Baked Vegan Churros Recipe (Gluten Free)

These vegan gluten-free churros are baked, not fried, but have that same incredible flavor with my secret trick!

You don't want to miss this easy to make recipe, the perfect alternative to the classic without all the frying mess!

This post was originally published on February 26, 2021.

Cinnamon and sugar is one of my favorite sweet combos, as you can see by my obsession with my vegan apple cobbler. So I knew I needed another recipe that I could drool over daily!

The perfect crunchy outer crust, soft doughy center, and a decadent cinnamon and sugar coating, what more could you ask for from a churro? Oh, completely plant based and gluten free? Even better!

Ingredients

For the base of these vegan churros you'll need:

• Tapioca starch
• Brown rice flour
• Almond Flour
• Sugar
• Sea salt
• Cinnamon
• Apple sauce
• Milk or water (I tried both and each worked well)

You'll also need a few items for the coating:

• Butter
• Sugar
• Cinnamon

How To Make Baked Vegan Churros

1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Stir in the wet ingredients. Then chill the dough.
3. Fill a pastry bag with a large tip and squeeze pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake until golden.
5. Once cooled, roll in butter then in cinnamon and sugar mix.

Tips for shaping churros

• A pastry bag with a metal tip will give you those classic outer ridges and texture, but a plastic bag with the edge cut off works as well.
• You want at least a 1 inch tip or hole, but any size will work as long as you remember you will get less or more depending on the size.
• Use a knife to cut off the batter in between pieces.
• I made my churros about 3 inches long, you can make them longer if you want.
• Chill the dough, this will help them to stay more round.
• Baking the churros can result in one flat side, to try to avoid this you can flip them while baking.
• Baked churros won't look exactly like the fried variety. The shape is simply aesthetic, they'll taste great no matter what! But, if you really want that perfect round shape, frying them is your best option.

Serving suggestions

Serve these tasty baked churros either on their own, or include a dipping sauce:

• Chocolate Sauce
• Vegan Caramel
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Homemade Vegan Nutella

Preparation Tips

• Almond flour is what brings fat into this gluten free churros recipe, and makes the inside soft just like traditional churros, definitely don't sub this ingredient out!
• If you do not want to use any oil or butter you can simply brush the baked churro pieces with lite coconut milk (or other milk of choice) and then roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Keep in mind this will give less of a “fried” feel to the final product.
• Make the dough in advance and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake to save some time.
• If you choose to fry instead of bake:
  • Heat a few inches of oil in a pan over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F.
  • Pipe the dough directly into the hot oil.
  • Cook for about 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.
  • It is best to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Too hot the outside will burn while the inside won't cook, and too cool the churros will absorb the oil and won't get crispy.

Storage Tips

• These vegan churros are best enjoyed fresh, but they will keep for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container.
• You can also freeze the churros in an airtight freezer safe container for up to three months, just make sure you defrost before reheating.
• Reheat the churros in your oven or air fryer for the crispiest results.
• If you freeze, I suggest rolling in butter and sugar once you are ready to eat them.

Common Questions

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Once you devour all of these vegan and gluten free churros, continue to satisfy your sweet tooth with any of these plant based recipes:

• Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas
• 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Nice Cream
• Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates
• The Best Vegan Peanut Brittle
• Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
• Gluten Free Vegan Brownies
• Carrot Cake
• Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
• Chocolate Lava Cake
• Easy Vegan Chocolate Truffles

Baked Vegan Churros Recipe (Gluten Free)

Sophia DeSantis

These vegan gluten-free churros are baked, not fried, but have that same incredible flavor with my secret trick!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Set in fridge 10 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course 30 Minutes or Less, Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12

Calories 202 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup fine grain almond flour
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• ½ cup cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup water or dairy-free milk , see note
• 2 tablespoons apple sauce

Topping:

• ½ cup dairy free butter , see note
• ½ cup cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Optional dips:

• Melted chocolate
• Vegan Caramel

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F/ 120 C.
• Add flours, starch, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk to mix and break up any clumps.
• Make a little well in the middle and add in the apple sauce and water/milk. Mix again to combine and get a smooth batter.
• Allow to set in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. The longer it sets the more firm your dough so the round like shape will keep better when baked.
• Fill a pastry bag with a large tip, or a plastic bag with the edge cut off. You want at least a 1 inch hole, but any size will work as long as you remember you will get less or more depending on the size.
• Squeeze out pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I made mine about 3 inches long. Use a knife to cut off the batter in between pieces.
• Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. To keep them from getting one flat edge, start flipping them on each side starting at about 5-6 minutes when they have baked enough to turn without falling apart. You can turn on all the sides by turning every few minutes until you get to 15 or they are golden on each side.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Then mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
• Once baked, allow the churro pieces to cool. This will help them set more.
• One by one, dip them in the butter then roll in the sugar mixture.
• Enjoy as is or dip in melted chocolate or caramel.

Notes

• I tried these with both water and milk. Either worked. The water had a little better of a texture in my opinion.
• If you do not want to use any oil/butter in this recipe you can simply brush the baked churro pieces with lite coconut milk (or other milk of choice) and then roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Keep in mind this will give less of a “fried” feel to the final product.
• You don't use all the butter or sugar in the topping so the nutrition facts posted are a little higher than they actually are.
• This makes 12 small churro pieces about 3 inches in length. 

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 102mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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