Easy Baked Churro Bites
Light, golden, cinnamon-sugared bite-sized churros made with a baked choux-style dough — all the classic churro flavor without frying. Perfect for parties, snacks, or a cozy dessert; quick to make and easy to adapt (vegan or gluten-free options included).
Ingredients
For the churro dough:
- 1 cup 240 ml whole milk (or unsweetened plant milk)
- 6 tbsp 85 g unsalted butter (or vegan butter)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup 125 g all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 3 large eggs room temperature (or flax/aquafaba substitutions — see Notes)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
- 1/2 cup 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted (or neutral oil for vegan)
Optional dipping sauces (approx. quantities):
- Chocolate sauce: 4 oz 115 g semisweet chocolate + 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- Dulce de leche or store-bought caramel
- Vanilla glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tbsp milk + 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Preheat and prep:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (1M or French star) or prepare a sturdy zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
Heat liquids:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine milk, butter, 1 tbsp sugar, and salt. Heat until butter melts and mixture comes to a gentle boil (bubbles around the edge).
Form the dough:
- Remove pan from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the pan (about 1–2 minutes).
Dry the dough:
- Return to low heat and stir constantly 20–30 seconds to evaporate a bit more moisture; this improves structure.
Cool slightly & add eggs:
- Transfer dough to a bowl and cool 3–5 minutes (warm, not hot). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each — dough should become glossy and pipeable but hold shape. Stir in vanilla.
Pipe or drop:
- Transfer dough to the piping bag. Pipe 1½-inch mounds spaced about 1½ inches apart. If not piping, drop rounded tablespoons of dough with two spoons.
Bake (temperature trick):
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 7–9 minutes until puffy and just starting to brown. Immediately reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 12–16 minutes until golden and firm to the touch.
Cool briefly:
- Remove from oven; cool on the sheet 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for a few minutes so steam escapes. They should be warm — not piping hot — when coating.
Coat in cinnamon sugar:
- Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Brush each warm bite lightly with melted butter, then roll to coat evenly. Return to rack.
Serve:
- Serve warm with dipping sauces (chocolate, caramel, glaze). If filling, cool slightly and inject filling with a small piping tip.
Notes
- Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs for best incorporation. For vegan: replace each egg with 3 tbsp aquafaba (or 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, soaked 10 minutes — aquafaba gives lighter results).
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum; watch moisture and adjust by 1–2 tbsp if dough feels loose.
- Texture fixes: If bites are soft inside after baking, return to 300°F (150°C) for 6–8 minutes to dry interiors and crisp shells.
- Coating tip: Roll while still warm and brush with butter first so sugar adheres; let cool briefly on a rack so sugar doesn’t melt into syrup.
- Make-ahead & freezing: Bake, cool, and freeze on a tray until solid; transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, then coat with cinnamon sugar.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 24 hours (best same day). Refrigerate up to 3 days—re-crisp in a 350°F oven 4–6 minutes.
- Fillings & flavors: Hollow and pipe in chocolate ganache, dulce de leche, pastry cream, or jam. Add cardamom or nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar for a spiced twist; add a pinch of cayenne for a Mexican chocolate vibe.
- Presentation: Serve in a parchment cone or with small ramekins of dipping sauces; sprinkle with flaky sea salt over caramel for contrast.