This easy homemade churros recipe is perfect for kids and busy families! Instead of deep-frying, these churros are baked in the oven, so you get a crispy cinnamon-sugar coating and a soft, airy inside without the mess or extra calories.
Even better? You can pipe fun shapes like bears, stars, and bunnies that kids absolutely love. Ready in just 40 minutes from start to finish!
🇪🇸 Spanish Dessert | 🥚 High-Protein | 🌿 Healthier
Making homemade breakfast treats with kids is easier than you think.
Quick Look: Easy Homemade Churros for Kids (Baked, Not Fried!)
⏱ Prep Time: 15 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 25 minutes
⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
🍪 Servings: 16
⚡ Calories: 105 kcal per churro
🧸 Features: baked, not fried, fun bear & star shapes, kid-friendly
👌 Difficulty: easy, no hot oil, great to make together
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I love how fun this recipe is, especially if you want to pipe cute shapes. The dough cooks quickly on the stove using simple choux pastry. These homemade churros are perfect if you want to make mini bear churros, stars, or even little bunnies. It's a great weekend activity with kids and such a cute treat to serve.
Nancy says:
"Amazing churros! I made these with my kids, and they loved them. So delicious and fun to make!"
These homemade churros are perfect for kids for so many reasons! First, the fun shapes-bears, stars, and bunnies are way more exciting than regular churros. Kids can even help pipe their own shapes since there's no dangerous hot oil involved.
Because they're homemade and baked instead of fried, these churros are healthier than store-bought or traditional fried versions. They make a great breakfast treat, after-school snack, or even a fun weekend baking activity.
Parents love that they can customize everything-the sugar amount, the shapes, even let kids decorate with chocolate ganache to make little faces. It turns snack time into quality family time!
💗 Why Kids Love These Homemade Churros
- Baked Not Fried: These homemade churros are baked instead of fried-no messy oil, fewer calories, same amazing taste.
- Fun Shapes: You can easily pipe mini bear-shaped churros, stars, or bunnies, making it great for fun churros for kids.
- Moist Texture: The choux paste bakes up light, fluffy, and perfectly soft inside. The same choux dough makes this French éclair recipe - try it once you're comfortable with the technique.
- Quick Breakfast or Snack: These easy homemade churros are perfect for kids and bake fast, giving you fresh homemade churros in just 40 minutes.
🥧 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
♻️ Substitutes & Variation
- Different Shapes: If the animal shapes are too tricky, you can simply pipe the dough into short 1-inch (2.5 cm) baked churro bites.
- Sugar-Free Option: You can replace the brown sugar in the dough with an equal amount of granulated erythritol or monk fruit sweetener.
- Dipping Sauce: No time for ganache? You can serve these with a healthy caramel sauce, dulce de leche or a tangy 4-ingredient berry sauce.
🍦 Serving Suggestions
This homemade churros recipe is a great breakfast idea for kids and is best served fresh and warm! They pair perfectly with:
- A simple vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
- Warm churros rolled in cinnamon sugar are perfect for dipping in a rich chocolate ganache recipe.
- Try a lighter touch with yogurt cream cheese frosting.
- Add a fruity twist by topping with crushed strawberries and cream.
❓Homemade Churros FAQs
Yes! These homemade churros are baked in the oven instead of fried. You get the same crispy outside and soft, airy inside without any hot oil. Simply pipe the churro dough onto a baking sheet and bake at the specified temperature. The result is healthier churros with about 50% fewer calories than traditional fried ones, and they're much safer to make with kids helping!
Yes, you can make homemade churros without a piping bag by carefully spooning the dough into a large Ziploc bag and snipping off one corner to create an opening. However, you won't get the clean ridges needed for the cute shapes!
While the eggs are necessary for the classic choux paste structure, you can search for a separate homemade churros recipe without eggs that typically uses baking powder and a different binding agent.
