Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks (Churro-Style)

Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks

What I like about this air fryer method is how fast the outside can turn crisp while the middle stays tender, but only if the bread gets a quick dip instead of a soak. This is one of those recipes where basket spacing and a light hand with the custard matter more than chasing an exact minute mark.

These French toast sticks have a churro-style feel: thick bread, a simple cinnamon custard, and a cinnamon-sugar finish. They work for breakfast, brunch, snack time, or dessert, and they reheat well if you want to freeze a batch for later.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks

• 6 slices thick-sliced brioche or Texas toast, cut into thirds
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (about 65g)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• Neutral cooking oil spray, as needed

If you want the cinnamon sugar to cling more like churros, have 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter ready for brushing after cooking.

For serving, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries all work well.

Best Bread for Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

Thick bread makes a real difference here. Brioche, challah, and Texas toast hold their shape better in the custard and stay fluffy inside once air fried.

I’d skip thin sandwich bread. It softens too quickly, tears more easily, and tends to come out pale or soggy instead of crisp around the edges.

If your bread is very fresh, let the cut sticks sit out for a few minutes before dipping. A slightly drier surface browns better.

How to Make Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

1. Preheat the air fryer: Preheat to 375°F (190°C) for 3 to 5 minutes if your model allows it. A short preheat helps the sticks start browning right away. If you skip it, expect the cooking time to run 1 to 2 minutes longer.
2. Mix the cinnamon sugar: In a shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Set it aside for coating after cooking, or use it for a very light pre-coat before air frying.
3. Make the custard: In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth, with no visible egg streaks.
4. Dip the bread briefly: Dip each bread stick quickly in the custard, turning to coat, then let the excess drip off. The surface should look coated, not saturated.
5. Choose your coating method: For a lighter pre-coat, roll the dipped sticks very lightly in the cinnamon sugar and shake off the excess. For the most reliable finish, skip the sugar now and coat the hot sticks after cooking. Heavy pre-coating can scorch in some air fryers.
6. Load the basket: Lightly spray the basket, or use a perforated parchment liner if your air fryer manual allows it and your basket tends to stick. Arrange the sticks in a single layer with a little space between them, then mist the tops lightly with oil.
7. Air fry: Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 7 to 10 minutes per batch, until the edges are deep golden brown, the surface looks dry and set, and there is no shiny wet custard left. Flipping is not required, but if your air fryer browns unevenly, flip once or rotate the basket around the 5-minute mark. Start checking at 7 minutes.
8. Finish with cinnamon sugar: If you skipped the pre-coat, brush the hot sticks lightly with melted butter, then toss them in the cinnamon sugar right away so it sticks evenly. If you coated them before cooking, you can add a light extra dusting while they are still warm.
9. Repeat and serve: Cook the remaining sticks in batches the same way. Serve warm.

Air Fryer Time and Temperature for French Toast Sticks

Cook these at 375°F (190°C) for about 7 to 10 minutes per batch.

I rely on the visual cue more than the clock here because air fryers vary. Start checking around 7 minutes and keep going until the ridges and edges are well browned and the outside feels crisp, not soft or damp.

Basket models usually brown these faster than oven-style air fryers. In an oven-style model, the middle rack usually gives the most even color, and rotating the tray halfway through helps.

How to Keep Air Fryer French Toast Sticks from Getting Soggy

This is where the texture can go wrong. The main fix is simple: use thick bread and dip it quickly. If the bread sits in the custard too long, the center can stay too soft even after the outside browns.

• Use slices about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
• Day-old bread works especially well.
• Cook in batches so the sticks are not crowded.
• Mist lightly with oil instead of coating heavily.
• Cook until the surface looks dry and set, not just lightly colored.

If the first batch looks pale, the usual causes are overcrowding, overly moist bread, or not enough preheating. Give the sticks more space and add another minute or two as needed.

Pre-Coat vs. Post-Cook Cinnamon Sugar

Both approaches work, but they behave differently in the air fryer.

A light pre-coat can caramelize nicely and gives the sticks more of a cinnamon-donut feel. The key is keeping it light, since too much sugar can darken before the bread is fully crisp.

I usually go with the post-cook coating when I want the most even finish. Brushing the hot sticks with a little melted butter, then tossing them in cinnamon sugar, gives a more consistent churro-style crust and avoids most of the burning risk.

Serving Ideas

Serve these warm with maple syrup, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, or whipped cream.

If you want them to lean more dessert than breakfast, vanilla ice cream works too.

How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer French Toast Sticks

Let the sticks cool completely before storing so steam does not soften the coating.

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

To reheat in the air fryer, cook at 350°F (175°C) for 3 to 5 minutes from the fridge or 5 to 7 minutes from frozen.

A toaster oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5 to 8 minutes also works well. The texture may not be quite as crisp as fresh, but it is still good. The microwave will warm them through, but the crust softens.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition, based on 4 servings and not including optional butter, syrup, fruit, or powdered sugar.

• Serving size: About 4 to 5 French toast sticks
• Calories: About 260
• Protein: About 9g
• Fat: About 7g
• Carbohydrates: About 39g

Approximate per 100g: 255 calories, 8g protein, 7g fat, 38g carbohydrates.

These values are estimates and will vary based on the bread you use, how much custard it absorbs, and how much cinnamon sugar sticks to the finished batch.