Description
This delightful baked churros recipe offers a lighter twist on classic fried churros by baking them to golden perfection. The churros are infused with vanilla and brown sugar, baked until crispy on the outside and soft inside with the help of oven steam, then brushed with melted butter and coated in cinnamon sugar. Served with a side of melted white chocolate and shredded coconut for dipping, these churros make a perfect sweet treat for any occasion, serving up to 30 pieces in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Churros Dough
- 230 ml (1 cup minus 2 tsp) cold water
- 120 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 160 g (1 1/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 medium eggs
- 240 ml (1 cup) boiling water (for oven steam)
Coating and Dipping
- 200 g (1 cup) white caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
- 200 g (7 oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces (for melting)
- 5 heaped tbsp desiccated/shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) with a fan setting. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with silicon baking mats or baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Dough Base: In a saucepan, combine the cold water, butter, salt, vanilla extract, and soft brown sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil, then simmer gently for a minute or two until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add Flour: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the plain flour using a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan, indicating it is well combined and cooked slightly. Turn off the heat.
- Incorporate Eggs: Gradually add the eggs one at a time into the dough, mixing each in thoroughly but avoiding over-stirring to maintain the right texture.
- Pipe Churros: Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (Wilton #1M recommended). Pipe churro shapes about 8-10 cm long onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2-3 cm apart to allow for expansion during baking.
- Prepare Steam: Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a separate baking tray and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. This steam helps create a soft interior while allowing a crispy exterior on the churros.
- Bake Churros: Place the churros trays in the oven above the steam tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until they turn golden brown and crisp.
- Melt Chocolate: While the churros bake, melt the white chocolate either over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each burst to prevent burning. Transfer the melted chocolate to a serving bowl.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: Mix the caster sugar and ground cinnamon on a large plate for coating the churros after baking.
- Coat Churros: Once the churros are done, remove them from the oven. Brush each churro with melted butter, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture for a sweet, spiced coating.
- Serve: Arrange the coated churros on a serving platter alongside bowls of melted white chocolate and desiccated coconut for dipping. Enjoy warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Using the steam tray with boiling water in the oven helps keep the churros soft inside and crispy outside.
- Do not over-stir eggs into the dough to maintain the right texture for piping.
- Pipe churros with enough spacing to account for slight expansion during baking.
- White chocolate and coconut provide a sweet, rich dip that complements the cinnamon sugar coating beautifully.
- Churros are best served immediately while warm and crispy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spanish
