A combination of two tasty desserts, these churro donuts are baked instead of fried and perfect for any cinnamon lover.
When it comes to breakfast - you either can go sweet or savory. And when I think of sweet, I think of donuts - from strawberry glazed donuts to banana donuts to funfetti donuts to double chocolate donuts.
And while you go to a local bakery, you'd be surprised at how easy donuts are to make at home. Coated in cinnamon sugar and then dipped in a Mexican chocolate sauce, these churro donuts are not only delicious, but ready in 15 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works
Simple - you just mix together some ingredients together in a bowl and bake in a pan.
Quick to prepare - you can have these donuts prepared in 15 minutes.
Flavorful - if you are a fan of cinnamon, you'll love these.
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Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour - the base for these donuts. They have not been tested with other types of flour so any changes might affect the outcome.
- Baking powder - important in giving that rise you see in donuts. Doesn't need to react with acid to create a rise.
- Milk - adds moistness and helps with the texture.
- Sugar - used to sweeten the donuts on the inside and with the coating.
- Cinnamon - the star of the show. Adds a sweet/woody flavor.
- Chocolate - used for the dipping sauce but can be omitted.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe you can mix up the ingredients for these churro donuts. Some variations include:
- While I like all-purpose flour as it is the most common, but cake flour works well too and creates even a lighter donut. You can also go with oat flour if you want to be gluten-free.
- I like to use granulated sugar with these donuts, but light or dark brown sugar can be used.
- I use whole milk, but you can use a dairy free milk like coconut milk or almond milk. You can also use sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- You can replace the butter with a neutral oil.
- If you don't have dark chocolate for the dipping sauce, milk or semi-sweet works too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a donut pan and bake at 400°F for 8-9 minutes. Make the chocolate dipping sauce and set aside.
Dip each donut in the melted butter before dipping and coating in the cinnamon sugar.
FAQs
A churro is choux pastry fried and coated in cinnamon sugar. They are popular carnival/fair treats. This recipe simply takes the flavor of churros and morphs it into a baked donut.
So I guess the real way to spell it is doughnuts but Dunkin' Donuts popularized the spelling of donuts back in the 1950's. For me, I go with donut.
I wouldn't go as far as to say they are healthy, but they are healthier than fried donuts. Like anything, eat in moderation. You won't regret eating these donuts!
Just like with any cake type batter that you make, you'll know the donuts are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Leftover baked churro donuts will store well in at room temperature for 1-2 days in an air-tight container.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the churro donuts turn out. What is needed is the following:
- Donut pan - since you are baking these donuts, you need a good pan.
- Large bowl - used to whisk together the ingredients.
- Rubber spatula - something is needed to mix together the ingredients. You can also use a spoon.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Even though they say non-stick, spray your donut pans with non-stick cooking spray to make sure the donuts come out.
- When measuring the flour, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife to get the right amount.
- You can spoon the batter into the donut pans, but the easiest way to get the batter in the pan is by using a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off.
Other Donut Recipes
If you’ve tried these churro donuts or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Churro Donuts
Ingredients
Vanilla Donuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup dark chocolate
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Donuts
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract and stir until just combined.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes or until stick comes clean. These are a sponge-like consistency so don't expect it to be really browned on top. Remove from oven and remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.
Cinnamon Sugar
- Add the melted butter in shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Dip donut in butter and then coat in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- Bring heavy cream to simmer over medium heat in small saucepan. Add to bowl with the chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes and then whisk in the cinnamon and salt to combine.
Notes
- Even though they say non-stick, spray your donut pans with non-stick cooking spray to make sure the donuts come out.
- When measuring the flour, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife to get the right amount.
- You can spoon the batter into the donut pans, but the easiest way to get the batter in the pan is by using a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off.
- Just like with any cake type batter that you make, you’ll know the donuts are done when a toothpick comes out clean.
- Leftovers will store well in at room temperature for 1-2 days in an air-tight container.
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