Indulge in these easy Air Fryer Eclairs! Perfectly crisp shells filled with creamy custard and topped with rich chocolate glaze for a delightful dessert.

Golden air fryer eclairs filled with creamy custard and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze, served on a white plate.
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Air Fryer Eclairs are a delightful twist on the classic French dessert, offering all the indulgence with a quicker and simpler preparation. These eclairs feature golden, airy choux pastry shells cooked to perfection in the air fryer, eliminating the need for deep frying.

Once cooled, the shells are filled with a rich and creamy custard or pastry cream, then topped with a smooth, glossy chocolate glaze for the perfect finishing touch. Whether you’re making them for a special occasion or a sweet treat at home, these eclairs are sure to impress with their irresistible flavor and elegant presentation.

Golden and crisp homemade eclairs made in an air fryer, filled with creamy custard and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze.

Why You Will Love This Recipe!

  • Quick Preparation: Making eclairs in the air fryer saves time compared to traditional baking methods.
  • Perfectly Crisp: The air fryer ensures a golden, crisp exterior that pairs beautifully with the creamy filling.
  • Easy Cleanup: With minimal pans and no frying oil, cleanup is fast and hassle-free.
  • Fun and Creative: Homemade eclairs allow you to customize fillings and toppings to suit your taste.
  • Impressive Dessert: These elegant treats will wow family and friends without requiring professional baking skills.
  • Consistent Results: The controlled heat of the air fryer ensures even cooking every time.
  • Accessible Ingredients: Simple, everyday pantry staples make these eclairs easy to prepare.
Air Fryer eclairs filled with creamy custard and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze, arranged on a plate.

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients needed for Air Fryer Eclairs on kitchen table.
  • Water: Essential base for the eclair dough.
  • Butter, unsalted: Adds richness and flavor to dough.
  • Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness in eclairs.
  • All-purpose flour: Provides structure for the pastry.
  • Eggs, large: Ensures a fluffy and airy texture.
  • Pure vanilla extract: Enhances the dough’s overall flavor.
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix: Base for creamy eclair filling.
  • Cold milk: Combines with pudding mix for creaminess.
  • Heavy whipping cream: Adds richness to the filling texture.
  • Powdered sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes the cream.
  • Pure vanilla extract: Intensifies the flavor of the filling.
  • Chocolate frosting: Perfect topping for classic eclairs.

How To Make Air Fryer Eclairs

Preparing an air fryer tray with parchment paper and boiling water, butter, and salt in a saucepan.

Step One: Prepare an air fryer tray with a sheet of parchment paper. Add the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan or pot.

Stirring flour into the saucepan until a smooth dough ball forms, with a thin film on the pan's bottom.

Step Two: Stir in the flour and cook, constantly stirring, until the mixture forms a dough ball. (There will be a thin film on the bottom of the pan).

Removing dough from the pan to cool, then adding eggs one at a time until the mixture becomes shiny.

Step Three: Remove the pan from the heat and add the dough to a large mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until combined and the dough becomes shiny.

Pipe 1-inch thick, 4-inch long strips of dough onto parchment paper using a piping or Ziploc bag.

Step Four: Add the dough to a piping or Ziploc bag with a trimmed corner. Working in batches, pipe 1-inch thick and 4-inch long strips onto the parchment paper. 

Set air fryer to 350°F and cook eclairs for 6-8 minutes until golden and puffed.

Step Five: Set the air fryer to 350 degrees F and set cook time for 6-8 minutes, or until the eclairs are puffed, lightly golden, and cooked through.

Whip heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form for custard.

Step Six: While the eclairs cook, prepare the custard. Blend the heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Mix pudding mix and milk, fold in whipped topping, and chill for 15-20 minutes.

Step Seven: Mix the pudding mix and milk until well blended in a large bowl. Fold in the whipped topping until combined and chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Air Fryer Eclairs

Step Eight: Allow the eclairs to cool thoroughly, then slice them in half with a serrated knife. Pipe or spoon the chilled custard filling onto the bottoms of the eclairs and place the tops back on. Spread chocolate frosting over each eclair top and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Delicious homemade Air Fryer eclairs with golden pastry and creamy custard filling.

