Onion rings are one of my favorite side dishes, ranking right up there with french fries. I always feel a little guilty about eating them though, seeing as they’re typically deep fried. This air fryer beer batter onion rings recipe changes everything!
You can make onion rings with a delicious beer battered coating right at home! This homemade version uses way less oil than deep frying, so you can feel better about indulging.
They’re super crunchy, dippable, and perfect as a snack or appetizer, including for game day! Homemade air fryer onion rings cook up in under 15 minutes, so you won’t spend all day working on them and can get back to the game.
2-3 sweet onions, such as Vidalia (depends on their size)
½ cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup + ⅛ cup cold beer (I use brown ale)
¾ cup fine cornmeal (masa style)
Oil mist or nonstick spray
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You can swap in other types of onions, but the sweet gives the best flavor. Yellow onions would be next best, followed by white
Really any type of medium to light beer works well with this recipe, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand
Seasoning is very adjustable to taste. Add cayenne for heat, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, paprika, or anything else you might enjoy into the mix. In most cases ½ tsp should be plenty, but feel free to tweak to your liking!
You can also use breadcrumbs in place of the cornmeal if preferred
How to Make Homemade Beer Batter Onion Rings in an Air Fryer
Cut the ends off your onions and remove the peel, then slice into approximately ¾” thick slices. Separate them into individual rings by gently pushing out each layer with your fingers (save the middles for use in another recipe)
In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk in the beer to make a batter
Add the cornmeal to a second bowl, and season with extra salt and pepper to taste
Spray your air fryer’s basket or rack with nonstick spray
Working in batches, dip the onion rings first into the batter, shaking off the excess, and then coat them in the cornmeal
Place the battered onion rings into your air fryer in a single layer (if they touch, they’ll stick together). Spray the tops with a little nonstick or oil spray
Cook on the air fry setting at 400°F for 8 minutes, then gently flip, reapply oil, and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until browned. For subsequent batches, reduce to 6 minutes to start, and cook 2-3 additional (since the air fryer will be hotter)
Serve hot with additional salt if desired, and your favorite dipping sauces!
What to Serve With Onion Rings
Ketchup
Mustard
Horseradish sauce
Garlic aioli
Ranch dressing
Sandwiches
Burgers
Steaks
Fried fish
Chicken wings
Sloppy joes
Coleslaw
Fried green tomatoes
Mac and cheese
Green bean casserole
Baked potato
There are lots of great dipping sauces, sides, and main courses to serve with onion rings!
Yes and no. Batter alone cannot be cooked in an air fryer, as it will fall through the grates and off of the food.
However, batter that is then coated in something else to hold it in place, like cornmeal, breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes, or similar, works fine, as the exterior keeps the batter contained until it sets.
Can You Make Beer Battered Onion Rings in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can make beer battered onion rings in an air fryer. It works for both homemade and frozen options.
It requires a minimal amount of oil and gives a similar crispy texture to deep frying.
How Long Do Onion Rings Take in an Air Fryer?
Onion rings take 8-12 minutes on average to cook in an air fryer.
This varies based on the size of your rings, your specific air fryer, thickness of the breading, and whether your air fryer is preheated or not.
How Do You Crisp Up Onion Rings in an Air Fryer?
To crisp up onion rings in an air fryer, make sure to preheat your basket, cook in a single layer, and apply oil spray to the top of the onion rings.
When they are not crispy, this indicates the presence of excess moisture being trapped.
What Temperature Do I Air Fry Onion Rings?
Onion rings are air fried at a temperature of 360°F – 400°F typically, depending on your air fryer’s available settings and recipe recommendations.
Frozen rings should be cooked at a lower temperature since they are pre-cooked to avoid over browning.
Recipe Pro Tips
You can use a fork or tongs for the dredging process, but honestly I find it works best to just use your hands
To maximize space in your air fryer, put smaller rings inside larger ones so you can cook more of them at a time!
If you don’t shake off enough of the batter before coating the rings, it will drip through the grates while cooking and you’ll lose the batter in the process of freeing the rings (so make sure you give them a good shake)!
