Enjoy baked churros dipped in dulce de leche this Cinco de Mayo. Traditionally fried, these churros are baked for a lighter, easier approach that still delivers great flavor.
Two years ago for Mother’s Day, Dave and I went out for Cuban tapas and enjoyed a wonderful brunch. The first thing I ordered was churros. If you’ve never tried them, churros are a fried pastry similar in texture to funnel cake but usually piped as a long stick, then rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche. They’re crisp on the outside and tender inside — a perfect treat.
I love all sorts of fried pastries — funnel cakes, doughnuts — but deep frying at home can be time-consuming and a little intimidating. The oil needs to reach and maintain the correct temperature, and there are safety considerations and extra cleanup. That’s why I experimented with a baked version. Baked churros won’t be exactly like the deep-fried variety, but they capture the classic flavor and shape while simplifying preparation.
For the dough I used an approach similar to funnel cake batter and choux-style dough, which works well when piped into churro shapes. The baked churros won’t be as crisp as fried ones straight from the fryer, so I adopted a finishing step under the broiler to add color and some extra crunch. Be careful during the broil step — it happens fast, and you should watch them closely so they brown without burning.
Once the churros come out of the oven, roll them immediately in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar while they’re still hot; the sugar adheres best while the surface is warm. Serve them right away with a dipping sauce such as warm chocolate or dulce de leche for the full experience. These are best eaten the day they’re made, but leftovers keep well for a short time: seal them in an airtight bag, and when you’re ready to enjoy them again, give them a few seconds under the broiler to revive some crispness.
If you plan to pipe the dough, fit a piping bag with an open star tip (Ateco #867 is a popular choice) for the classic ridged surface. Pipe straight lines about 8 inches long and space them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheet so they have room to expand. The recipe below yields about 12 churros.
Practical tips: use a heavy-duty saucepan when cooking the dough so it heats evenly and reduces the chance of scorching; let the dough cool briefly before adding eggs to avoid cooking them in the bowl; and keep a close eye during broiling — a matter of seconds can make the difference between perfectly golden and overdone.
Baked Churros
12 churros
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup water
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon plus ⅛ teaspoon sugar, for sweet fillings
- 1 ¼ cups bread flour, 5 ¾ ounces
- 4 large eggs
- 2 egg whites
For the topping:
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a heavy-duty saucepan over high heat, bring the water, butter, and sugar to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until a ball forms. Continue cooking and stirring until most of the moisture has evaporated and the dough begins to leave a thin film on the bottom of the pan; it should look shiny from the butter but not be watery.
- Transfer the dough to the bowl of a standing mixer and let it cool for 3–4 minutes.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the egg whites one at a time as well. Continue mixing until the mixture is smooth.
- Scrape the dough into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (Ateco #867 is commonly used).
- Pipe straight lines about 8 inches long, spacing them roughly 2 inches apart. Snip the dough with scissors to finish each line.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then switch the oven to broil. Place the churros under the broiler and toast very briefly until golden brown—watch closely to prevent burning.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a 9×13-inch pan. While the churros are still warm enough to handle, roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly and serve warm with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche.
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Adapted from a recipe by The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College.
