Name: Crispy Baked Onion Rings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 large onion (about 10-12 ounces); 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tablespoons butter (melted); 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 2 cups panko breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons cornmeal; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; cooking spray (or parchment paper)

These crispy baked onion rings are easy to make and an ideal snack when craving something fried. Serve them as a side to hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, or part of a party food spread.

Yes, you can have crunchy, crispy onion rings without frying. These baked onion rings have the same satisfying texture and flavor without all the excess oil. Experiment with your favorite seasonings and dips, and you can make numerous versions of this delicious snack.

Tips for Making Crispy Onions Rings in the Oven

It is challenging to capture the best part of fried onion rings while switching to a healthier, baked option. However, anyone who loves onion rings knows that it is essential to maintain a crispy, crunchy coating and delicious flavor to satisfy the craving.

The Best Onions for Onion Rings

You can use any bulb onion to make onion rings. The most common to use are the large white or yellow. Even very intense flavored onions will mellow when baked in the oven.

White onions have a sharp and pungent flavor.
Yellow onions have a balance of sharp and sweet flavor.
Red onions can be a bit strong, but the flavor softens when baked.
Sweet onions, such as Texas, Maui, Walla Walla, and Vidalia onions, are not as harsh and have a mild, slightly sweet taste.

Large onions tend to have thick rings that hold up to being breaded and baked. One sizable 10 to 12-ounce onion will provide a generous serving of onion rings for two people.

Are Baked Onion Rings Crispy?

Yes, they are! The batter contains butter that helps the crumb coating stick to the onion and aids with browning. The crumb coating is made from panko breadcrumbs and cornmeal, and these two ingredients crisp up nicely in the oven.

Flavoring the Onion Rings

It is essential to add some seasoning since these baked onion rings do not have oil to add flavor. This recipe includes parsley, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to add flavor.

Experiment with your favorite herbs and spice combination to add flavor to your onion rings. You can even substitute a tablespoon of taco seasoning if you are in a hurry.

The Secret to Getting the Coating to Stick!

I tried the typical way to bread things by dipping into flour, egg, and breadcrumbs but was very disappointed when the panko coating failed to cling to the onion or fell off when moving the onion. It was tasty but didn’t have a crispy coating that I craved.

I was so happy to discover a trick to getting the coating to stick! Plain old eggs were not enough. You need to make a thick batter instead. The batter is the glue that holds the breadcrumbs in place! So, instead of using just an egg, you will make a thick batter by combining the egg with milk, butter, and flour.

Steps for Making Baked Onion Rings

You can find a more detailed and printable recipe at the bottom of this article, but these are the general steps for making baked onion rings:

Step 1: Cut the Onion into Rings

Using a sharp knife, trim off the stem end of the onion, peel back the skin, and cut the onion into 1/2-inch slices. Separate the onion slices into rings and discard or save the ends for making stock.

Step 2: Prepare the Coatings

You will need three medium bowls for the breading process:

Bowl 1: Add 2 tablespoons of flour to a medium bowl.
Bowl 2: Combine the egg and milk, melted butter, and 1/2 cup of flour.
Bowl 3: Add the panko breadcrumbs, cornmeal, dried parsley, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Whisk well to combine.

Step 3: Bread the Onion Rings

Preheat the oven to 425˚F, spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray or layer with parchment paper. Bread the onion rings by tossing with flour, coating with the thick batter, and then covering with the breadcrumb mix.

One at a time, toss each onion ring into the flour bowl and coat thoroughly with flour. Next, remove the onion ring from the flour and drop it into the egg batter. Coat the onion ring thoroughly, and then let the extra batter drip off. If you skip this step, your panko will get all clumped up.

Once the onion stops dripping, drop it into the breadcrumb mixture, and flip to coat. Remove without shaking off the coating, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining onion rings.

Step 4: Bake the Onion Rings

Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until the onion rings are crispy and golden brown. Flip them about halfway through so that each side browns evenly. Serve warm with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

Air Fryer Onion Rings

This recipe is perfect for air frying too! Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will need to cook onion rings in several batches, one layer at a time.

Preheat your air fryer to 425˚F for about 5 minutes. Lay the coated onion rings in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, leaving a little space in between each ring.

Return the basket to the air fryer and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Flip about halfway through so they cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining onion rings.

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