Eclairs In Air Fryer Recipe Tips

  • Ensure the dough is thick enough: When you cook the flour mixture, it should form a dough ball and leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan. This will help the eclairs puff up properly in the air fryer.
  • Space the eclairs properly: Pipe your eclair dough with enough space between each piece to allow them to puff up without sticking together.
  • Use parchment paper: For easy removal and to prevent sticking, line the air fryer tray with parchment paper before adding the dough.
  • Keep an eye on them: Air fryer models vary in temperature, so check your eclairs after about 6 minutes to ensure they’re golden and cooked through.
  • Chill the custard: After preparing your custard filling, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to help it set up for a smoother texture.
  • Add the filling carefully: Once your eclairs are cooled, use a piping bag to carefully fill each with the custard mixture for that classic eclair look and texture.
  • Serve immediately: For the best experience, serve the eclairs fresh after filling them with custard, as they can become soggy over time if stored with the filling inside.

Storing

  • Storing: To store Air Fryer eclairs, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It’s best to store the eclairs without the filling and add the custard right before serving to maintain their crispness.
  • Freezing: If you want to freeze the eclairs, freeze the baked eclairs (without the custard) in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating: To reheat frozen eclairs, place them in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) for about 3-5 minutes until they’re heated through and crispy again. Be sure to fill them with freshly made custard after reheating, as the custard should be kept separate.
Air Fryer Eclairs with chocolate frosting and vanilla custard filling.

Air Fryer Eclairs Recipe Faqs

Can I make these eclairs ahead of time? Yes, you can prepare the eclairs ahead of time. Store the baked eclairs in an airtight container and refrigerate them until ready to fill. The custard filling can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge.

What is the best way to store leftover eclairs? Store any leftover eclairs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the filling and eclairs separately if you want them to stay crisp.

Can I use puff pastry instead of making the dough from scratch? You can use store-bought puff pastry as a shortcut, though the texture may be slightly different than the traditional choux pastry used for eclairs.

Can I freeze Air Fryer eclairs? Yes, you can freeze the eclairs after baking. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before filling with custard.

What other fillings can I use for Air Fryer Eclairs? You can fill your eclairs with whipped cream, chocolate mousse, or any other custard of your choice, such as pistachio or coffee-flavored custard.

Why did my eclairs not puff up? Ensure that you allow the dough to cool slightly before adding the eggs. If the dough is too hot, it will not properly incorporate the eggs, preventing the eclairs from puffing up. Also, check your air fryer temperature to ensure it’s accurate.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

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Air Fryer Eclairs

Air Fryer Eclairs

3.82 from 11 votes
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 14 Servings
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Description

Make delicious, crispy homemade eclairs in your air fryer with this easy recipe. Perfectly puffed pastry filled with creamy vanilla custard and topped with rich chocolate frosting.

Ingredients 

Eclair:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 stick butter, unsalted
  • 1/4 tesapon kosher salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 large egg
  • 1 tesapoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

  • 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 cups milk, cold
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Other:

  • 1 container chocolate frosting

Instructions

  • Prepare an air fryer tray with a sheet of parchment paper.
  • In a medium saucepan or pot, add the water, butter, and salt and bring to a boil.
  • Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a dough ball. (There will be a thin film on the bottom of the pan).
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the dough to a large mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the eggs, one at a time, until combined and the dough becomes shiny.
  • Add the dough to a piping bag or Ziploc bag with a corner trimmed off. Working in batches, pipe 1 inch thick and 4 inch long strips onto the parchment paper.
  • Set the air fryer setting to 350 degrees and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the eclairs are puffed, lightly golden, and cooked through.
  • While the eclairs cook, prepare the custard. Blend the heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
  • Mix together the pudding mix and milk until well blended in a large bowl. Fold in the whipped topping until just combined and chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
  • Allow eclairs to cool fully, then slice the eclairs in half with a serrated knife.
  • Pipe or spoon the chilled custard filling onto the bottoms of the eclairs and place the tops back on.
  • Spread chocolate frosting over each eclair top and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Parchment Paper, Optional
  • Cooking Spray, Optional

Notes

How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat Air Fryer Eclairs:

Storing:
  • Place the eclairs in a single layer inside an airtight container.
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  • Keep in mind that the longer they sit, the softer the pastry will become.
Freezing:
  1. If you plan to freeze, it’s best to freeze eclairs without filling or glazing.
  2. Place unfilled eclairs on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid (about 2-3 hours).
  3. Transfer the frozen eclairs into a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper.
  4. Store in the freezer for up to one month.
Reheating:
  1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the eclairs in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
  3. Reheat for 3-4 minutes or until they are warmed through.
  4. If you’re reheating filled or glazed eclairs, keep a close eye on them to ensure the fillings or glaze doesn’t melt excessively.
  5. If reheating frozen eclairs, allow them to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before following the reheating instructions.
Note: Always be cautious when reheating pastries with cream or custard fillings, as over-heating can cause the filling to become too runny.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 201mgPotassium: 165mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 586IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg

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