Healthier Copycat Wingstop Fries

Chances are if you’re reading this you’re fully aware how awesome Wingstop fries are. I can say with confidence their fries are in my top three best fries rankings. So what makes them so good? Aside from being a perfectly crispy French fry, Wingstop seasons them to perfection with a blend of spices undoubtedly includes sugar.

That’s a dangerous combo, and my freshman 30 is a great example of what deep fried potatoes tossed in sugar can do for your waistline. That’s why I’ve chosen to lighten things up with my copycat Wingstop fries recipe and use an air fryer instead of frying them in oil. If you don’t have an air fryer, I’ll include notes on oven prep. 

Thanks to the air fryer and a better selection of seasoning ingredients, this version produces nearly a pound of Wingstop fries that totals just 360 calories and 8 grams of fat.

How to Make Wingstop Fries in the Air Fryer

This recipe is really quite simple. All you’ll need for the fries themselves is a potato or two, some olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Let’s run through how I like to cut potatoes for fries.

Start by washing the potatoes and drying off with a paper towel. Then cut one end (just the tip) of the potato off so you can stand it up vertically without it rolling all over the place. After the potato is upright, slice from top to bottom 4-5 times depending on how thin you’d like your fries to be.

If you cut almost to the bottom of the potato, it will hold together while you cut the remaining slices. Then you can easily finish cutting them all the way through.

Once you’ve cut the potato vertically, split the potato in half (2-3 layers per side) and place the middle of the potato face down. You can see the outside of the potato facing up in the photo below.

Then it’s as easy as slicing from one end to the other to create thin strips. And that’s it—fries.

Some fries recipes may call for soaking the potatoes or cooking at low temperatures first, and those are valid methods for crispy fries. But a large part of my M.O. around here is that ain’t nobody got time for all that. If I had a couple hours to spare, I’d probs just drive to Wingstop and get a workout in, ya know?

Therefore, after you have your potatoes cut, it’s straight in the air fryer.

My Preferred Air Fryer

I used a 5.8qt XL Air Fryer. Both a pro and con of my particular model is its size. While it’s nice to be able to cook an entire pound of Wingstop fries or air fryer potato chips, it does take up a bit of kitchen storage space. So keep that in mind if you’re in the market for an air fryer.

If you’re using a different air fryer model, be aware that different air fryers may have different cook times. Keep an eye on the fries and periodically check them to make sure they’re not burning. We want crispy Wingstop fries, not inedible Burger King fries.

And if you don’t have an air fryer and want Wingstop fries this instant, I’d start with a hot oven and bake them on a wire rack or grated sheet so they evenly crisp without flipping every 5-10 minutes. I’ve included temp and time recommendations in the recipe card’s notes section below.

Wingstop Fries Seasoning Recipe (my version)

Ah, the real magic. I’ve tried, let’s say, twenty different combos and I feel this is the closest blend to the real deal. Keep in mind, this is a lighter version. If you’re not concerned about saving the carbs and calories, use real sugar where applicable.

• Granular Sugar Substitute (I used Swerve Granular)
• Brown Sugar Substitute (I used Swerve Brown Sugar, and this ingredient is semi-optional) 
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder (optional if you like a lil kick)

Add ’em to a bowl, mix ’em up, and toss the finished fries in the blend. And there you have it, Wingstop fries with maybe a third of the calories and a fourth of the fat.

Also, if you have these ingredients on hand, you probably have everything you need to make my copycat Five Guys cajun fries as well!

I’m curious to hear how close they are the real thing. Let me know what you think on Instagram @mason_woodruff.

Pairing Ideas for Your Wingstop Fries

• Nashville Hot chicken burgers
• Chick-Fil-A grilled nuggets copycat
• healthy In-N-Out Animal Style Burgers
• Shake Shack SmokeShack Burger copycat
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
• 50-calorie cheeseburger bites

And if you’re an avid air fryer or curious about what kinds of things you can make with an air fryer, check out all my air fryer recipes.