These Crispy Cauliflower Bites are the ultimate appetiser or snack! Oven-baked for a healthier twist, they’re also super easy to make with dairy-free and gluten-free options available. So crunchy and delicious!
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Trust me, these crispy cauliflower bites are insane! I first tried something similar in a London restaurant years ago and always wanted to make my own allergy-friendly version.
The crispiness of the batter on the outside is heavenly and I promise the kids won’t even realise they’re eating veg! If you’re not a fan of spice, don’t worry – I’ve included some milder variations below.
These bites make a brilliant, healthy snack or appetiser. Even if you’re not vegan, they’re a fantastic alternative to chicken buffalo wings, and I’m sure you’ll love them as much as we do!
They’re also perfect for a “fakeaway” buffet, alongside my gluten-free puff pastry pizza and homemade egg-free chicken goujons.
❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- ✔️ Perfectly Crunchy: Crispy and crunchy on the outside, but super soft in the middle.
- ✔️ Allergy-Friendly: Using a few easy alternatives these buffalo bites can be made dairy-free and gluten-free!
- ✔️ Kid-Friendly: Even picky eaters won’t realise they’re munching on veggies – they’re that tasty!
- ✔️ Healthier than chicken wings: - baked not fried! Although I do have a healthier version of Chinese salt and pepper chicken wings that are baked in the oven.
- ✔️ Great for Sharing: They’re perfect for parties, gatherings, or family movie nights – everyone will be reaching for more!
🍅 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make these crispy cauliflower bites. To find out how to make them allergy-friendly, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Cauliflower - This is the star of the show and forms the filling for our crunchy bites. Use a fresh cauliflower without any black spots. Another way to enjoy cauliflower is this gluten-free cauliflower cheese.
- Franks Buffalo Hot Sauce - If you like spice you can buy the Franks buffalo hot sauce original version or if you prefer things a little tamer Franks do a mild version too.
- Milk -This is used to make the batter for the bites. See the section below for dairy-free options.
- Butter - Used to create a smooth, rich texture, balance the heat from the hot sauce & it also helps the sauce cling to the cauliflower. See below for dairy-free options.
- Flour - Use plain flour. This along with the milk forms the batter for the bites. See below for gluten-free options.
- Spices - I have used a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt & pepper to help flavour the batter.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Recipe Allergy-Friendly?
- ✔️ Make It Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free versions in place of regular butter and milk. Use a plain tasting unsweetened milk like soya for best results. If you use the dairy-free options, these bites will also be vegan too.
- ✔️ Make It Gluten Free: Swap regular plain flour for a gluten-free version. My favourite gluten-free flour is Doves Farm, I find it works really well in a variety of both sweet & savoury dishes.
✏️ How to make Crispy Cauliflower Bites
Step 1: Start by chopping the cauliflower into small bite-sized florets.
Step 2: To make the batter, mix the flour with the spices, then add the milk slowly, whisking as you go.
You need to make the batter as smooth as possible - no lumps!
Step 3: Put the cauliflower florets in the batter mix and coat well. Shake off any excess batter and place the cauliflower on a lined baking tray.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, turning carefully halfway through.
Step 5: Meanwhile, make up your buffalo sauce - melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat.
Once melted, turn off the heat and mix in the Franks Buffalo Sauce.
Step 6: Remove the crispy cauliflower from the oven, dip each piece into the buffalo sauce butter mixture, and then put them back on the baking tray, shaking off any excess sauce to avoid them going soggy.
Step 7: Bake in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp.
💡 Lauren's Tips
- ✔️ Shake Off The Excess: It’s really important to make sure you shake off any excess batter, this will help to keep the wings nice and crispy, if you leave too much batter on the cauliflower they may become soggy and not crisp up in the oven!
- ✔️ Don’t Overcrowd the Tray: Space the cauliflower bites out on the baking tray so they crisp up evenly. Overcrowding will make them soggy.
- ✔️ Flip Halfway Through: Flip the bites halfway through baking to get an even, golden crisp on all sides.
- ✔️ Serve Immediately: For the best texture and no soggy bottoms, serve the bites right out of the oven while they’re still hot and crispy.
🤔 Do These Crispy Bites Taste Like Buffalo Chicken Wings?
