Description
Learn how to make gluten-free churros con chocolate at home – in just 30 minutes! Crunchy churros coated with a delicious cinnamon-sugar mixture, and dipped in melted chocolate. These are the perfect breakfast, sweet snack or dessert for celebrating Cinco de Mayo or anytime! Dairy-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
For the Churros:
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Chocolate Dipping Sauce:
- 1 cup chopped vegan semi-sweet chocolate
Instructions
- Combine Oil, Sugar and Water: In a deep saucepan, combine the vegetable or canola oil, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water. Place the pan on the stove and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for a minute or two.
- Add Gluten-Free Flour to Sugar Mixture: Whisk the gluten-free all-purpose flour with the xanthan gum. Remove the pan from the heat and add the gluten-free flour.
- Stir Until Dough Forms: Stir vigorously with a mixing spoon or spatula until a smooth dough forms. It may take some effort to fully incorporate the flour, but keep stirring until there are no lumps and the dough is uniform.
- Transfer Dough to Piping Bag: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. This will help give the churros their classic ridged shape. Alternatively, you can also use a plastic bag or ziplock bag with a corner snipped off, but you won’t get the classic churros shape.
- Heat Oil Until Ready: Pour sunflower oil in a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot until 3-inches deep, and heat the oil until it reaches 375°F (190°C). To test if the oil is ready, use a candy thermometer to check the temperature or if you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil – it should sizzle and start to turn golden brown in a few seconds.
- Pipe Dough into Oil: Carefully pipe the dough into the hot oil, using scissors or a knife to cut it into 4-inch (10 cm) pieces. Be very careful when handling the hot oil to prevent getting burnt by any splatters. Avoid overcrowding the pot (maximum 3-4 churros should be cooking at each time) so the churros have space to be evenly fried on all sides.
- Fry Until Golden and Crispy: Fry the gluten-free vegan churros until they are golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the churros from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Repeat: Repeat the previous steps until all the churro dough is used up.
- Prepare Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture: In a plate, mix together the remaining 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoon of cinnamon. This mixture will be used to coat the churros.
- Coat Churros in Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture: Coat the still-warm fried churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Melt Chocolate Until Smooth: In a microwave-safe bowl or a double boiler, melt the chopped chocolate until smooth. You can use a microwave or a stove-top method to melt the chocolate, whichever you prefer.
- Serve and Enjoy: Enjoy your delicious gluten-free vegan churros with the chocolate dipping sauce!
Notes
Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. Alternatively, you may use other types of neutral vegetable oils (such as canola oil, corn oil, etc). Also, make sure that the oil is heated to the correct temperature before frying the churros to ensure that the churros cook evenly.
Sugar: I used white sugar, but you can also use light brown sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
Water: I used filtered water. You can also use mineral water if you prefer.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend a gluten-free flour blend made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours, so make sure to add it in if your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it.
Ground Cinnamon: I like adding ground cinnamon for extra flavor in the sugar coating. If you don’t like the taste of cinnamon, feel free to leave it out instead.
Chocolate: I used semi-sweet vegan chocolate to keep this recipe dairy-free and vegan. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use normal chocolate instead. Make sure to chop the chocolate into small pieces so that they melt evenly.
Storing: In my opinion, these gluten-free churros are best served fresh and warm, but if you have any leftover churros, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freezing: To freeze, make sure the churros are fully cooled (without sugar coating or chocolate) before placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freezing for a few hours until frozen. Then transfer the frozen churros to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat the frozen churros in the oven or air fryer at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes until crispy and hot. You may also reheat them in the microwave, but the churros will be soft instead of crispy. Coat the reheated churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and serve with melted chocolate sauce.
Adapted from: A Big Man’s World
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
