Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Crispy Spicy (Printable)

Crispy, spicy cauliflower bites with a tangy buffalo sauce, ideal for snacks or appetizers.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cauliflower

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

→ Breading

02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)

→ Buffalo Sauce

08 - 1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

→ For Serving

11 - Celery sticks
12 - Carrot sticks
13 - Ranch or blue cheese dressing (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add milk and whisk until smooth.
03 - Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring even coating. Shake off excess batter.
04 - Arrange battered florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp.
05 - Combine buffalo hot sauce, melted butter, and honey or maple syrup in a large bowl.
06 - Transfer cooked cauliflower immediately to the sauce bowl and toss until evenly coated.
07 - Serve hot with celery, carrot sticks, and ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You get all the satisfaction of buffalo wings without the meat or the mess of deep frying
  • The air fryer creates restaurant-style crispiness with almost no oil
  • These disappear faster than you can bake them, so you might want to double the batch
02 -
  • Overcrowding the air fryer is the fastest way to soggy results—work in batches if needed
  • The sauce goes on AFTER cooking, never before, or the coating will get soft and sad
  • These lose their crunch fast, so serve them within 10 minutes of tossing in sauce
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet under your air fryer basket for easy cleanup
  • Double the sauce recipe—people always want extra for dipping
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