Now, I’m not going to pretend to you that these taste exactly the same as the original buffalo “hot” wings made with chicken! HOWEVER, the cauliflower does take on a meaty texture and even if you don’t like cauliflower (which believe me, is a pretty boring vegetable on its own!) I challenge you to try them.
The wings are super crunchy on the outside and deliciously soft on the inside, the sauce brings it all together to another level.
Top tip ….. make loads as they are exceptionally moreish!
⚡ Variations
I love spice, the hotter the better! I actually love the feeling of burning in my mouth, weird I know! If you prefer something a little milder or your children are not a fan of spice you can swap up the coating for the batter, using either of the following:
BBQ: Substitute the buffalo sauce and butter for BBQ sauce - after the wings have been in the oven for 20 minutes, use a pastry brush to paint the wings with the BBQ sauce, then pop them back in for another 10-15 minutes … they taste A-MAZ-ing!!
Honey: Halve the amount of buffalo sauce and substitute it with honey (40ml of buffalo sauce and 40ml honey) this will sweeten the sauce and keep the major spice sensations at bay!
🥡 How To Store
These crispy baked cauliflower bites taste SO much better eaten fresh from the oven (and they are so moreish I would be surprised if you have any left!) but it is perfectly safe to store them.
Fridge: They will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze the bites in a single layer on a baking tray for 2 hours until frozen. Remove from the freezer, place in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freezing the bites on the baking tray first stops them from sticking together.
Re-heat from the fridge: place the wings on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 180˚C for 10 minutes.
Re-heat from frozen: increase cooking time to 15 minutes.
I wouldn’t recommend re-heating in the microwave as the wings will go soggy.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Traditionally buffalo cauliflower wings are served with crudités of carrot and celery alongside a blue cheese dip or ranch dressing.
Both of these dips contain dairy, so I like to serve them alongside this mint yoghurt sauce or simply dipped in some egg-free mayo mixed with a dash of sweet chilli sauce.
Cauliflower is so good for you, it's full of fibre and B vitamins, as well as antioxidants that can help protect against cancer. I have baked the bites instead of frying them making them much healthier than the ones you would have eating out, as these are generally fried.
Yes! Coat the bites in the batter and air fry at 190˚C for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the air fryer, coat in the buffalo sauce and butter, then cook for a further 4-5 minutes until crispy. Shake off any excess batter before cooking.
More Buffet Favourites
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 80 ml ( ⅓ cup) Franks buffalo hot wings sauce
- 120 ml ( ½ cup ) milk use dairy-free milk to make recipe DF.
- 2 tablespoon butter use dairy-free butter to make recipe DF.
- 95 g ( ¾ cups ) flour use gluten-free flour to make recipe GF
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F / gas mark 6.
- Chop the cauliflower into small florets.1 medium head cauliflower
- Make the batter - mix the flour with the spices, then add the milk slowly, whisking as you go. You need to make the batter as smooth as possible - no lumps!1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 95 g ( ¾ cups ) flour
- Put the cauliflower in the batter mix and coat well. Shake off the excess batter from the cauliflower and place on a lined baking tray.1 medium head cauliflower
- Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, turning carefully half way through
- Make up your buffalo sauce - melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat. Turn off the heat and mix in the Franks Buffalo Sauce.80 ml ( ⅓ cup) Franks buffalo hot wings sauce
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven, dip each piece into the buffalo sauce and put back on the baking tray.
- Put back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shake Off The Excess: It’s really important to make sure you shake off any excess batter, this will help to keep the wings nice and crispy, if you leave too much batter on the cauliflower they may become soggy and not crisp up in the oven!
- Don’t Overcrowd the Tray: Space the cauliflower bites out on the baking tray so they crisp up evenly. Overcrowding will make them soggy.
- Flip Halfway Through: Flip the bites halfway through baking to get an even, golden crisp on all sides.
- Serve Immediately: For the best texture and no soggy bottoms, serve the bites right out of the oven while they’re still hot and crispy.
Jan Miller says
Hi this looks great thank you, but I’ll have to skip the sauce, and can I cook this in my air fryer please?
Lauren Woodger says
Thanks! If you prefer a milder tasting sauce, there are a couple of option in the main post. I haven't tried this recipe in the air fryer but as a rule wet batters don't normally work in the air fryer, so I would recommend sticking to your normal oven x