What Are “Churro Snacks”?
“Churro snacks” is a way to make smaller, biteable versions of classic churros—crispy fried (or baked) dough tubes or pieces coated in cinnamon sugar. They retain the essence of churros (crunchy outside, soft interior, cinnamon‑sugar coating) but are easier to eat in snack form.
You can think of them as mini churros, churro bites, or churro sticks. Many recipes adapt the full churro method (dough, piping, frying) but scale down or use shortcuts like puff pastry or baking instead of deep frying. For example, the “Churro Bites” recipe uses a simple dough and frying method.
cookist.com
Below is a robust version you can use at home, plus a “quick version” using puff pastry, plus many variants and troubleshooting steps.
Ingredients (Classic Churro Snacks, yields ~30–40 pieces)
Here’s a good base recipe (fried version) using traditional churro dough. Adjust yields as needed.
Dough & base
1 cup water
¼ cup (≈ 60 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup all‑purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For frying
Hot oil (vegetable, canola, sunflower) — enough for deep frying (about 2–3 inches / 5‑7 cm depth)
Coating
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional / serving
Chocolate sauce, caramel, dulce de leche, or sweet dipping sauce
A pinch of nutmeg or cardamom in coating (optional)
A sprinkle of powdered sugar
Fresh fruit or ice cream for serving
Equipment & Prep Notes
You’ll need:
Medium saucepan
Mixing bowls
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Piping bag + large star tip (or large piping tip / pastry bag)
Deep frying pan or fryer
Thermometer (for monitoring oil temp)
Slotted spoon or tongs
Paper towels or wire rack
Plate / shallow dish for coating sugar
Measuring cups, spoons
Prep tips:
Pre-mix and measure all ingredients first.
Set up frying station: oil, thermometer, slotted spoon, paper towels.
Heat the oil gradually and get it to right temperature before piping dough in.
Warm the sugar + cinnamon mix in a shallow dish so coating is ready.
Use dry, room temperature ingredients (eggs, flour) so dough behaves predictably.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
1. Make the churro dough (pâte à choux style)
The dough for churros is a hot water + fat + flour stage, then eggs are beaten in. This gives structure and crispness.
In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil (but don’t boil hard).
Remove saucepan from heat. Immediately stir in the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball (a thick paste). Return briefly to low heat for ~10–20 seconds to dry out slightly (stir constantly) until it pulls away from sides.
Transfer dough to a bowl (or leave in saucepan but off heat) and let it cool a little (just until it's warm, not hot) so the eggs won’t cook when added.
Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated.
Stir in vanilla extract.
The final dough should be thick, smooth, and pipeable (not too runny, not too stiff).
2. Heat oil & check temperature
In a deep pot or saucepan, pour oil to a depth where churros can float (~2–3 inches).
Heat the oil to ~ 180 °C (≈ 350‑375 °F) — monitor with a thermometer.
Once oil is at temperature, reduce heat slightly if needed to maintain steady range.
If oil is too cool, churros will absorb oil and be greasy; if too hot, outside will burn before inside cooks.
3. Pipe & fry churro snacks
Load the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or other ridged tip).
Pipe small strips (2‑4 inches long) or bite‑sized pieces directly into hot oil, cutting with scissors.
Fry in small batches, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp — typically 2‑3 minutes per piece (depending on thickness).
Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove churro snacks and drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
Ensure not to overcrowd the pan — leave space so temperature remains stable.
4. Coat with cinnamon sugar
While hot (still warm), place churro snacks into a shallow dish containing the granulated sugar + cinnamon mixture. Toss gently until well coated.
Because they're still warm, the sugar will adhere nicely.
5. Serve warm
Serve churro snacks warm or just cooled. Accompany with dipping sauce (chocolate, caramel, dulce de leche) if desired.
You can reheat lightly in oven for crispness. They’re best fresh.
Time Estimate & Workflow
Step Estimated Time
Prepare & boil dough stage ~ 5 minutes
Add eggs & mix dough 3–5 minutes
Heat oil ~ 5 minutes (while doing prep)
Piping & frying ~ 10–15 minutes (in batches)
Sugar coating & finishing 2–3 minutes
Serving & plating 5 minutes
Total active ~ 30‑35 minutes
Total including oil heating & small rests ~ 40 minutes
You can overlap tasks (heat oil while mixing dough, prepare sugar mixture earlier, etc.).
