Churros are one of my favourite desserts with their crisp, crunchy exterior and their deliciously fluffy interior.

Traditionally, churro dough is made from flour, water and salt but some people also add sugar and eggs.

The dough is piped using a pastry bag into hot fat and deep fried to give them that crunchy texture they have become known for.

While I love churros, making them from scratch is not in my wheelhouse. My baking skills are basic at best so I wanted to replicate the texture and flavours of churros but without the hassle of making the dough.

When I came across this super simple air fryer crumpet churro recipe, I just had to try it. Paired with the viral olive oil maple syrup caramel recipe that's doing the rounds on social media, it was a match made in heaven.

You can make this recipe with normal crumpets or a gluten-free alternative. The same goes with the butter. I used olive oil spread to make this recipe completely vegan.

How much cinnamon you use is also completely your choice. I love cinnamon so I used a large amount but if you're less keen, you could use a smaller amount or even no cinnamon at all.

Using an air fryer means you can bake these in as little as eight minutes.

How to make crumpet churros

Ingredients

For the crumpets

Two crumpets

Two tbsp butter (or dairy-free alternative)

One tbsp granulated sugar (I used light brown)

One tsp cinnamon

For the caramel

third cup olive oil

half cup maple syrup (cold from the fridge)

a pinch of salt

Method

1. Cut the crumpets into strips or bite-sized chunks and add them to a bowl.

2. Melt the butter in the microwave for around 10 to 20 seconds and toss the crumpet pieces in the butter.

3. Place them in the air fryer and cook them for eight to 10 minutes or until they're crispy. Shake the crumpets halfway to ensure they cook evenly.

4. While the crumpets are crisping up, whisk your olive oil and maple syrup together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk together until the mixture thickens. Put the caramel into a dipping pot.

5. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon until they are well well-combined.

5. Once the crumpets are crispy, toss them in the sugary cinnamon mix.

Serve with the caramel sauce for a delicious dessert or snack.