Churro Cookies with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Skip the pot of oil and make churro cookies instead. Complete with ridges, cinnamon-sugar, and a chocolate dipping sauce.

Churros! My first (and frequent) exposure to churros actually lies with Taco Bell and their cinnamon twists. I realize they are a serious bastardization of the real deal but when Taco Bell arrives in your hometown and you experience it for the first time as a child, you take it for the truth. And those twists were the best addition to a kid’s meal I had ever seen. While I did grow up and learn that Taco Bell wasn’t real Mexican food, I do still love a cheesy gordita crunch while road tripping and I’d be lying if I said the breakfast crunch wraps weren’t the best thing to happen to fast food breakfast. Oh and those cheesy fiesta potatoes! Basically what I’m trying to say is Taco Bell, I still love you forever and always.

But my love for Taco Bell strictly lies with the cravings for Taco Bell-specific items and is not the location I seek when craving actual Mexican food (or as close as we can find it here in the US, particularly LA and San Diego). While I realize the churros I am posting today are still not the real deal, they are a fun, non-fried alternative. They are just sugar cookies shaped into rods, dipped in a cinnamon sugar, given churro-like ridges, and served with a chocolate dipping sauce (caramel/dulce de leche would be a great option too). You might think they are just snickerdoodles in a different shape, but that’s not as fun of a title.

Taco Bell should start selling these instead of their twists.

One year ago: Dill Potato Salad

Two years ago: Gluten-Free Brownie for One

Four years ago: Strawberry Fruit Dip

Five years ago: Homemade Whole Wheat Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Tomato-Pancetta Butter

CHURRO COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients:

COOKIES

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup superfine sugar*

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 Tbsp cream cheese, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

COATING

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp+2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch salt

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

SAUCE

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

*Can’t find superfine sugar? Process 1 cup granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds, then measure out 3/4 cup

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time. Continue to beat the until it looks crumbly and slightly wet, 1-2 minutes.
2. Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla until the dough begins to form clumps, about 30 seconds. Knead the dough by hand a few times until it forms a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into rods about 3/4-inch in diameter. Cut the rods into 3 inch pieces, place on a plate and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and salt for the coating.
5. Using a pastry brush, brush each cookie with melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, pressing slightly to stick. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Using a wooden skewer, immediately place indentations lengthwise along the cookies. Let cookies cool for five minutes on the cookie sheet, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. While the cookies cool, prepare the sauce. Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave the heavy cream for one minute then pour over the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk until a smooth ganache forms. Whisk in the butter until fully incorporated. Serve with cookies.

Source: Cookies from Heat Oven to 350, sauce from Everyday Annie.