Air-Fryer Hush Puppies

With a crispy, golden exterior and soft interior, air-fryer hush puppies boast the perfect texture. These hush puppies are also made flavorful with bits of onion and jalapeno and plenty of seasonings, like sugar, salt and garlic powder.

You’ll love how light, crunchy and delicious air-fryer hush puppies are. Eat them on their own as a snack or alongside other iconic southern comfort foods.

Ingredients for Air-Fryer Hush Puppies

• Yellow cornmeal: Cornmeal gives hush puppies their corn taste. Just be sure to use only as much as the recipe calls for, as too much cornmeal can cause hush puppies to fall apart.
• All-purpose flour: Flour helps to bind the ingredients together.
• Baking powder: Baking powder helps hush puppies rise and achieve a light, airy texture.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder adds a savory character, while salt enhances the overall flavor of air-fryer hush puppies. Meanwhile, the sugar caramelizes when heated, helping the hush puppies brown and gain a gorgeous color in the air fryer.
• Buttermilk: In addition to providing the necessary moisture and richness, buttermilk adds a welcome tang to the hush puppy batter.
• Egg: Egg is a binding ingredient that helps hold the batter together.
• Onion and jalapeno: Be sure to finely chop these veggies so they blend into the batter. Feel free to omit the jalapeno if you’re not a fan of spicy ingredients.

Directions

Step 1: Make the hush puppy batter

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and garlic powder. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg, chopped onion and diced jalapeno (if desired). Let the batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the hush puppies in the air fryer

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. In batches, scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased parchment in an air-fryer basket. Spritz with cooking spray. Bake for five to six minutes or until golden brown.

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

Recipe Variations

• Add cheese: Elevate the hush puppies and give them a melty texture by adding shredded cheese, like pepper jack or cheddar.
• Make them spicy: We like adding Cajun seasoning to air-fryer hush puppies to give them a nice spice.

How to Store Air-Fryer Hush Puppies

Hush puppies are best right after cooking, but they’ll last in the fridge for up to three or four days when stored properly. Store any leftover hush puppies in an airtight container in the fridge.

How do you reheat air-fryer hush puppies?

We recommend reheating hush puppies in the air fryer. Pop them in a 350° air fryer for a few minutes or until they’re slightly crispy and warmed through.

Air-Fryer Hush Puppies Tips

Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home

How do you make gluten-free or dairy-free air-fryer hush puppies?

To make these dairy-free hush puppies, swap in unsweetened almond or cashew milk for the buttermilk. To make them gluten-free, substitute a gluten-free flour blend, and make sure your cornmeal is certified gluten-free.

Can you use a skillet to fry hush puppies?

You can make hush puppies in a skillet or Dutch oven. Heat a neutral oil (like canola oil) to 365°. Drop the batter into the oil by tablespoonfuls and fry until golden brown for about two minutes. Drain the hush puppies on paper towels before serving.

What should you serve with air-fryer hush puppies?

We like to serve air-fryer hush puppies with southern-style barbecue or crispy fried chicken. They also taste great as a side dish for seafood dinner ideas like fried fish or as an accompaniment to soup or chili recipes.