Air Fryer Sourdough Discard Churro Bites
Crispy-outside, tender-inside churro bites made with sourdough starter discard and air-fried to golden perfection. The dough uses the tanginess and fermented flavor of discarded sourdough starter, bound with egg and lightened with baking powder, then piped into ridged bites and coated with warm cinnamon sugar. Ready in under 30 minutes with no deep frying required.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- 12–16 churro bites (makes 1 batch)
Steps
Before you start
- Bring sourdough discard and egg to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Room-temp ingredients blend more smoothly.
- Clear and dry the air fryer basket; you can line it with parchment if you like, though it's not required.
- Have a pastry bag fitted with a large star piping tip ready. If you don't have one, see the substitution tips.
- Read through the recipe to understand the flow—piping, frying, cooling, and coating happen in quick succession.
Mix the dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, all-purpose flour, large egg, 2 tbsp melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder.
- Stir until smooth and no lumps remain.
- The dough should be thick but pipeable—think thick pancake batter.
- If it's too thick to squeeze through a pastry bag, whisk in 1 tbsp room-temperature water at a time until you reach the right consistency.
- If it's too thin, sift in a bit more flour (1 tbsp at a time).
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Ready when: Dough is smooth with no lumps and thick enough to hold its shape when piped
Tip: Don't overmix, or you'll develop gluten and make the churros tough. Stir just until combined.
Fit pastry bag with tip
- Insert a large star piping tip (½-inch opening) into a pastry bag.
- The ridges from the star tip create the classic churro texture.
- Fold the top of the bag over your hand and fill it with the dough, pushing it down gently.
- Fill about two-thirds full—overfilling makes piping messy and unstable.
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Tip: If you don't have a large star tip, a medium star tip (#4 or #5) will work, or even a plain round tip (#12 or #14)—the churros will taste just as good without the ridges.
Preheat air fryerOven 400°F / 205°C
- Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and preheat for 3 minutes.
- This ensures the outside of the churros crisps quickly.
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Ready when: Air fryer beeps or displays 'ready'
Pipe churro bites into basketOven 400°F / 205°C
- Hold the pastry bag about ½ inch above the air fryer basket.
- Squeeze steadily and pipe 2.5-inch strips of dough, moving the bag in a smooth, continuous motion.
- Leave about ½ inch of space between each piece—they'll puff slightly, and air needs to circulate around them.
- You should fit about 12–16 pieces depending on your basket size.
- If you have more dough, you'll fry a second batch.
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Tip: If pieces touch, they'll stick together during frying. Spacing is crucial. Don't worry if they look lumpy or uneven right now—they smooth and puff as they cook.
Air fry churro bitesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 8–10 minutes, shaking or gently stirring the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking on all sides.
- Watch for deep golden-brown color.
- The churros are done when they're deeply browned on all sides and feel firm (not squishy) when you press one gently with a fork.
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Ready when: Deep golden brown on all sides, firm to the touch, not doughy or pale
Tip: Air fryers vary in power. Start checking at 8 minutes. Under-cooked churros taste doughy; over-cooked ones are hard and dry. Aim for dark golden—that's the sweet spot.
Cool, mix coating, and coat
- Transfer the hot churro bites to a plate.
- While they cool for about 1 minute (still warm to the touch), whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- Once slightly cooled, lightly brush each piece with the 2 tbsp melted butter, then roll or dip each buttered churro in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, rotating to coat all sides evenly.
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Ready when: All pieces are evenly coated with cinnamon sugar
Tip: Coating while warm helps the sugar adhere and creates that authentic churro texture. Work quickly so they don't cool too much before coating.
Serve
- Serve the cinnamon-sugar coated churro bites warm or at room temperature.
- They taste best eaten the same day, while the exterior is still crispy and the center is tender and soft.
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Tip: If they sit for a few hours and soften, you can re-crisp them in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) for 2–3 minutes. Serve with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche for dipping if desired.
Good to know
Tips
- Spacing is everything. Churro bites fry unevenly or stick together if crammed in the basket. Give each piece breathing room so hot air circulates all around it.
- No pastry bag? You can spoon the dough into small 1-inch balls, flatten them slightly with the back of a spoon, and air fry. You'll lose the ridged texture, but the flavor and crispiness are identical.
- Sourdough discard varies in hydration depending on how wet you keep your starter. If your dough is too thick to pipe, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. If too thin, sift in a little more flour (1 tablespoon at a time). The goal is thick pancake batter consistency.
- Make these for a snack, dessert, or even a fun breakfast. They pair beautifully with hot chocolate, coffee, or chocolate sauce for dipping. They're also a conversation starter—using sourdough discard this way impresses other bakers.
Make ahead
Yes. Prepare and pipe the dough into the air fryer basket, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before air frying. Add 1–2 minutes to the cooking time if frying straight from cold.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days; texture is best on day one. Refrigerator: Keep for up to 4 days; reheat in a 300°F (150°C) air fryer for 2–3 minutes to restore crispness. Freezer: Not recommended—texture becomes mealy after thawing.
Substitutions
- baking powder → 1 tsp (5g) instant yeast mixed with a pinch of baking soda and 1 tbsp warm water added to the dough. This amplifies the sourdough tang and gives a slightly richer, airier texture, but the dough becomes slightly more delicate to pipe.
- all-purpose flour → ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour + ¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour. Adds a nuttier, deeper flavor that complements the sourdough. The texture will be slightly denser but still tender.
- ground cinnamon → 1 tbsp (7g) ground ginger, cardamom, or a mix of both. Creates a different spice profile. Start with a little less cardamom (it's potent). Works beautifully with sourdough.
- sourdough starter discard → 1 cup (240g) Greek yogurt or sour cream mixed with ¼ cup (60g) all-purpose flour. Gives a tangy flavor without active sourdough. Reduce baking powder to ½ tsp to prevent over-rising. The texture will be slightly tighter.
