Air Fryer Christmas Crack Snack (Print Version)

Crispy bowtie pasta tossed in cinnamon sugar for a sweet and salty holiday snack that's quick and easy.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta

→ For Frying

02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)

→ Cinnamon Sugar Mix

03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt

→ Finishing

06 - 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter

# Directions:

01 - Boil salted water and cook bowtie pasta for 7 to 8 minutes until just al dente. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Toss the drained pasta with vegetable oil until evenly coated.
03 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
04 - In batches, arrange pasta in a single layer in the air fryer basket and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp.
05 - Combine granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt in a bowl.
06 - Transfer crispy pasta to a large bowl, drizzle immediately with melted butter, and toss to coat evenly.
07 - While still warm, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the pasta and toss thoroughly to coat all pieces.
08 - Allow the coated pasta to cool completely to maximize crunchiness before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deceptively easy—just pasta, spice, and heat transform into something that tastes way fancier than it actually is.
  • The texture contrast between crispy pasta and buttery cinnamon sugar coating hits every craving at once.
  • It's the kind of snack that looks impressive enough to gift but costs almost nothing to make.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the pasta after draining—any water trapped in those little bowtie pockets will ruin the crispness and make the sugar clump.
  • The timing matters: coat with butter while hot, add cinnamon sugar while warm, and cool completely before eating. Each step changes the texture in crucial ways.
  • Your air fryer temperature might run slightly different, so keep an eye on color rather than just time—you want deep golden, not pale or charred.
03 -
  • Make this snack a few hours ahead and store it in an airtight container—it actually gets crunchier as it sits and the coating fully sets.
  • If you accidentally get a few pieces that aren't crispy enough, you can always throw them back in the air fryer for 2 minutes to save them.
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