Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Prep: Preheat oven to 425° F for baking or 225° F for air frying (to keep cauliflower warm as you air fry in batches). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (for easy cleanup) and top with a wire baking rack.

Batter: Whisk the eggs and hot sauce together in a large bowl (large enough to hold cauliflower). Whisk in the flour until smooth.

Panko breading: Whisk the panko and spices together in a separate large bowl.

Batter Cauliflower: Add the cauliflower to the Batter and gently stir until evenly coated on all sides.

Bread Cauliflower: Working in batches, dredge the cauliflower in the Panko Breading, pressing firmly with clean fingers to adhere. Transfer cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet in an even layer without touching. Lightly spray with cooking spray.

Bake OR Air fry: Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F or working in batches, air fry for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, prepare Buffalo Sauce:

Buffalo Sauce: Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat, then bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes; set aside.

Coat Cauliflower: You can either brush the cauliflower lightly with buffalo sauce which results in crispier bites because they don't get as saturated but it takes longer OR stir the cauliflower with the sauce in a large bowl. To coat in a bowl: transfer 2/3 of the buffalo sauce to a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and gently stir to evenly coat. Add as much of the remaining sauce as needed to coat but try not to oversaturate for crispier bites.

Air Fry Again: Air fry at 375° F for an additional 5 minutes or until crispy. Repeat until cauliflower is gone. You can keep cooked Buffalo Cauliflower warm in the oven at 225° F until all of the cauliflower is done.

Bake Again: Return cauliflower to the pan in an even layer without touching. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes at 425° F or until dry to the touch and tender-crisp. Turn oven to broil (550 degrees F) and broil on high for 2-3 minute or until crisped to your liking, watching closely so they don’t burn.

Devour immediately. The Buffalo Cauliflower is best served within a few minutes of cooking while warm and the edges are still crisp.

Don’t stack Cauliflower Buffalo Bites. Resist the urge to stack the bites when they come out of the oven or they will steam and you’ll lose all crispiness. It is best to serve them lined in a single layer with a little breathing room in between each morsel.

Serve with a refreshing dip such as ranch, avocado ranch, blue cheese dressing or even Caesar dressing.