When the craving for something sweet strikes, these Baked Churro Bites are the perfect solution. With their crispy golden exterior, soft interior, and warm cinnamon-sugar coating, these bite-sized treats bring the beloved churro flavor into an easy-to-make, mess-free version that’s baked instead of fried. Whether you’re enjoying them for breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon snack, these churro bites are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
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Baked, Not Fried: These churro bites are baked instead of deep-fried, making them lighter and less messy to prepare while still offering that signature crispy texture.
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Simple Ingredients: With basic pantry staples, you can whip up a batch of churro bites without needing to make a special trip to the store.
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Portion Size: These bite-sized pieces are perfect for snacking, parties, or when you just want a little sweet treat without overindulging.
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Kid-Friendly: Rolling the warm churros in cinnamon sugar is a fun and simple cooking activity that kids will love. Just be sure to handle the hot churros with care!
Ingredients
For the Churro Dough:
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1 ¼ cups water
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5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
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2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
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½ teaspoon fine salt
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1 ¼ cups plain flour
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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2 large eggs
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2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing before adding sugar)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
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⅓ cup granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
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¼ teaspoon salt
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
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Simmer the ingredients: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
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Add flour: Once simmering, add the flour all at once. Stir constantly until a soft, sticky dough ball forms and a starchy film appears at the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
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Cook further: Continue cooking for an additional minute, scraping up any film with the spoon as you stir.
Step 2: Cool and Incorporate Eggs
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Cool the dough: Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
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Add vanilla and eggs: Once the dough has cooled slightly, stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly with a spatula after each addition. The dough will look separated at first but will come together as you mix.
Step 3: Prepare for Piping and Baking
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Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper.
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Pipe the churros: Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (such as a number 356 tip). Pipe 3-4 inch long ropes of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each churro. Use the back of a knife to neatly cut the dough at the end of each pipe.
Step 4: Bake the Churros
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Spray and mist: Lightly spray the tops of the piped churros with vegetable oil spray and generously mist the entire pan with water.
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Bake: Bake the churros in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown around the edges.
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Rest in the oven: Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly to release some heat, then close it, leaving the door ajar (8-12 inches). Let the churros rest in the warm oven for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Finish with Cinnamon Sugar
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Brush with butter: Remove the churros from the oven. Brush each churro lightly with melted butter.
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Coat in cinnamon sugar: Working with 6 churros at a time, place them into a bag filled with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and gently toss to coat evenly.
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Repeat: Continue the process until all churros are coated in the cinnamon sugar.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
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Serve immediately: Enjoy the churro bites while they’re warm, crispy, and covered in cinnamon sugar!
Notes
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Crispiness: These churros are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can warm them up in the oven at 350°F for 3-5 minutes to regain their crispiness.
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Double the topping: If you love extra cinnamon sugar, feel free to double the amount for a more generous coating.
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Flour alternatives: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, but note that the texture may vary slightly.
Tools You’ll Need
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Baking sheets
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Parchment paper or Silpat mats
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Pastry bag with star tip (optional)
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Small bowl for cinnamon-sugar mixture
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Pastry brush
Conclusion
These Baked Churro Bites are the perfect combination of crispy, cinnamon-sugar-coated goodness and lightness, making them an ideal dessert or snack. With easy-to-follow steps and minimal mess, they’re a great way to enjoy churros without the hassle of frying. Perfect for any occasion, they’re sure to be a hit with family and friends alike! Enjoy these irresistible bites fresh out of the oven, and don’t forget that perfect cinnamon-sugar coating!
Print
Delicious Baked Churro Bites
- Total Time: 40-60 minutes
- Yield: 30
Description
These baked churro bites are a quick, easy, and delightful treat that brings the warm cinnamon-sugar goodness of churros without the deep frying! Perfect for a snack or dessert!
Ingredients
For the Dough:
1 1/4 cups water
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing before adding sugar)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt.
Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
Once simmering, add the flour all at once.
Cook while stirring constantly until a soft, sticky dough ball forms, and a starchy film is visible on the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes).
Continue cooking for an additional minute, scraping up the film with the spoon as you stir. The dough should absorb some of the film.
Step 2: Cool and Incorporate Eggs
Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
Once slightly cooled, add in the vanilla extract.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly with a spatula after each addition. The dough will initially look separated, but it will come together into a smooth, sticky dough.
Step 3: Prepare for Piping and Baking
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper.
Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (ideally number 356 tip).
Pipe 3 to 4-inch ropes of dough onto the prepared sheets, leaving a few inches of space between each churro.
Use the back of a knife to neatly cut the dough at the end of each pipe.
Step 4: Bake the Churros
Lightly spray the tops of the piped churros with vegetable oil spray.
Generously mist the entire pan with water.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the churros are puffed and the edges are golden brown.
Turn off the oven, open the door briefly to release some heat, then close it, leaving the door slightly ajar (8 to 12 inches). Let the churros rest in the warm oven for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Finish with Cinnamon Sugar
Remove the churros from the oven.
Working with 6 churros at a time, brush each lightly with melted butter.
Place them into a bag filled with cinnamon sugar and gently toss to coat evenly.
Repeat this step until all churros are coated with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious homemade churro bites!
Notes
Storage: These churro bites are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Substitutions: You can experiment with different flavorings in the sugar, like cardamom or cocoa powder.
Extra Crispy: For extra crispiness, you can leave the churros in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for 5 minutes after baking to remove any excess moisture.
- Prep Time: 10-20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