The secret to getting that crunch in a homemade churros recipe without oil is the "oven-drying" step. After baking, turn the oven off and leave the churros inside for 10 minutes with the door slightly ajar. This removes excess moisture, ensuring they stay crisp on the outside while remaining fluffy inside.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Churros for Kids (Baked)
Equipment
- Piping Bag and a small to medium star nozzle
Ingredients
For the churro dough
- 1 cup water 225 g
- ½ cup unsalted butter 115 g
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2.5 ml
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar 30 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1 g
- 1 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour 145 g
- 3 large eggs at room temperature (3)
For the cinnamon-sugar topping
- ¼ cup icing sugar 50 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 g
To serve
- chocolate ganache for dipping optional but so good!
Instructions
- Make the choux dough: Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, I combine water, butter, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, warming it just until the butter melts and the mix starts to boil gently.1 cup water, ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Take it off the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Keep stirring quickly with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. I like to put it back on the heat for a minute while stirring-it helps remove extra moisture and gives the dough the perfect texture for piping.1 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
- Add the eggs: Let the dough cool a little so it doesn't scramble the eggs. Then, add them one by one, mixing well after each. The dough might look a bit messy at first, but keep going-it will turn thick, glossy, and ready for piping.3 large eggs
- Pipe your shapes and bake: Scoop the dough into a pastry bag with a star tip. You can pipe classic churros-long and thick-or get creative with mini shapes like bears, bunnies, or stars. For bears, I pipe a small circle for the head and two tiny semi-circles for the ears. And for the bunnies a circle and two long ears.
- Bake until the churros are golden brown and firm. After baking, turn the oven off and leave the churros inside for 10 minutes. This extra drying step sets their shape and ensures maximum crispiness.
- Add the cinnamon-icing sugar topping: While the churros are baking, mix icing sugar with cinnamon in a shallow bowl. As soon as they come out of the oven, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.¼ cup icing sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Decorate with chocolate ganache: Once coated, you can add eyes and noses using chocolate ganache for dipping-this is a super fun activity for kids! It makes the mini bears, bunnies, and stars even more playful and irresistible. Serve these homemade churros, warm and watch everyone enjoy them!chocolate ganache for dipping
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to mix evenly into the dough, keeping it smooth and preventing scrambling.
- Cook the dough on the stovetop until a light film forms on the pan bottom-this removes excess moisture and helps the churros crisp up.
- After baking, turn the oven off and leave the churros inside for 10 minutes. This extra drying step sets their shape and ensures maximum crispiness.
- These homemade churros are perfect for kids breakfast, after-school snacks, or weekend baking activities. The easy homemade recipe is safer than fried churros since there's no hot oil involved.
Asha says
We loved making these and the shapes were SO fun to do!
Lulu says
This easy baked churros recipe is perfect for kids and busy families. You get that crispy cinnamon sugar outside and soft, airy inside without deep frying or the mess.
Dave says
This is a great idea for a fun dessert or kids' party. I made them last night, and they're easy.
TJ says
My son discovered his love of churros at Disneyland recently. He's been asking me to make them at home. He was absolutely obsessed with these. Much easier to make than expected!
Jasmin says
These are so adorable. They were so easy, too!
Lathiya says
My family loved this! I had great time baking these churros with my kids.
Swathi says
These baked churros are delicious. Thanks for sharing. I was looking for a healthy version of churros, and this one fits the bill. Thanks.
Mini says
These baked churros are delicious I have tried, I am going to make it again.
Jillian says
Baked churros are such a brilliant idea! You get all that amazing cinnamon-sugar crunch and warm, fluffy interior without the deep-frying. These look incredible dipped in that chocolate sauce!
Cindy says
These were so fun to make with my son. And delicious too!
Reny says
Baked churros is so good, thanks for sharing this method, I can eat a bunch .
Carissa says
You’ll love how fast these baked churros come together. You still get that crisp cinnamon sugar finish without any frying.
nancy says
amazing churros! I made these with my kids and they loved them. So delicious and fun to make!
Jera says
I am all for this baked churro recipe! Such a brilliant way to enjoy that crisp outside and classic cinnamon-sugar coating without the mess and heaviness of frying. What a fun activity for families!
Claudia-Cristina Ciorteanu says
My family loved this!