These air fryer funnel cakes bring powdered-sugar fair flavor home in small, golden swirls. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F (188°C) for 5 minutes, then cook each cake for about 6 minutes; no flipping or shaking is needed. The batter is thicker than traditional pour-and-fry funnel cake batter so it can hold its shape on parchment in the basket. Expect lightly crisp edges and a soft center rather than the crunch of deep-fried dough.
Ingredients
For six small funnel cakes, gather 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 large egg, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon water. You’ll also need a little cooking spray and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for finishing. Have six small pieces of heat-rated parchment paper and a piping bag or sturdy zip-top bag ready.
How To Make It
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg, yogurt, vanilla, and water until combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until you have a thick, pipeable batter. Transfer it to the bag and snip a small opening, about ¼ inch wide.
Preheat the empty air fryer to 370°F (188°C) for 5 minutes. Cut each parchment piece slightly smaller than the basket bottom so air can circulate around it. On each piece, pipe one loose, overlapping swirl about 4 to 5 inches across. Keep the strands connected, with a few openings between them. Lightly spray the tops.
Place one batter-weighted parchment piece in the hot basket. Cook for about 6 minutes, until the cake is golden and the thickest strands are cooked through. If checking with a food thermometer, an egg-containing cake should reach 160°F (71°C) at its thickest point. Lift it out carefully and repeat with the remaining cakes. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Tips
Use parchment rated for at least 370°F (188°C) and permitted by your air fryer’s instructions. Never preheat with loose parchment inside: the fan can lift it toward the heating element. The batter must weigh the paper down, and the paper must not extend up the basket sides or block the basket’s airflow.
If a strand looks wet after 6 minutes, cook a little longer rather than relying on color alone. Let the cake release from its parchment before lifting it; a thin spatula helps if it sticks. Serve each batch warm for the best texture.
A snowy dusting of powdered sugar makes these little swirls ready to share.
