Churro Cookies Recipe

Course: cookie, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 12

Chill Time: 10

Total Time: 37

Servings: cookies

Calories: 135kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Soft, thick, and chewy churro cookies with a buttery dough, warm cinnamon sugar coating, and plush texture. These brown sugar cinnamon cookies taste just like classic churros—no frying required!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
2 Baking Sheet(s)
2-Tablespoon Cookie Portion Scoop (optional)

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; slightly melted
1 cup brown sugar
9 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon divided*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and 5 tablespoons granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, ½ tablespoon cinnamon, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together.
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 0.5 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined and dough starts to come together. Do not overmix.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the remaining 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ tablespoon cinnamon.
4.01 tablespoons granulated sugar, 0.5 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a 2-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough batter and drop each raw cookie (one at a time) into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll cookie dough ball around until fully coated in cinnamon sugar then use hands to shape into smooth round balls (do not flatten). Place each cookie onto the lined baking sheet. They can stay close together (but not touching) until ready to bake.
Place raw cookies into freezer for 10 minutes.
While the cookies chill, preheat oven to 350°F and line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove some of the cookies from the freezer and place on the prepared baking sheet with cookies about 2 inches apart from each other.
Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are set.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet completely before enjoying.

Video

Notes

*If you’re feeling fancy, try upgrading your cinnamon. I love using Saigon (Vietnamese) cinnamon for its bold, aromatic kick. It gives these cookies the same rich spice you’d find in authentic Mexican churros.

Becky's Top Tips:

Take care not to overmix the dough, or the cookies will turn out dry and dense.
Feel free to add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips to the dough for a little something extra.
For extra crunch, do a light dusting in the cinnamon-sugar first, then gently roll the cookie again after a few minutes of resting.
Chilling the dough doesn’t just prevent spreading. It also allows the flavors to meld, giving a richer cinnamon-sugar taste in each bite.
Bake the cookies one tray at a time for the best results.
Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for consistent bottoms and a perfect fluffy texture.
The tops of these cookies will not look set yet and that’s okay. They’ll finish baking on the hot tray when you remove them from the oven.
It’s normal for these cookies to fall a bit once they’re cooling and out of the oven.

Make-Ahead: You can prep the dough balls and chill them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or freeze them for up to 3 months. Add 1-2 minutes to the final baking time if baking from frozen.

Storage: Store easy churro cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition