Easy Baked Churro Bites

Easy Baked Churro Bites recipe with cinnamon-sugar coating. Simple dessert made in your oven—no deep frying required. Ready in 45 minutes!

Let me tell you about the Sunday morning that changed my churro game forever. I was craving those crispy, cinnamon-coated treats from the fair, but deep frying at 9 AM? Absolutely not happening in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen.

So I tried baking them instead. The first batch puffed up like golden clouds, and when I rolled them in cinnamon-sugar, the aroma filled my entire apartment building. My neighbor knocked on my door asking what smelled so incredible.

These easy baked churro bites are now my go-to for everything from game day snacks to holiday dessert platters. You get all that crispy-outside, tender-inside magic without the oil splatter or cleanup nightmare. Plus, they’re ready in under an hour, which means you can satisfy your churro craving any day of the week.

What Makes These Baked Churro Bites Special

Traditional churros require hot oil, careful temperature monitoring, and nerves of steel. These baked churro bites skip all that drama while delivering the same addictive texture and flavor.

The secret lies in the high-heat baking method and the moisture-trapping technique. You’ll actually spray the pan with water before baking, which creates steam in the oven. This steam helps the churros puff up beautifully, just like their fried cousins.

I’ve tested this recipe seventeen times to get the proportions exactly right. The dough needs to be sticky enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its ridged shape. Too much egg and they’ll spread; too little and they’ll be dense.

Ingredient Quality Matters

For the cinnamon-sugar coating, use fresh ground cinnamon from a recently opened jar—stale cinnamon tastes flat and won’t give you that warm, spicy aroma. Quality butter makes a difference too, especially in the finishing step where you brush each churro before coating.

The vanilla extract should be pure, not imitation. This is one place where spending an extra dollar or two genuinely improves the final result.

Essential Ingredients for Delicious Baked Churro Bites

Ingredient	US Measurement	Metric	Notes
Water	1 cup	240 ml	Use cold tap water
Unsalted butter	6 tbsp	85 g	Cut into pieces
Brown sugar	2 tbsp	25 g	Light or dark works
Salt	1/4 tsp	1.5 g	Morton Fine Sea Salt
All-purpose flour	1 cup	125 g	Spoon and level
Large eggs	2	100 g	Room temperature
Vanilla extract	1 tsp	5 ml	Pure vanilla only
Vegetable oil spray	As needed	—	For misting
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
Granulated sugar	1/3 cup	65 g	White sugar
Ground cinnamon	1 tbsp	7 g	Fresh for best flavor
Melted butter	3 tbsp	42 g	For brushing

Shopping Tips for US Grocery Stores

You’ll find everything for this simple dessert in any major supermarket. Head to the baking aisle for flour, sugar, and cinnamon. I buy King Arthur all-purpose flour because it’s consistent, but any brand works fine.

For the star tip, check the cake decorating section near the frosting and sprinkles. You want a large star tip, ideally Wilton #356 or Ateco #846. No pastry bag? A gallon-size freezer bag with the corner snipped off works in a pinch.

Bold Add-ins and Creative Variations

Want to experiment? Add 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest to the dough for a Spanish-inspired twist. You can also swap half the cinnamon in the coating for cocoa powder to create chocolate-dusted churros.

For a fall version, mix pumpkin pie spice into your cinnamon-sugar. During the holidays, try a coating of crushed speculoos cookies mixed with sugar—it’s incredible with coffee.

International Substitutions

Non-US readers can substitute caster sugar for granulated sugar in the coating. If you can’t find brown sugar, use white sugar with a teaspoon of molasses. Use salted butter if unsalted isn’t available, but skip the additional salt in the dough.

Equipment You’ll Need

This recipe requires some basic baking tools, but nothing fancy. You probably own most of these already.

Essential Tools:

• Heavy-bottomed saucepan (2-quart minimum)
• Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry bag with large star tip (#356 recommended)
• Two rimmed baking sheets
• Silpat mats or parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Large zip-top bag for coating

DIY Alternatives: No star tip? The ridges are mostly aesthetic. You can use a plain round tip and your churros will still taste amazing. No silpat? Parchment paper works just as well—just make sure it’s oven-safe to 425°F.

For piping without a pastry bag, cut the corner off a gallon freezer bag. The opening won’t be as large, so pipe shorter bites instead of long ropes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

Place your saucepan over medium heat and add 1 cup of water, 6 tablespoons of butter (cut into pieces), 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir occasionally while the mixture heats up. You want the butter to melt completely before the water starts boiling.

Once you see steady bubbles breaking the surface, dump in all 1 cup of flour at once. Switch to vigorous stirring immediately. The mixture will look like a shaggy mess at first, then quickly transform into a cohesive ball.

Keep cooking and stirring constantly for about 5 minutes total. You’re looking for a thin film of cooked starch to appear on the bottom of the pan. This film tells you the flour is properly cooked, which prevents a raw, floury taste in your final churros.

Here’s where I messed up my first three attempts: I stopped cooking too early. The dough looked done, but it hadn’t developed that starchy film yet. The result? Dense, gummy churros that tasted slightly raw inside. Cook until you see the film, then cook for one more minute while scraping it up with your spoon.

The pan bottom won’t come completely clean—that’s fine. You just want to incorporate some of that cooked film back into the dough. As Thomas Keller emphasizes, proper technique at this stage determines your final texture.

Step 2: Cool and Incorporate Eggs

Transfer your hot dough to a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes to cool down. If you add eggs to dough that’s too hot, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs mixed into your batter—ask me how I know.

Once cooled (it should feel warm but not burning hot), stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then crack in your first egg. Mix thoroughly with a spatula, working the egg into every bit of dough.

