May 2, 2022
Churros are traditional fare on Cinco de Mayo! So as that day approaches I wanted to make something delicious that is easy to bake. These Churro bars are the perfect addition to any Cinco de Mayo dessert table. Sweet and cinnamon-y!
My kids love churros. There’s a restaurant we go to that offers them fresh out of the fryer year-round. They are drenched in cinnamon sugar and are oh so good! When I discussed making a churro bar, I could see the disappointment on my daughter’s face. She wanted the “real thing.” I wanted to find a way to capture the flavor of a churro but in a baked sweet treat. In the end, these bars got the thumbs up from both my kids.
While traditional churros are fried, these bars are baked. Not only does that make them healthier than the originals, the ease of making these in one bowl also makes them a winner! In addition, I made brown butter to give theses bars a nuttier flavor. If you don’t want to take on that extra step you can just melt the butter in the microwave and I promise they will be delicious too.
Brown Butter Churro Bars
Adapted from Shelly Jaronsky
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar (I prefer dark in this recipe, but if you only have light brown sugar, use it!)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with baking spray. Use parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan, leaving some to hang over the sides, acting like a sling.
In a medium frying pan (or sauce pan), over medium low heat, melt the butter until it turns a rich amber color, swirling and stirring the butter regularly. If you take your eyes off it, it may burn, so keep close watch. (If you are not in the mood to brown the butter, melt it in a large microwave safe bowl instead. You won’t have those nutty undertones, but your bars will still be delicious.) Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar to the melted butter, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Adding the sugar will cool down the butter. Add the eggs and the vanilla, incorporating these ingredients well. Add the baking powder and the salt, mixing until smooth. Add the flour and mix until incorporated. At this point, the batter will be thick and somewhat hard to mix.
In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and the cinnamon.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar into the bottom of the pan.
Press the dough into the pan, making sure to distribute it evenly.
Use the rest of the cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top of the dough, making sure to sprinkle it evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the center is firm to the touch.
Put the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, lift the bars from the pan using the sides of the parchment paper.
Cut into squares.
Do these freeze well?