Irresistible Churro Cookies with Decadent Cinnamon Buttercream: Your New Favorite Homemade Treat

Get ready to indulge in the most delightful cookies you’ll ever bake: Churro Cookies! These soft, chewy, and utterly delectable treats are crowned with a rich, velvety cinnamon buttercream that will transport your taste buds straight to a carnival or a cozy dessert shop. What makes this recipe truly special is its remarkable simplicity, yielding results that are nothing short of indulgent and impressive. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, these homemade churro cookies are surprisingly easy to make from scratch, promising a decadent experience with every bite.

If you’re a fan of the classic crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside flavor of authentic Churros and adore all things Cinnamon Dessert Recipes, then this innovative recipe for Churro Cookies is destined to become a beloved staple in your home. Having perfected Churro Sugar Cookies over the years, I can confidently say this recipe captures similar comforting notes, reminiscent of a beloved Snickerdoodle Cookie but elevated with a unique churro twist. The tender cookie base, infused with warm cinnamon, paired with the luxurious buttercream, creates a dessert that’s both familiar and exciting.

With our clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, preparing these incredible cookie recipe becomes a joyful baking adventure. No complicated techniques or obscure ingredients are required, just simple steps to achieve homemade perfection. And if you’re looking for more churro-inspired delights, you simply must try our Churro Cheesecake, another fan favorite that brings the same beloved flavors to a different dessert canvas.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Churro Cookies

There are countless reasons to adore these Churro Cookies, but let’s highlight what truly makes them exceptional. First and foremost, the cookies are incredibly soft and lusciously chewy. Each bite offers a delightful texture that simply melts in your mouth, striking the perfect balance between tenderness and a satisfying chewiness. This isn’t just any cookie; it’s an experience designed to tantalize your senses.

The magic continues with the buttercream frosting. It’s not merely sweet; it’s perfectly flavored with a generous amount of cinnamon, creating a harmonious blend with the cookie’s base. This frosting isn’t an afterthought; it’s an integral part of the churro experience, adding a creamy, spiced decadence that elevates the entire cookie. This recipe delivers an incredibly rich and utterly delicious dessert that feels gourmet yet is surprisingly easy to achieve at home.

Anyone, regardless of their baking skill level, can master this easy churro cookies recipe. We’ve broken down every step to ensure your success. Many have compared the taste and texture to popular bakery items, noting a delightful similarity to the much-loved Crumbl churro cookies, but with the added satisfaction of being freshly baked in your own kitchen. Prepare to impress your family and friends with these irresistible treats!

Essential Ingredients for Your Churro Cookie Masterpiece

Crafting these sensational churro cookies requires a selection of common pantry staples, each playing a crucial role in achieving the perfect flavor and texture. Gathering your ingredients before you begin will ensure a smooth and enjoyable baking process.

For the Signature Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

• Granulated Sugar and Ground Cinnamon: This simple yet essential blend is what gives our churro cookies their iconic, spiced exterior. Rolling the cookie dough in this mixture before baking adds a beautiful sparkle, a delightful crunch, and an extra layer of warm cinnamon flavor that truly defines a churro.