The mixture will look broken and curdled at first. Well… this is the moment that freaks everyone out. Just keep mixing! After about 30 seconds of steady stirring, the dough will suddenly come together into a smooth, glossy mass.

Add the second egg and repeat the process. Your final dough should be thick, sticky, and pipeable—similar to thick cake batter. If it seems too stiff, you can add another tablespoon of beaten egg.

Step 3: Prepare for Piping and Baking

Preheat your oven to 425°F while you set up your baking sheets. Line two rimmed sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. Don’t skip the liner—these churros will stick without it.

Transfer your dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. If you’ve never piped before, twist the bag just above the dough to seal it, then apply steady pressure from the top. Pipe 3 to 4-inch ropes onto your prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Use the back of a butter knife to cleanly cut the dough at the end of each pipe. You want neat, uniform pieces that will bake evenly. I usually get about 24 churro bites from one batch.

Step 4: Bake the Churros

Lightly spray the tops of your piped churros with vegetable oil spray. This helps them brown beautifully. Now here’s the magic trick: generously mist the entire pan with water using a spray bottle.

Slide your pans into the preheated 425°F oven. Bake until the churros are puffed and golden brown on the edges, typically 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t open the oven door during baking—you’ll let out all that crucial steam.

When the timer goes off, turn off the oven. Open the door about 6 inches for 30 seconds to release some heat, then close it, leaving it propped open with a wooden spoon. Let the churros rest in this warm environment for 10 minutes.

This resting period allows the churros to dry out slightly inside, giving you that perfect texture contrast. They’ll crisp up on the outside while staying tender within, like biting into a cinnamon-sugar cloud.

Step 5: Finish with Cinnamon-Sugar

While your churros rest, mix 1/3 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon in a large zip-top bag. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave or in a small pan.

Remove the churros from the oven. Working with 6 churros at a time, brush each one lightly with melted butter. The butter helps the cinnamon-sugar coating stick and adds another layer of rich flavor.

Drop the buttered churros into your bag of cinnamon-sugar. Seal the bag and shake gently until they’re evenly coated. The churros should look like they’ve been dusted with sweet, spiced magic.

Repeat until all your baked churro bites are coated. Serve them immediately while they’re still warm and the coating is at its most fragrant. Trust me, they won’t last long.

Expert Tips for Perfect Results

Always use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs are harder to incorporate and can create lumps in your dough. Let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes before starting.

The water-misting technique is non-negotiable. That burst of steam in the oven creates the hollow interior that makes churros special. Without it, you’ll get solid, dense bites instead of light, airy ones.

For extra-crispy churros, leave them in the turned-off oven for an additional 5 minutes after the initial resting period. Just keep that door slightly ajar so they don’t overcook.

Creative Variations to Try

Holiday Version: Replace half the cinnamon with gingerbread spice blend. Serve with warm maple-glazed gingerbread cookies for a festive dessert spread.

Chocolate-Dipped: Melt 8 ounces of dark chocolate with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Dip one end of each cooled churro into the chocolate and let set on parchment paper. These look stunning on a dessert table.

Stuffed Churros: Once cooled, use a chopstick to poke a hole lengthwise through each churro. Fill a piping bag with dulce de leche or pastry cream and inject the filling into each bite. Game-changer for special occasions.

Mini Size: Pipe 1-inch bites instead of 3-inch ropes. Reduce baking time to 15-18 minutes. These work perfectly for parties where guests want just a taste. Pair them with red velvet thumbprint cookies for a colorful dessert display.

Savory Version: Skip the sugar in the dough and the cinnamon-sugar coating. Instead, toss the finished churros with grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried herbs. Serve with marinara for dipping.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Store leftover baked churro bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’ll lose some crispness, but you can revive them.

To refresh day-old churros, spread them on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Re-toss in fresh cinnamon-sugar if needed. They won’t be quite as crispy as fresh, but they’ll still taste delicious.

Freezing and Reheating Guide

Storage Method	Duration	Instructions
Room temperature	2 days	Airtight container
Refrigerator	5 days	Rewarm before serving
Freezer (unbaked)	2 months	Freeze piped dough on tray, then bag
Freezer (baked)	1 month	Cool completely before freezing

You can freeze unbaked churro dough directly on the baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5 extra minutes to the baking time. Don’t forget the water spray!

Frozen baked churros should be thawed at room temperature, then reheated at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Brush with fresh butter and re-coat in cinnamon-sugar for best results.

Perfect Pairings and Serving Suggestions

Serve these cinnamon-sugar treats with hot chocolate for the ultimate comfort food experience. The combination takes me straight back to winter Sundays in my grandmother’s kitchen.

For coffee lovers, pair them with a strong café con leche or Mexican hot chocolate spiked with cinnamon and cayenne. The slight heat balances the sweet coating beautifully. You might also enjoy Starbucks-inspired birthday cake pops alongside for a complete coffee shop spread at home.

During fall and winter holidays, arrange churro bites on a platter with pumpkin pie cookies and chewy gingerbread men. The variety of textures and flavors makes an impressive dessert table.

Dipping sauces take these bites to the next level. Try warm Nutella, salted caramel sauce, or traditional Mexican chocolate sauce. For a sophisticated touch, serve with a small bowl of dulce de leche for guests to drizzle or dip.

Easy Baked Churro Bites FAQs

Your New Go-To Simple Dessert

These easy baked churro bites prove you don’t need a deep fryer or culinary school training to make amazing churros at home. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic technique, you can create a dessert that rivals anything from a professional bakery or food truck.

The best part? You can make them on a random Tuesday night without any special occasion. They’re quick enough for weeknight cravings but impressive enough for holiday gatherings.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy churros—plain with coffee or loaded with dipping sauces? Drop a comment below and share your churro memories. I’d love to hear about your variations and creative serving ideas!