Variations, Shortcuts & Alternative Methods
Because frying can be heavy or intimidating, many churro snack versions use shortcuts. Here are alternatives and twists.
Baked / puff pastry churro sticks
A quicker, lighter version uses puff pastry (or store‑bought croissant dough) cut into strips and baked:
One recipe (15‑Minute Churro Sticks) uses puff pastry, cuts into strips, bakes, then coats with butter + cinnamon sugar.
OMG Chocolate Desserts
This method is much faster (no choux dough, no long frying) and still delivers crisp, sweet sticks.
Steps in that version:
Thaw puff pastry.
Cut into strips <1 inch wide.
Bake at high temperature (about 450 °F / 230 °C) for 8–10 minutes until golden.
After baking, brush with melted butter and immediately roll in cinnamon sugar.
This is a great semi-homemade alternative if you want churro flavor with less fuss.
Churro snack (cereal‑based) version
Another “snack” version uses Honeycomb cereal as the base:
The “Churro Snacks” recipe from GrandMaRecip uses 5 cups Honeycomb cereal, then caramel coating, then cinnamon sugar coating.
Grandma's Recipes
EasyRecipesLife also gives a full version: cereal, butter + sugar + corn syrup caramel, then coated in cinnamon sugar.
easyrecipeslife.com
This version is baked rather than fried and gives a crunchy, cereal‑snack take on churro flavor.
Drop-style dumpling churros
Some recipes skip piping entirely and drop small pieces of the dough into hot oil (like small dumplings)—a more rustic snack style. The dough is essentially the same choux base, but you drop spoonfuls rather than pipe. They cook similarly, then get rolled in sugar.
Flavor & spice tweaks
Add nutmeg, cardamom, or clove to the cinnamon sugar mix for extra warmth.
Use vanilla bean paste or almond extract in dough for extra aroma.
Use dark brown sugar (instead of white) in the sugar coating for a deeper, molasses note.
Use chocolate sugar (cocoa + sugar) or roll in powdered sugar for variation.
Add a pinch of salt to the coating to contrast the sweetness.
Serve with flavored sauces: salted caramel, chocolate ganache, spiced hot chocolate, fruit compote, dulce de leche, etc.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
When making churro snacks (especially fried versions), several problems can arise. Here’s a troubleshooting guide:
Problem Likely Cause Fix / Prevention
Churro breaks or bursts in oil Oil too hot, dough too soft, internal steam pressure Reduce oil temp slightly; ensure dough is sturdy; fry in batches
Too greasy / oily churros Oil too cool, overfrying, overloaded pan Keep oil at proper temp; drain well; don’t overcrowd
Sugar coating not sticking Churros cooled too much before coating Roll while still warm
Inside dough undercooked Dough plugged into oil, thick pieces, insufficient frying time Make smaller pieces, increase frying time, check oil heat
Dough not pipeable Dough too stiff, too much flour, or eggs not fully incorporated Adjust dough moisture; ensure eggs are mixed well; let dough cool a bit
Burning before inside cooked Oil too hot or pieces too thin Monitor temperature; reduce heat; cook more gently
From Reddit, one user noted that storing dough for too long can cause churros to crack when frying—because hydration changes and structure weakens.
Serving Suggestions & Presentation
Serve churro snacks warm, on a platter, surrounded by small bowls of dipping sauces.
Dust with extra cinnamon sugar just before serving for visual appeal.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or fresh fruit.
Use skewers or sticks to present them for dipping.
If using the cereal-based version, serve in small snack bags or cups.
For parties, you can serve a “churro station” where people coat their own in sugar or dip their own.
Example Full Recipe (Churro Snacks, Fried Version)
Here is a consolidated version you can follow:
Ingredients
1 cup water
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oil for frying
½ cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for coating)
Instructions
In saucepan, combine water + butter + sugar + salt. Bring to gentle boil.
Remove from heat, stir in flour all at once until it forms a ball. Return to very low heat and stir ~10–20 seconds to dry slightly.
Let the dough cool (a bit), then beat in eggs one by one until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Heat oil to ~180 °C (350‑375 °F).
Pipe small pieces of dough into oil, cut with scissors, fry in batches until golden (2‑3 min).
Drain on paper towels.
While still warm, toss in cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
Serve warm with dipping sauce if desired.
If you like, I can format this into a printable recipe card, or send you a baked / lower‑oil version, or even a Moroccan twist (with orange blossom water or spices) of churro snacks. Do you want me to send you one of those?
0 comments:
Post a Comment