Baked Churro Bites with Homemade Dulce de Leche
Cinco de Mayo is coming up && I’m going to Cancun next month for my birthday soooo let the Mexican festivities begin!
The thing I get most excited about whenever I travel is the food, naturally. While booking the trip all I could think about is eating all the tacos I can get my hands on. It’s official. I’m turning into my Father. Remember when I told you guys about the time we went to San Diego and my dad was on a mission to find the perfect the taco?
Cinco de Mayo is coming up next week so I have the perfect excuse to a get myself in a vacation state of mind. Actually, my plan is Mexican-inspired recipes until May 5. So get ready for lots of avocados, limes, tacos, dulce de leche, and of course TEQUILA!
Vacation is a month away too, so all these recipes are going to healthier but just as delicious! Trust me, nobody wants to be laying on a beach in a bikini that is way too tight because they ate 3473 tacos and a whole pan of tres leches cake.
The first Mexican themed recipe is these Oven Baked Churro Bites with homemade Dulce de Leche. Instead of frying, I baked the churro bites so you don’t have to count your chins after eating them (unless you eat the whole batch all by yourself because they are just THAT good).
These are perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party because they are extremely easy to make and you can make a lot of them at once. Plus their size makes them a perfect party food.
Churros are great on their own, but they are even better when dunked in dipping sauces. PARTY TIP: You can set up a “churro bar” by laying out the churro bites and arranging different sauces and toppings for your guests to customize their own churros. Some ideas are chocolate sauce, nutella, melted white chocolate, dulce de leche, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.
I’m a traditional type of girl, so I like my churros with dulce de leche. I make my own because it is really easy – all you need is milk, sugar, and TIME. Plus you can cut some calories when you make it yourself by using a low fat milk. I like adding a pinch of salt because salt + caramel = heaven. If you are on a time crunch, store-bought dulce de leche works just as well, but my recipe makes a pretty big batch that you can store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
So, end your Cinco de Mayo party with these Oven Baked Churro Bites. You or your guests won’t feel guilty satisfying your sweet tooths. Or is it sweet teeth? (that sounds weird). Anyway, enjoy!
Baked Churro Bites with Homemade Dulce de Leche
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon for dusting
Dulce de Leche
- 4 cups milk you can use whole milk or a lower fat milk to cut back on some calories
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 tsp water
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
- Add water, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat until butter melts and mixture comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat and mix in flour with a wooden spoon. The mixture will come together and pull away from the sides of the pot. In three additions, slowly add in the beaten eggs, mixing well before the next addition.
- Form balls with the dough, about 1 inch big, and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet. Alternatively, you can fill a pastry bag with the dough and pipe it onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until churros are golden brown. Remove from oven and roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture while still hot.
Dulce de Leche
- Add milk, sugar, and salt (if using) in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda dissolved in water. Be careful because the milk might foam up.
- Return pot to heat and bring to a low simmer. DO NOT boil. Check the mixture every 15 minutes to give it a stir and make sure it isn't burning on the bottom. Cook for 1-1 1/2 hours until the mixture turns golden brown.
- Store dulce de leche in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Hi there! I just wanna ask, if the churro bites will be baked in a mini muffin pan, what is the oven temp and for how many minutes will I have to bake them? Thanks in advance.
Hi Lani! I’ve never baked them in a mini muffin pan, but I would reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and check them after 15-20 minutes.