For the Soft and Chewy Cookie Base

• Unsalted Butter. Opt for unsalted butter to control the overall saltiness of your cookies. It’s crucial to allow the butter to soften to room temperature before creaming with the sugars. This ensures a light, fluffy, and well-emulsified dough, which is key to a tender cookie.
• Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar. The thoughtful combination of both granulated and light brown sugar is fundamental to achieving the perfect taste and texture. Granulated sugar provides crispness and sweetness, while brown sugar adds moisture, depth of flavor (with its molasses content), and contributes significantly to the cookies’ characteristic chewiness.
• Eggs. Using room temperature eggs is vital. They incorporate more evenly into the butter and sugar mixture, creating a smoother emulsion that helps the cookies cook uniformly and achieve a consistent texture.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. It enhances all the other sweet and spicy notes in the cookie dough, adding a layer of warmth and complexity.
• Lemon Juice. This might seem like an unexpected ingredient, but a small amount of lemon juice plays a surprising and effective role. Its acidity helps to prevent the sugar from crystallizing, resulting in a softer, more tender cookie. It also brightens the overall flavor profile without imparting a distinct lemon taste.
• All-purpose Flour. Accurate flour measurement is critical for cookie consistency. Instead of scooping directly from the bag (which can compact the flour), spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. This method prevents you from adding too much flour, which can lead to dry, tough cookies.
• Cornstarch. The “secret ingredient” for tender cookies! A touch of cornstarch helps to soften the protein in the flour, yielding an incredibly tender and slightly crumbly texture that makes these cookies irresistible.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda. These two leavening agents work in combination to give the cookies their ideal rise and spread. Baking soda reacts with the acidic brown sugar and lemon juice, while baking powder provides an additional lift, ensuring a light and airy yet chewy cookie.
• Salt. A pinch of salt is essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cookies. If you use salted butter, you may want to omit or reduce the added salt.
• Ground Cinnamon. Infusing the cookie dough itself with ground cinnamon is paramount for bringing that authentic, warm churro flavor directly into the heart of the cookie. It creates a cohesive flavor profile that perfectly complements the exterior coating and the frosting.

For the Creamy Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

• Real Butter. For a truly rich and decadent buttercream, always use real, high-quality butter. It forms the base of the frosting, contributing to its luxurious texture and flavor.
• Ground Cinnamon. Just like in the cookies, ground cinnamon is key here. It transforms a simple buttercream into a vibrant, spiced frosting that perfectly embodies the churro essence, making it extra special.
• Powdered Sugar. Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this fine sugar is crucial for a smooth, lump-free frosting. Sifting the powdered sugar before adding it to your butter mixture will ensure a silky-smooth consistency.
• Heavy Cream. Heavy cream is what gives this frosting its rich, creamy, and pipeable consistency. It adds a luxurious mouthfeel and helps to achieve that perfect buttercream texture.

You can find the complete, precise list of ingredients with exact measurements at the bottom of the page in the recipe card.

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfect Churro Cookies

Follow these detailed instructions to create your own batch of delicious churro cookies. We’ve broken down each stage to ensure your baking experience is smooth and successful, from preparing the dough to piping that irresistible frosting.

• Step 1. Prepare Your Oven. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Allowing your oven to fully preheat ensures that the cookies bake evenly and achieve the desired texture from the moment they enter the oven.

Step 2. Get Your Baking Sheets Ready. Next, prepare your baking sheets. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment paper is a baker’s best friend, preventing sticking and ensuring even baking, as well as making cleanup a breeze.

Step 3. Prepare the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the coating. Whisk them together until thoroughly mixed. Set this bowl aside, as it will be used later for rolling your cookie dough.

Step 4. Cream Butter and Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and both types of sugar (granulated and light brown) until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air, which is essential for a tender cookie texture.

Step 5. Add Wet Ingredients. Next, add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, incorporate the lemon juice and pure vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed.

Step 6. Gradually Incorporate Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled!), salt, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Slowly add these dry ingredients into the wet mixture, a third at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition.

Step 7. Mix Until Just Combined. Continue to mix on low speed until the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are just combined, forming a cohesive dough. It’s important to be careful not to overmix the ingredients, as overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tougher cookies.

Step 8. Scoop and Roll the Dough. Use a medium cookie scoop (approximately 2 Tablespoons) to portion out the dough into uniform balls. Then, roll each dough ball generously in the prepared cinnamon sugar mixture from Step 3, ensuring it’s fully coated for that classic churro crunch and flavor.

Step 9. Arrange on Baking Sheets. Next, place the coated cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space between each for the cookies to spread while baking. Adequate spacing prevents them from merging into one giant cookie.

Step 10. Flatten the Cookies. Before baking, gently flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a drinking glass or a flat-bottomed measuring cup. This will give them a disk-like shape, resembling a hockey puck, which helps them bake more evenly and achieve that desirable chewy texture with slightly crisp edges.

Step 11. Bake and Cool the Cookies. Finally, bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden brown, but the centers still look slightly soft. Overbaking can lead to dry cookies, so keep a close eye on them. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This initial cooling on the hot pan helps them firm up without becoming brittle.

