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Bite into chocolate-packed churro cookies for a mix of crunchy cinnamon sugar outside and buttery cookie with chocolate melting through the middle. Each one comes with a double layer of cinnamon sugar, loads of gooey chocolate hidden inside, and all the cozy churro flavors you can make right in your own kitchen without any fuss.
The first batch I ever made had chocolate tucked right inside the dough just to treat my niece. She flipped for them—she swears they’re her all-time favorite cookies and they're gone before you know it anytime I pull out a tray.
Delicious Ingredients
- Semi sweet chocolate bars: Chop up a good-quality baking chocolate so it melts smoothly in the cookies and brings real depth
- White granulated sugar and extra cinnamon: After baking roll cookies twice in this mix to get authentic churro crunch
- All purpose flour: This is your main structure; make sure it is light and fresh so the cookies don't end up dense
- Unsalted butter: Use just chilled butter for thick cookies and a rich taste
- Salt: Rounds out the flavors and stops things from tasting overly sugary
- Brown sugar: Adds chewiness and a caramel depth that mixes so well with cinnamon
- Ground cinnamon: This is your must-have for churro punch, so use the freshest cinnamon powder you can
- Large eggs: Holds your dough together and makes for chewy middles
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies stay light, not dense
- Pure vanilla extract: Brings warmth and makes all the difference, so use the real stuff
- Cornstarch: Keeps your centers extra thick and tender
Simple Steps
- Double Dunk in Sugar:
- Let your cookies cool off on the oven tray, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar blend one more time for extra crunch. Put on a rack until they're cool. Then dig in!
- Bake the Cookies:
- Bake on lined trays in a 350 degree oven, leaving enough room between each one. You want the cookies just golden at the edges, keeping the middle soft and gooey.
- Cinnamon Sugar Rolling:
- Mix together fresh cinnamon with sugar. Tumble every ball of dough in this for a spicy sweet outer layer. Chill again for another half hour for the perfect shape.
- Shape and Fill the Cookies:
- Using a big cookie scoop, portion out the dough. Flatten dough scoops with your hand, pile up chopped chocolate in the center, then roll it all back into a ball hiding the chocolate inside.
- Chill the Dough:
- Put your dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes—just until it's easy to handle and doesn't stick much. You can freeze for 15 minutes if it's feeling too sticky.
- Add Dry to Wet:
- Pour your dry mix into the butter mixture and stir slowly, just until you can't see any more patches of flour. Don't overmix or the cookies will come out tough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars:
- Use a mixer on high speed to whip your cold-ish butter plus white and brown sugars for two minutes until it's fluffy. Scrape down the sides, then add in eggs and vanilla and keep mixing for a minute more.
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- Sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl so everything’s spread out and the dough stays even.
- Bring Butter to Temperature:
- Take the butter out before you start so it warms slightly for about an hour—it's best if it's cold but a little soft, so your cookies will bake thick and tall.
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Cinnamon is easily my favorite part. As these bake, it makes my kitchen smell like those family festivals—just like being at a fair again. That scent alone makes it feel like a celebration every time.
Storing Made Easy
Keep your cookies in a sealed container at room temp for up to four days. To get that warm gooey chocolate bite again, zap one in the microwave for ten seconds. You can freeze raw cookie dough balls up to two months—bake them straight from the freezer but add a tiny bit more time.
Swaps
If you don't have semi-sweet chocolate, grab dark or milk chocolate chunks instead. Throw in some cardamom instead of cinnamon in your dough for something different. Out of cornstarch? Mix in an extra half tablespoon of flour to keep things soft and thick.
Ideas for Serving
Best when they're still warm with coffee or a cold glass of milk. If you're serving a crowd, drizzle over some melted chocolate or put whipped cream alongside for dipping.
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Backstory and Traditions
Rooted in Spanish and Mexican churro traditions, these cookies bring all the classic cinnamon sugar goodness right to your oven—no frying required. Long ago, Spanish shepherds sparked the churro trend. Now we get all those cozy vibes in a grab-and-go cookie that feels festive every time.
Common Recipe Questions
- → What kind of chocolate should I put in the middle?
Chop up some dark or semi-sweet chocolate—bars work great—and stick those chunks inside. Go for a good chocolate so the center turns out nice and melty.
- → How do you get that perfect churro bite?
Give each dough ball a roll in the cinnamon sugar mix before popping it in the oven, then hit them with another coating right after they come out. That's how you get the churro crunch and flavor.
- → How do I keep my cookies from flattening too much?
Stick the dough in the fridge till it's cold, then make sure each scoop is even. That way, they all bake up just right and not too flat.
- → Can these be made ahead of time?
Absolutely. Shape the dough with chocolate inside, then freeze them. When you want some, bake straight from the freezer and just add a bit more baking time.
- → What's the smartest way to keep these cookies fresh?
Stash finished cookies in a sealed box on the counter for about three days, or pop them in the freezer if you want them to last longer.