A warm, sugar-kissed whisper from a late-night mercado — that’s the first bite.
These cookies are a passport stamped with cinnamon and caramelized edges.
Street-cart nostalgia, wrapped in buttery rounds and a swirl of cinnamon buttercream.
Why make this recipe
Take all the joy of a churro and shrink it into a handheld cookie that can travel in your picnic basket, office drawer, or midnight cravings. These Churro Cookies Recipe marry crunchy edges, soft middles, and that iconic cinnamon-sugar swagger — with a frosting swirl that turns every bite into a small festival.
How to make Churro Cookies Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon syrup
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 4 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3-4 tablespoons cinnamon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt (for frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and syrup and beat again.
- Mix in half the flour, baking powder, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, then mix in the rest of the flour and the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Divide the dough in half. Place one dough ball on a floured surface and roll out to 3/8 inch thick. Use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles. Remove cut outs from dough and place on nonstick baking sheet. Pat the dough back together into a round disc and roll again. Repeat with all remaining dough until you have 20 circles.
- Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool 3-4 minutes on the hot pan, then move carefully to a wire rack. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding frosting.
- For frosting, beat the butter, shortening, and salt until light and creamy. Add 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar and syrup and beat again. Slowly add the powdered sugar until it is mixed in.
- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with icing tip 21. Swirl frosting on cooled cookies and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Store cookies in a sealed container.
How to serve Churro Cookies Recipe
Serve warm (if you can resist) for that fresh-from-the-cart crispness, or at room temperature with a steaming cup of café con leche, chai, or cold-brew on a sunlit stoop. Stack two together for a sandwich-style indulgence or pair with vanilla ice cream for a churro-cookie sundae that feels cinematic.
How to store Churro Cookies Recipe
Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you live somewhere humid, pop a single piece of bread in the container to help maintain the cookie texture. For longer life, freeze unfrosted cookies in a single layer, then thaw and frost when needed.
Tips to make Churro Cookies Recipe
- Chill briefly if dough gets too soft while cutting — it keeps rounds neat and edges crisp.
- Use a light touch with piping so the frosting stays fluffy and doesn’t smother the cookie’s crunch.
- For extra caramel notes, toast the cinnamon sugar very briefly in a dry pan until fragrant — don’t burn it.
- Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling; too much flour gives dense cookies.
- Rotate your baking sheet halfway through the bake for even color and those signature caramelized edges.
Variations (if any)
- Churro Sandwich: Spread dulce de leche between two cookies for a gooey, Latin-American twist.
- Chocolate-Dipped: Dip half the cooled cookie in dark chocolate before frosting for bitter-sweet contrast.
- Spiced Maple: Swap cinnamon syrup for spiced maple and add a pinch of nutmeg to the dough.
FAQs
Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A: Yes — wrap dough discs tightly and refrigerate up to 48 hours. Let soften slightly before rolling so cutters slide through easily.
Q: What’s cinnamon syrup and can I substitute it?
A: Cinnamon syrup is a simple syrup infused with cinnamon (or a commercial cinnamon-flavored syrup). Substitute with homemade simple syrup plus a pinch of ground cinnamon or use cinnamon maple syrup if you prefer a maple note.
Q: My frosting is too thick — how do I loosen it?
A: Add a teaspoon of milk or more cinnamon maple syrup at a time until it reaches pipeable consistency.
Q: How do I keep the frosting from melting on warm days?
A: Use a slightly higher proportion of powdered sugar or chill the frosted cookies briefly until set. Avoid leaving them in direct sun.
Q: Can I make these gluten-free?
A: Yes — use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum and watch consistency; you may need slightly less flour.
Conclusion
If you want another take on churro-inspired cookies with a slightly different frosting profile, check out Churro Cookies – Jonathan Melendez for inspiration. For a cinnamon buttercream-forward riff that plays beautifully with chewy cookie texture, this Homemade Crumbl Churro Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream write-up is a fun read and creative companion.
Churro Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and syrup and beat again.
- Mix in half the flour, baking powder, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, then mix in the remaining flour and the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll out one dough ball on a floured surface to 3/8 inch thick.
- Use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles and place them on a nonstick baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining dough until you have 20 circles.
- Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Make sure cookies are completely cool before adding frosting.
- In a bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and salt until light and creamy.
- Add 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar and syrup, then beat again.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar until mixed in.
- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with icing tip 21 and swirl on cooled cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.