Step 12. Begin the Frosting. While the cookies are cooling, start preparing your luscious cinnamon buttercream frosting. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Start on low speed to avoid a cloud of powdered sugar.

Step 13. Achieve Perfect Frosting Consistency. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until fully incorporated and smooth after each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is in, begin to add the heavy cream, a few tablespoons at a time, beating until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. You may not need the entire amount of cream, so it’s best to add it slowly to control the thickness.

Step 14. Prepare for Decorating. Once your frosting is perfectly smooth and creamy, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. This will allow for easy and beautiful application, giving your cookies that professional bakery look.

Step 15. Frost and Garnish. Pipe the frosting onto each completely cooled cookie in a spiral pattern. For the neatest spirals, it’s often easiest to start at the center of the cookie and work your way outwards. This creates a visually appealing and satisfying swirl. As an optional but highly recommended step, you can sprinkle a little more cinnamon and sugar on top of the frosted cookies for extra sparkle and flavor. For an even more indulgent treat, consider melting some chocolate chips to create a delicious dipping sauce for your churro cookies!

Storage Tips for Optimal Freshness

To keep your delicious churro cookies tasting their best, proper storage is key. Here’s how to store them:

• Room Temperature: Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Ensure they are in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
• Refrigeration: For extended freshness, you can also store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The frosting will firm up slightly when chilled.
• Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully! Place the cooled, frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about an hour until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the cookies in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Expert Tips for Perfect Churro Cookies Every Time

Elevate your churro cookie game with these pro tips designed to ensure a flawless and delicious outcome every time you bake:

• Customizing Cinnamon Flavor. The beauty of homemade baking is the ability to adjust flavors to your preference. You can easily modify the amount of cinnamon in the cookie dough, the exterior coating, and the frosting. If you prefer a bolder, spicier cinnamon kick, feel free to add a little extra to each component. For a more subtle hint, slightly reduce the quantities.
• Adjusting Cookie Size. This recipe is designed to yield approximately 24 regular-sized cookies, perfect for sharing or a moderate indulgence. However, if you’re dreaming of large, impressive bakery-style cookies, you can easily adjust the size. Scoop out about ¼ cup of dough per cookie and form them into balls. This will result in about 12 larger cookies. Keep in mind that bigger cookies will require a longer baking time, typically 14-16 minutes, or until their edges are golden and set.
• Decorating Without a Piping Tip. Don’t have a piping bag or specialized tip? No problem at all! You can still achieve a beautiful and equally delicious result. Simply use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the cinnamon buttercream evenly over each cooled cookie. While it might not have the intricate spiral design, the taste will be just as fantastic, making them perfect for any occasion.
• Controlling Frosting Consistency. When making the buttercream, remember that the amount of heavy cream needed can vary slightly depending on factors like butter temperature and humidity. Always add the heavy cream gradually, starting with 1-2 tablespoons, and then slowly incorporating more, a little at a time, until your frosting reaches the perfect spreadable or pipeable consistency. This method ensures you avoid a frosting that’s too thin.
• The Importance of Room Temperature Ingredients (Beyond Butter & Eggs). While butter and eggs are commonly emphasized, ensure all your dairy ingredients (like heavy cream, if used in the frosting) are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better and creates a smoother mixture, preventing lumps and ensuring a cohesive dough and frosting.
• Don’t Overcrowd Your Baking Sheets. Resist the urge to place too many cookies on a single baking sheet. Overcrowding can lower the pan’s temperature and lead to uneven baking. Stick to the recommended spacing to allow for proper air circulation and cookie spread.
• Use an Oven Thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary significantly from the dial setting. An inexpensive oven thermometer can give you an accurate reading, ensuring your oven is precisely at 350°F, which is crucial for consistent baking results.

I truly can’t wait for you to experience the sheer delight of this delicious Churro Cookies recipe. It has quickly become one of my absolute favorites, and I’m confident it will become a go-to dessert for you too. The combination of the soft cookie, the cinnamon-sugar crunch, and the creamy frosting is simply unparalleled. Once you make them and savor their incredible flavor, please do me a favor and leave a star review and a comment below. Your feedback means the world to me and helps other bakers discover this wonderful treat!