should be uniform so they cook evenly at the same rate.

cutting raw dough into squares with pizza cutter

Brush with butter: Place dough pieces on a plate and brush all sides generously with melted butter. The butter for air fryer angel food cake churro bites helps them crisp up and gives the cinnamon sugar something to stick to after cooking.

brushing melted butter on dough with pastry brush

Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 350°F and let it preheat for 3 minutes so the temperature is consistent when you add the dough. Preheating for churro cheesecake cups style treats ensures even cooking without hot spots.

Arrange in basket: Place buttered dough pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece so air can circulate. Don't overcrowd or they'll steam instead of getting crispy. You may need to cook in batches for airfryer dessert recipes success.

Air fry until golden: Cook at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the churro bites are puffed and golden brown all over. The timing for churro cups depends on your air fryer model, so check at 6 minutes. They should look crispy and deep golden like fried dough.

golden brown air fried churro bites in basket

Make cinnamon sugar: While the churro bites cook, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Use about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon per ½ cup of sugar for the right balance. The coating for air fryer donut holes style treats should taste strongly of cinnamon without being overwhelming.

Toss while hot: Remove churro bites from the air fryer and immediately toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they're still hot and buttery. The heat makes the sugar stick perfectly to every surface. Working quickly for air fryer cinnamon roll bites style coating ensures maximum sugar adhesion.

tossing hot churro bites in cinnamon sugar bowl

Serve warm: Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately with chocolate sauce, caramel, or dulce de leche for dipping. The churro bites are best eaten warm when they're crispy outside and soft inside.

Top Tip

Leave space between pieces and use butter for perfect air fryer churro bites:

That spacing plus butter is what makes easy at home sweet treats actually work
Made this mistake twice packing the basket full and skipping butter
The pieces stuck together into one giant blob that cooked unevenly
They stayed pale and doughy instead of getting golden and crispy
Started leaving ½ inch space between each piece in a single layer
Brushed every piece generously with melted butter before cooking
Suddenly got perfect at home desserts easy results every time
Each bite was golden, crispy, and evenly coated with cinnamon sugar

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

The base air fryer churro bites are perfect but you can customize for different occasions.

Angel Food Cake Version

Use store-bought angel food cake cut into cubes instead of dough for air fryer angel food cake churro bites that are lighter. The cake version for healthy air fryer churro bites has fewer calories and takes even less time since the cake is already cooked.

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Use regular Pillsbury crescent roll dough for air fryer churros pillsbury style that everyone recognizes. The crescent dough creates flaky layers that make the churro bites extra crispy and delicious.

Gluten-Free

Use gluten-free pizza dough or biscuit dough for gluten-free air fryer churros that work for dietary restrictions. The texture for appetizers air fryer style treats stays similar with GF dough.

Storage and Reuse Instructions

Yeah, air fryer churro bites keep okay actually.

Room Temperature: Store leftover churro bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They soften as they sit but can be re-crisped in the air fryer at 325°F for 2 minutes.

Refrigerator: Refrigerated churro bites last up to 4 days but become quite soft. Reheat in the air fryer to restore some crispiness before serving again.

Freezing: These freeze okay for up to 1 month. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 325°F for 4 to 5 minutes for dessert snacks for party prep.

Serving: These taste best served fresh and warm right after cooking when they're at peak crispiness. The texture changes significantly once they cool completely.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Churro Bites

This air fryer churros bites recipe is perfect as a standalone snack but pairs well with dipping sauces.

Dipping Sauces

Serve with chocolate sauce, caramel, dulce de leche, or Nutella for easy food to make at home snacks ideas. Multiple dipping options for yummy desert ideas let everyone customize their experience.

Ice Cream Pairing

Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for churro sundae experience. The warm crispy churro bites for snack ideas for movie night contrast perfectly with cold creamy ice cream.

Party Spread

Pair with other air fryer treats like donut holes or cinnamon roll bites for variety. Multiple options for pantry desserts create a fun dessert bar guests love.

My Air Fryer Churro Bites Journey

First time I made air fryer churro bites I packed the basket completely full because I wanted to make enough for everyone at once. Skipped the butter because I thought it was just extra calories and unnecessary. The dough pieces all stuck together into one giant mass that stayed pale and doughy even after 10 minutes. The cinnamon sugar wouldn't stick to the dry surface and just fell off. My family ate one each and said they tasted like raw dough.

Tried again leaving space between each piece and brushing everything with melted butter like the recipe said. Suddenly the technique worked perfectly with golden crispy bites. My son who hates cooking asked to help make another batch.

Then I used cold dough straight from the fridge because I was impatient and didn't want to wait. The cold pieces needed way longer to cook and still had doughy centers when the outside looked done. Started letting dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and got perfectly cooked results.

Now I make this air fryer churro bites recipe twice a week because I know the tricks: use butter, leave space, shake halfway, and don't rush the process.

Similar Air Fryer Dessert Recipes Worth Making

Air Fryer Donut Holes: Biscuit dough pieces fried in the air fryer and coated in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar for classic treat.

Air Fryer Apple Fritters: Diced apples in dough fried until crispy and glazed with sweet icing for fall-inspired dessert.

Air Fryer Beignets: Refrigerated biscuit dough fried and dusted with powdered sugar for New Orleans style treat at home.

These ninja air fryer churros alternatives all use similar techniques and deliver that same satisfying crispy sweet bite as air fryer churro bites.

FAQ

What 5 foods should you not put in an air fryer?

Foods you shouldn't put in an air fryer include wet batter (it drips through the basket), fresh greens (they blow around), whole roasts (too big to cook evenly), cheese without coating (it melts and makes a mess), and raw grains (they need liquid to cook). For air fryer churro bites recipe success, use dough that holds its shape. Most air fryer churros frozen versions work fine because they're already formed and coated.

Can you cook frozen churros in an air fryer?

Yes, you can cook frozen churros in an air fryer at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes without thawing. The air fryer churros frozen method works great for store-bought churros like the brands you find at grocery stores. Shake the basket halfway through and they'll come out crispy and hot. The baked churro bites frozen versions cook faster than making dough from scratch.

How long to cook Aldi churros in an air fryer?

Cook Aldi churros in the air fryer at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping or shaking halfway through for even cooking. The hola churros air fryer timing is similar for most frozen churro brands. They're done when golden brown and crispy on the outside. Let them cool for 1 minute before eating so you don't burn your mouth.

How long do you cook cinnamon sticks in the air fryer?

Cook cinnamon roll sticks or churro-style cinnamon sticks in the air fryer at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and puffed. The air fryer churros no egg versions using dough cook at the same temperature. Check at 6 minutes because air fryer models vary in heat intensity and cooking times.

More Recipes You'll Love

Once you've nailed this air fryer churro bites recipe, try my 2-Ingredient Keto Chaffles for easy low-carb waffles made with cheese and eggs. My Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken turns ordinary chicken into sweet and savory magic. And my Sweet Potato Taco Bowl makes a complete healthy meal with seasoned beans and roasted sweet potatoes everyone devours.