Happy Valentine’s Day, friends!
We’ve already been celebrating this week with one of our favorite sweets – churros! It’s almost unbelievable that it’s taken me so long to blog about them, considering our dog is named Churro. It’s true, we love them that much! And we love our little ridged-face Churro-the-Pug.
Check out those wrinkles!
These are no ordinary churros because they’re baked, and at first, I wasn’t sure such a thing could be done considering they are so wonderfully crisp when fried. It took a few test-runs (and the endless brushing away of cinnamon-sugar from my shirt front) but now the recipe is ready to share!
Baked churros for everyone!
Party tip: furbabies make the best valentines.
No valentine? You can find one here.
These pastries bake until slightly puffed, then you toast them within an inch of their life under the broiler. They’re best fresh and served with a side of dulce de leche or chocolate sauce. They are so light and delectable straight from the oven, I couldn’t help but eat exactly three and a half immediately. Which ended up being my lunch. Oops!
(I couldn’t feign regret if I wanted to. Best. Lunch. Ever.)
Sending you pugs and kisses!
xoxo
Baked Churros
Yield: eight 10-inch churros, about 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes; Total: 45-50 minutes
Source: Adapted from Latina.com
These are made as normal churros are – from choux paste. I’ve found that these bake best when piped in long thin sticks. I used earth balance margarine in the batch pictured, but I also made a batch with unsalted butter that was successful – they just puffed up slightly larger than the margarine version. Overall, the baked version is less crisp than the usual fried churros, so it’s important to toast them well under the broiler so they’re as crisp as possible. You can store leftovers (if there are any) in an air-tight container but they will become soft. You can remedy this by placing them under the broiler for a few minutes (watch carefully) and they will regain their former crispiness. Serve with prepared dulce de leche, chocolate sauce, marshmallow fluff – they’re good with everything!
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup margarine or unsalted butter (I used tub-style Earth Balance Whipped Buttery Spread)
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur unbleached)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or to taste)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, stir together 1 cup water, brown sugar and salt. Add butter and place over medium-high heat. Heat until butter is melted and mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon. Mixture will clump and pull away from the sides of the pan. Mix/mash with wooden spoon until no streaks of flour can be seen.
2. In a small bowl, combine eggs and vanilla. Scramble mixture with a fork and then add to the dough-ball in the saucepan. Stir and mash, breaking up the dough until loosened. Stir well until eggs are incorporated and mixture has the appearance of mashed potatoes.
3. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with Ateco decorator tip #867. You could also pipe the dough in a zip-top bag with the corner snipped, but the churros will be ridge-less (delicious, nonetheless).
4. Pipe dough into long thin lengths on the parchment covered pans. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the end of the dough from the piping tip. Leave about 2-inches of space between the churros.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly puffed. Turn oven to broiler setting and watch carefully as churros toast and turn deep golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. If you’re baking the churros one pan at a time, be sure to return the oven setting to 425°F before putting in the next pan.
6. Combine sugar and cinnamon and pour onto a long dish. Roll churros in mixture. Serve.
Tips!
- Piping tip 867 made by Ateco (also known as French Star size 7) is just about the most perfect tip for piping these churros. It has a 9/16 diameter opening. I experimented with a few and this made them just thick enough and produced the most prominent ridges.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Brings little heat and adds a faint smokiness.
- I had no problems with the cinnamon-sugar sticking to the hot churros, but if you let them cool to room temp they might resist the sugar. Brush churros with a tiny amount of olive oil using a pastry brush, then roll in the sugar mixture.
- As I said in the description, these will become soft and rubbery if stored in an air-tight container. Put them under the broiler (even if they’ve been rolled in cinnamon-sugar, this works!) they’ll come back to life and crisp up under a watchful eye. Re-roll in cinnamon sugar.
Hi Heather,
quick questions, do you think these could be fried instead? We own a takeaway and I'd prefer to fry them than bake them.
Samantha x
These look so delicious! I must try to make them soon. I love churros. Thank you for another great recipe!
And, your pug is adorable. My best friend has a pug named Daisy! 🙂
xo
Love these pics! Pugs are my favorite kind of dog 🙂
I love these churros too! It's been years since I've had one. Way too long!
Lovely churros! I love this baked version.
Your pug is so huggable! 😉
Cheers,
Rosa
Heaven is a churro! I love the idea of baking them and can not wait to try them out! If you have a second swing by my blog on Valentine's I'm sharing raspberry pink champagne macarons that ya might like.
love the pug kissing booth! adorable 🙂 and churros win my heart any day!
mm jammie!
how cute the one in the heart schape!:)
Oh I have just got to make these!!
Furbabies are the best Valentines for sure! 🙂 These churros look amazing!