I tried MANY versions of this recipe before settling on this one being reliable with staying on the onions and releasing from the air fryer. It’s not quite the same texture as a deep fried version since you need that breading layer to cook these successfully, but it’s still very crunchy and delicious!
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store leftover onion rings in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
To reheat onion rings in the air fryer, use a lower temperature of 350°F for 3-5 minutes (depending on the size of your onion rings and your specific air fryer). This method also works for restaurant leftovers!
These air fryer beer batter onion rings are crispy and delicious! With way less oil than deep frying, they’re a lower fat option that still tastes great. Plus, you don’t need to actually go anywhere to enjoy them!
Crunchy onion rings are a perfect side dish to your burgers and sandwiches, but they’re equally good as an appetizer. Put them out with some sauce or dips and enjoy them for game day or your Super Bowl party!
They cook up beautifully in under 15 minutes, so you won’t have to work for hours to enjoy these crunchy, tasty onion rings.
Homemade Air Fryer Beer Batter Onion Rings
These homemade beer batter onion rings cook up crispy and delicious in the air fryer in under 15 minutes. They’re great as a side dish, or an appetizer paired with sauces or dips.
2-3Sweet onions, such as Vidalia(depending on their size)
½Cupall purpose flour
2Tbspcornstarch
1Tspsalt
½Tspgarlic powder
¼Tsp black pepper
½ + ⅛Cupscold beer(I use brown ale)
¾Cupfine ground cornmeal
Oil mist or nonstick spray
Instructions
Cut the ends off your onions and remove the peel, then slice into approximately ¾” thick slices. Separate them into individual rings by gently pushing out each layer with your fingers (save the middles for use in another recipe)
2-3 Sweet onions, such as Vidalia
In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk in the beer to make a batter
½ Cup all purpose flour, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tsp salt, ½ Tsp garlic powder, ¼ Tsp black pepper, ½ + ⅛ Cups cold beer
Add the cornmeal to a second bowl, and season with extra salt and pepper to taste
¾ Cup fine ground cornmeal
Spray your air fryer’s basket or rack with nonstick spray
Oil mist or nonstick spray
Working in batches, dip the onion rings first into the batter, shaking off the excess, and then coat them in the cornmeal
Place the battered onion rings into your air fryer in a single layer (if they touch, they’ll stick together). Spray the tops with a little nonstick or oil spray
Cook on the air fry setting at 400°F for 8 minutes, then gently flip, reapply oil, and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until browned. For subsequent batches, reduce to 6 minutes to start, and cook 2-3 additional (since the air fryer will be hotter)
Serve hot with additional salt if desired, and your favorite dipping sauces!
Notes
You can swap in other types of onions, but the sweet gives the best flavor. Yellow onions would be next best, followed by white
Really any type of medium to light beer works well with this recipe, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand
Seasoning is very adjustable to taste. Add cayenne for heat, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, paprika, or anything else you might enjoy into the mix. In most cases ½ tsp should be plenty, but feel free to tweak to your liking!
You can also use breadcrumbs in place of the cornmeal if preferred
To maximize space in your air fryer, put smaller rings inside larger ones so you can cook more of them at a time!
If you don’t shake off enough of the batter before coating the rings, it will drip through the grates while cooking and you’ll lose the batter in the process of freeing the rings (so make sure you give them a good shake)!
I tried MANY versions of this recipe before settling on this one being reliable with staying on the onions and releasing from the air fryer. It’s not quite the same texture as a deep fried version since you need that breading layer on top of the batter to cook these successfully, but it’s still very crunchy and delicious!
Store leftover onion rings in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
To reheat onion rings in the air fryer, use a lower temperature of 350°F for 3-5 minutes (depending on the size of your onion rings and your specific air fryer)
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any sauces or sides added, size of onions, and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Keyword air fryer appetizers, air fryer onion rings beer batter, air fryer onion rings no breadcrumbs, air fryer side dishes, beer batter onion rings with cornstarch, beer battered onion rings recipe
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
