Description
These Baked Pumpkin Churros offer a delightful twist on the classic fried treat by incorporating pumpkin puree and warm spices, then baking them to a crisp perfection. Coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, these churros are a perfect fall-inspired dessert that’s lighter yet full of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the churros
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup margarine, cut into pieces (about 8 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
For the coating
- 1 1/2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, and salt, mixing thoroughly to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
- Prepare Pumpkin Mixture: Heat water, pumpkin puree, margarine, and vanilla extract in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking constantly, then remove from heat immediately to prevent overcooking.
- Combine Flour with Pumpkin Mixture: Pour the dry flour and spice mixture into the hot pumpkin mixture and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until just combined. Allow the dough to cool for approximately 2 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time to the dough, vigorously mixing each one in with the wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Although the eggs may seem difficult to mix in initially, continue mixing for about 1 to 2 minutes per egg until the dough becomes smooth and pudding-like in consistency.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper for easy release and cleanup.
- Pipe Churro Dough: Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M star tip (or similar). Pipe 6-inch lines of dough onto the parchment-lined sheets, leaving space between each churro.
- Bake Churros: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. Then turn the oven off and leave the churros inside for an additional 10 minutes to dry out and crisp up.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While the churros bake, mix the ground cinnamon and granulated sugar on a large plate until combined. Set aside.
- Coat Churros: Once baked, brush churros with melted margarine using a pastry brush. Roll each churro in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Notes
- Nutritional information is calculated based on making 36 churros using a Wilton 1M star tip; using a different tip size will affect the yield and possibly nutritional values.
- To store, keep churros in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days; reheat in the oven to restore crispness.
- For a dairy-free version, use margarine or butter substitutes accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 churro
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
