These crispy baked onion rings are so easy to make and an ideal snack when you are craving something fried. Serve them as a side to burgers, sandwiches, or part of a party food spread.
Cut 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.
Bowl 1: Add the 2 tablespoons of flour to a medium bowl. Set aside.
Bowl 2: Crack the egg into a medium bowl and scramble slightly. Add the milk, melted butter, and 1/2 cup of flour. Stir to combine and set aside.
Bowl 3: Combine the panko breadcrumbs, cornmeal, dried parsley, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.
Bread the Onions:
Preheat the oven to 425˚F, and spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray or layer with parchment paper.
Drop each onion ring into the flour bowl and coat thoroughly with flour.
Remove the onion ring from the flour and drop it into the egg mixture. Flip to coat entirely.
Remove the batter-coated onion ring, let the extra batter drip off, and then drop it into the breadcrumb mixture and coat completely.
Carefully remove the breaded onion ring without shaking off the coating, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining onion rings and place them on the baking sheet without touching each other. You can put little rings inside of big ones to save space.
Bake the Onion Rings:
Bake the onion rings in a preheated oven until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn over about halfway through so each side browns evenly.
Air Fryer Onion Rings:
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.
Serve warm with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. Serves 2.