These irresistible Air Fryer Churro Bites bring the magic of street-fair treats right to your kitchen in just 20 minutes. Perfectly crispy on the outside yet tender inside, each cinnamon-sugar coated morsel delivers pure joy without the mess of deep frying. With only 375 calories per serving and the simplicity of air frying, you can enjoy this beloved Mexican-inspired dessert any day of the week. The best part? These golden-brown bites capture that authentic churro taste while being lighter and easier to make than traditional versions.
Essential Ingredients
- Angel Food Cake: ½ cake, cut into bite-sized cubes
- Sugar Mixture: ½ cup regular sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- Glaze Components: ¼ cup each of powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, softened butter, and milk
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Your Air Fryer: Arrange the angel food cake cubes in your air fryer basket, ensuring they’re not overcrowded
- Initial Cooking: Lightly spritz the cake pieces with oil and air fry at 350°F for 5 minutes until golden
- Create Coating: Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl until well combined
- Coat The Bites: Transfer warm cake bites and sugar mixture to a large bag or bowl, then toss until evenly coated
- Prepare Glaze: In a mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth and creamy
- Adjust Consistency: Customize your glaze by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin
Cooking Techniques
Air fryers make these churro bites super easy! For the best results, don’t overcrowd your air fryer basket – leave some space between the angel food pieces so they can get nice and crispy. A light spray of oil helps them turn golden brown, but don’t soak them or they’ll get soggy. When coating the bites with cinnamon sugar, shake the bag gently to avoid breaking the pieces.
Variations
Want to mix things up? Try these tasty twists:
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg to your cinnamon-sugar mix for extra warmth
- Replace regular sugar with brown sugar for a deeper flavor
- Make the dipping sauce chocolate-flavored by adding 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- Use Mexican cinnamon (canela) for a more authentic churro taste
Serving Suggestions
These churro bites are perfect for parties! Set up a fun dipping station with your cream cheese sauce in a pretty bowl. Serve them while they’re still warm – that’s when they taste best! They’re great for movie nights, after-school snacks, or weekend brunches. Pop them on a pretty plate and add some fresh berries on the side for extra color.
Storage Tips
These treats are best eaten fresh from the air fryer when they’re warm and crispy. If you need to store them, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Don’t store them with the cream cheese sauce – keep that separate in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, warm the bites in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes to crisp them up again.
Air Fryer Churro Bites
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1/2 Angel Food Cake cubed
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup Cream Cheese softened
- 1/4 cup Butter softened
- 1/4 cup Milk
Instructions
- Place the angel food bites in the air fryer. Spray with oil and cook at 350F for 5 minutes.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Pour bites and sugar mixture into a gallon size bag or a large bowl and shake or stir until bites are coated.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and milk, and mix until smooth. For thicker sauce add more powdered sugar, for thinner, add more milk.