I can't wait to try this! I think I've only had churros once, and now that I'm gluten-free if I want it I'll have to make it myself. I'm up for the challenge!
This is like an answer to my dreams! : ) I've been thinking about churros a lot lately (for some bizaree reason). I think it has something to do with a Nigella Lawson show I watched where she fries up a batch of them. I've been wanting to make it but the frying part is a turn-off. I would love to try this. Thanks for the recipe and for all your hard work in getting it just right! : )
I just luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurve Biscuit!! 🙂 These churros are gorgeous my friend!
I love churros. These are so fun, Heather. I love puppy pics too!
Oh yummy! Your pup is super cute too. 🙂
Oh goodness me! These look delectable! And little Churro is adorable! Pugs in general is adorable 🙂
Hasppy Valentine's Day! <3
I love both the churros in this post!! 🙂
The churros look great! A baked cinnamon sugar holder :)And the furbaby is adorable 🙂
I'm almost embarassed to admit it, but I love deep-fried desserts. So I am really intrigued by these churros, as they're baked. I'm curious how the texture might differ from deep-fried ones. I guess there's only one way to find out!
What a great idea! I never thought to bake them! Gotta try it! Great photos of you and your fur-kids, too! Self-portraits or did someone snap these for ya? 🙂
My heart almost stopped when I saw this recipe. I don't make/eat deep fried things, so churrs have been something always off limits. Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks Heather! I can't take credit – they were snapped for me. 🙂
Happy Valentine's Day, friend!
xo
Yes please………
What a great idea to create a baked version of Churros. That pix of you and Churro is so precious. Happy Valentine's Day Heather!
Absolutely love that these are baked! Beautiful photos as always too! 😀
Churros al horno ???? me encanta la opción. Un detalle perfecto.. Bessoss,
Hi @Samantha Minny – These should do fine in the fryer!
xo
H
These look so fantastic, and I love the kissing booth:) Too cute! Beautiful photos!
We missed out on a wonderful churro restaurant nearby tonight and ended up at a diner, so I was so happy when I saw your post! I can't wait to try making these, sans guilt 🙂
Can't stop appreciating you. How amazing!!! Food, fotography and your sincere creation. Churros are close to my heart as it re kindles the best memories of my spanish life.
Can you make this with coconut oil?
now in baked form!
lol
oh heather i wish we lived closer, so I could hang with you.
after that horrid blizzard we just had I need to be baking & cooking with friends for a while.
xoxo!
This is sheer BRILLIANCE!!
HEY! I didn't see that you made churros for V-Day! Great minds do think alike! 😀
Omg….love you and I love this!! Can`t wait to try it out. hehe~
I've actually only had churros once in Disney World, which were amazing, but I'm sure not as good as homemade! 😀
Hi from SC Heather- beautiful photos, can't wait to try the churros. Can you tell us about the sauce you have pictured with the churros? looks like caramel?
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Your fur baby is super cute! I want one 🙂 Excellent recipe for baked churros. I love them, but I really dislike frying things. Thanks!
Love the doggy and love the name!!
Ever since I came back from Spain, I've been craving churros! So glad you dip yours in chocolate like a churro professional 🙂
These look great! I eat my weight in churros when I'm at an amusement park, but I don't like deep frying, so I rarely make them at home. I have to try these!
-Allison
This sounds fantastic! I always want to make churros, but I feel very lazy and don't want to fry them. This recipe is just perfect. Thanks!
I love churros too and I think baking them is a great idea. thanks. your site is AMAZING!
Am trying these . look delicious! amazing blog 🙂
Hi!
Can I just check with you right, what if my oven does not have a broiler setting? Does it mean I cannot use this recipe? I hope you'll reply me ASAP, thank you do much!!! 🙂
Without the broiler, the pastries won't be as crispy as regular churros. You could always fry the batter if you wish.
xo
h
This is awesome! I was looking for a good alternative to frying because I have a tiny place and the whole of my apartment smells like oil for DAYS when I make these bad boys. Thanks!!
hello!! this is my first recipe from your blog (which is amazing) and I think it may just have been a mistake on my part but the churros were a bit too mushy inside. I'm thinking my egg was too large. anyway I tried broiling/regular baking it for more time but the only thing that hardened was the crust. it doesnt matter though, they're great either way (I'm also looking forward to trying more recipes off of your blog)
These taste great and are quick and easy to make, for me. They may not be the real McCoy, but what you might call a generic. It is amazing that some people have to make noise about a recipe, but make it and think it is good, but want to complain about its name. I rate a recipe as to my family and friends tasting and how hard or easy it was to prepare….Not its name. Would these taste any different if they were called a knock off of Churros? Remember also they are baked, not fried and better for… Read more »
Beautiful photos – Thanks for the recipe – I will surely try them 🙂