Churro Cookies

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon capacity)
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. The cream of tartar is essential here. It reacts with the baking soda to create lift and gives these cookies their characteristic tang, the same slight acidity you taste in a proper churro. Set this bowl aside.

2. 2

   Cream butter and cream cheese

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should look homogeneous with no visible streaks of either ingredient. This foundation creates the tender crumb.

   Truly softened butter and cream cheese are non-negotiable. They should yield easily when pressed but not be greasy or melting. Leave them on the counter for 45 minutes to an hour before starting.
3. 3

   Add sugar and beat until fluffy

   Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar to the butter mixture. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 full minutes. The mixture will turn pale and increase noticeably in volume. This aeration step matters. Those tiny air pockets expand in the oven, giving you the light texture that separates these from dense, chewy cookies.

4. 4

   Incorporate eggs and vanilla

   Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 30 seconds. The extra yolk adds richness without making the dough too wet. Scrape down the bowl one more time.

5. 5

   Mix in dry ingredients

   Add the flour mixture all at once. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears and a cohesive dough forms. Stop the mixer the moment you no longer see dry streaks. Overworking develops gluten, which toughens cookies. The dough will be soft but scoopable.

6. 6

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Cold dough holds its shape better, spreads less, and develops a slightly chewier texture. If chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

   This is an excellent make-ahead point. The dough actually improves after a night in the refrigerator as the flour fully hydrates and flavors meld.
7. 7

   Prepare coating and preheat

   When ready to bake, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, stirring until the cinnamon is evenly distributed. No streaks.

8. 8

   Form and coat cookies

   Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough, about 1.5 ounces each. Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball, then drop it into the cinnamon sugar. Roll to coat completely, pressing gently so the sugar adheres. Place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. These spread.

9. 9

   Bake until edges are set

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the halfway point. The cookies are done when the edges look set and slightly golden but the centers still appear soft and slightly puffed. They'll look underdone. Trust this. They firm as they cool.

   If you prefer crispier cookies throughout, bake 2 minutes longer. For maximum soft centers, pull them at 10 minutes exactly.
10. 10

    Cool and serve

    Let cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. They're too fragile to move immediately. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or eat them warm when the centers are still gooey and the cinnamon sugar coating has that just-baked intensity. Both approaches have their partisans.

Chef Tips

• •Use Vietnamese cinnamon if you can find it. It has a higher oil content and more aggressive flavor that reads as more churro-like. Supermarket cinnamon works, but the good stuff is worth seeking out.
• •For uniformly sized cookies, use a #40 cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons). Consistent size means consistent baking times.
• •These ship beautifully. Layer them between parchment paper in a sturdy container. The cinnamon sugar coating protects the surface during transit.
• •To make chocolate-dipped churro cookies, dip cooled cookies halfway into melted Mexican chocolate or dark chocolate. Let set on parchment. The bitterness of dark chocolate against the sweet cinnamon is excellent.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days before baking.
• •Unbaked dough balls can be frozen on a sheet pan, then transferred to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time.
• •Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, though they're best within the first 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 38g)