There’s nothing like eating soft sugary gluten free Cinnamon Churros warm from the deep fryer. People search high and low for these while gluten free cooks just make them at home. I pipe the soft batter onto oil and they cook in minutes. Savvy celiacs make planning, cooking and serving all part of the fun. That's what make them a real treat.
Restaurants can cook french fries and wheat-breaded items in the same fryer so gluten free cooks often fry at home. Some purchase a deep fryer and others deep fry in a saucepan or a wok like I do. This batter is too soupy for an air fryer but I know people are doing that too.
It doesn't matter what you use to cook churros, what matters is that when you want to deep fry you can. Deep-frying is only a big deal if you make it a big deal. Get organized and see my list of tips for doing that below.
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Ingredients
This is a simple batter so be sure you have a flour blend you love, the kind that makes food that doesn't taste gluten free.
- butter
- sugar
- EGFG gluten free flour blend - or a blend you know works in my recipes
- eggs
- cinnamon
- oil for deep frying
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Instructions
Search Google images to see churro hearts, pretzel shapes, churro waffles, little bites or pops, chocolate churros (cocoa in the batter) or even stuffed churros. I could not make straight churros with this recipe but we all had fun trying.
Substitutions
In recipes like this it's all about the flour. I've got lots to say about gluten free flour blends, what makes them work and when not to use them. Here's my intro paragraph or subscribe to get my best resources sent right to your inbox.
Whenever you substitute a different gluten free flour blend the results will be different. Your job is to pay attention to the flour blends you're using and find a blend that works for most of what you like to make.
Variations
These are two popular variations for serving churros.
- Serve with chocolate sauce on the side. I'd use the chocolate glaze recipe that goes on top of my Banana Bundt Cake to do this.
- Fairy bread is a trendy kid favourite and parents of gluten free kids know how to create fun food experiences at home. Dip churros in an icing sugar glaze (recipe on the icing sugar package) then roll in colourful candy sprinkles. That's a party in the kitchen!
Equipment
To make churros with the familiar ridges you need a pastry bag with a star tip. The size and type of tip you use changes the look but not the taste. Straight or curly, thick or thin, anything goes.
Tips are inexpensive and can be used for piping whipping cream or meringues, decorating cookies with icing or even a fancy presentation for mashed potatoes on a pot pie. It's a one time investment but I guarantee your churros will taste the same squeezed out of plastic bag.
Here are some tools for making churros.
- Reusable piping bag set with 6 tips, a larger set with 18 tips or disposable piping bags if you prefer.
- If you already have piping bags you just need individual decorating tips. There are different numbering systems but you're looking for a star tip about 1-inch across at the wide end. If you don't have anything a set of 5 tips is a great choice.
- Wilton #1M is a smaller, open star tip that makes thin, crunchy churros. They're said to be hollow in the centre so can be stuffed but mine weren't hollow. I'll keep trying.
- ATECO #847 is a closed star tip with a wider opening that makes thick churros, crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside.
- ATECO #849 has a closed star tip that is best for short churro bites.
Storage
Churros are meant to be eaten as soon as they're cooked. You can store the batter in the fridge overnight and fry them fresh again the next day but I wouldn't wait longer than that.
When I think of 'storage' I'm thinking of my motto, Organize For Success. These are my tips for a system that makes deep frying easy (in a wok or anything that isn't a deep fryer).
- Store your wok where it's easy to get. Mine lives in the cupboard above my fridge and it’s been in that spot everywhere I’ve ever lived. The wire basket for removing fried foods is right beside it.
- I buy a 3 litre jug of vegetable oil specifically for deep-frying. It has a spot near the stove and I put a big X across the label and write DEEP FRY on it in big letters so there's no mistaking it for cooking oil.
- A large 4-cup pyrex measuring cup is nearby in the place I keep all my measuring cups and spoons.
Top Tip
Deep Frying in Oil: Toss a slice of raw potato into the hot oil after you finish cooking. This absorbs the flavours of what you cooked and prevents them from transferring to the food you cook next.
I definitely want to take advantage of the set up so I might make churros one day and then battered fish the next. Then I won't deep fry for weeks. Eventually I'll make something like calamari for dinner with friends and the next day my husband is making Chinese Chicken Balls because that's his favourite.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Churros
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup EGFG flour blend*
- 3 eggs, room temperature
CINNAMON-SUGAR TOPPING
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Combine water and butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and whisk to combine.
- Add sugar and salt. Allow it to return to a boil.
- Add flour whisking constantly, 1-2 minutes, until mixture becomes a sticky dough. Do not allow it to burn.
- Remove from heat and transfer to bowl of an electric mixer. Turn to medium-high speed and add eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next.
- Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes until dough is shiny and smooth.
- Transfer dough to pastry bag with star tip. Don’t overfill the bag.
CINNAMON-SUGAR TOPPING
- Combine in shallow dish that will hold the churros.
DEEP-FRYING - Heat oil to 350°F.
- Working carefully not to splash the oil pipe a 4-6 inch long churro onto the oil by squeezing the bag while pulling it away from you. Twist it up at the end so the dough breaks off or use scissors to cut the strip of dough.
- Work with 2-4 churros at a time being careful not to overcrowd them in the oil.
- Fry each side for 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked. Turn them over and cook another 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle place churros on top of the sugar-cinnamon mixture and spoon it all over each churro. Remove to serving platter, serve warm.
Notes
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Tannis
(Edit)Hi Cinde, Tannis from Dryden here, my grand daughter and I are trying your Churros, wondering should we be adding xanthum gum. For structure. Thks t
Cinde Little
Hi Tannis! When I used my EGFG flour blend I didn’t need to add xanthan gum. It’s a batter and cooks up light and fluffy in the hot oil. If you’re using a different flour and you think you need some I generally add 1/4 tsp for every 1 cup of flour. Let me know what you do and how they turn out!