This super simple churro bread is going to be the talk of the town. Whether you are looking for a dessert bread, a companion to that morning cup of coffee, or something to “wow” and the next family potluck, this is the bread for you. Very beginner friendly, kid approved, and guaranteed to be gone before you can go back for seconds.
Follow along these easy step by step instructions and enjoy!
This recipe came out of wanting to create a dessert for taco night. It was a couple days after Cinco De Mayo and we were doing tacos with the kiddos. My idea was to make actual churros, but the time (and energy) needed to do so were not available.
So I improvised and made churro bread!
I knew had to make a base bread loaf, and I love a good coffee cake, so I mushed the two ideas together and created what my husband coined, “churro bread”. It is possibly one of the best recipes ever, and I had to talk myself into sharing it with the rest of the family.
There are a few differences between this bread and the loaves I usually make.
The flour – I use All Purpose flour for this recipe. For my other breads I use bread flour. The high protein count makes it perfect for perfect for creating that more structured crumb and chewier texture. All purpose flour is more suited for cakes and pastries as it yields a more tender texture.
Yeast – as in there is none. Yeast creates a slow sustained rise through fermentation, and great for things like Sandwich Bread and Artisan Bread. For this recipe I use baking powder, which creates a quick, short live rise through chemical reaction.
Time – since this bread doesn’t need that long rise time associated with yeast bread, you can make this recipe in a much shorter amount of time.
So now that you see the difference, let’s get baking!
What You Need
- All Purpose flour: Any all purpose flour will do. I prefer to use organic flours in all my baking.
- Baking Powder: This will help your loaf rise. Baking powder gives that quick rise from a chemical reaction.
- Salt: You can’t have a delicious recipe of anything without salt! I recommend a course sea salt or Kosher salt over table salt, as they will have a better taste.
- Eggs: Eggs add the richness and moisture of your bread, and help give it a smoother texture.
- Milk: Adding milk to your recipe will give you bread greater volume a softer consistency.
- Olive Oil: Oil adds to the tenderness of your bread by coating the gluten proteins so they can’t team up and become to tough. You can use vegetable oil, however I much prefer the taste of olive oil.
- Honey: I recommend a local organic honey. This will give your dough that sweetness without the processed sugar. If you cannot use honey, you can substitute agave or maple syrup.
- Vanilla: Need I say more? Vanilla gives your bread that unmistakable sweetness and flavor.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon has incredible benefits beyond just tasting amazing. It is high in antioxidants, it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can improve gut health, improve dental hygiene, and reduce cholesterol.
- Sugar: I generally try to make my recipes processed sugar free, which is why I use honey for the main sweetener in my batter. However, I do use it occasionally when you just can’t substitute it, like in the cinnamon sugar mixture for this bread. Anything else would not give it that “churro” taste that I am looking for. If you really wanted to stick to the “no processed sugar” you could substitute coconut sugar instead. Since I do not have that regularly on hand, I went old school with plain white sugar.
Let’s Make Some Churro Bread
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to mix together.
In a medium bowl, beat your egg.
Add to your egg the milk, honey, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
Pour your wet ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.
Pour half your batter into a greased or nonstick loaf pan.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix together.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the mixture on top of your batter. Using a toothpick, swirl the mixture into the batter. I usually start from the top to the bottom, then swirl length wise, the make little circles.
Pour the rest of the batter into the loaf pan and smooth it out. You may get some of the mixture mixed in while you are smoothing. Don’t worry! That will just add to the yum factor.
Sprinkle another 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of you batter, and repeat the same swirling process.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes. You will know it is done when you insert a knife in the middle and it comes out clean. The smell of this bread baking will have your mouth watering in no time!
Let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then you can turn it out onto a plate.
Once your loaf is cool, you can slice and enjoy it as is. OR! You can add this amazing cream cheese glaze to give it a sweet finish. Full disclosure, this glaze gives the bread a very “cinnamon roll” feel and is a sure way to make sure this bread vanishes off the plate in no time at all.
Cream Cheese Glaze
The cream cheese glaze is the finishing touch on this delicious churro bread. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Using a hand mixer, mix everything together until smooth. If you want your glaze on the thinner side, you can add more milk until you get the consistency you are looking for.
Drizzle your glaze of the top of your bread. Feel free to add as much or as little as you would like.
P.S. The leftover drizzle is great for dipping fruit in!
Slice your bread and serve. Make sure you save yourself a slice because it is guaranteed to disappear fast!
If you happen to have any leftover bread, a slice goes perfectly with your morning coffee.
This recipe is also a show stopper at a brunch or potluck. During the holidays you can wrap a loaf and give it as a gift.
Enjoy this churro bread recipe and happy baking!
Churro Bread
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 spoon
- 1 loaf pan
- toothpicks
- handmixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
Filling
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Glaze (Optional)
- 1/4 cup cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt
- In a medium bowl, beat one egg. Add milk, honey, oil, and vanilla and mix together.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour half your batter into a greased loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle about half your cinnamon sugar mixture over you batter.
- Using a toothpick, swirl the mixture into the batter.
- Pour in the rest of the batter and repeat the process.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
- Cool and slice
Glaze
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until fully combined and smooth.
- You can add more milk for a thinner consistency.
- Drizzle your glaze over you loaf.
Notes
- For the best taste and texture, I recommend using bread flour. If you only have All Purpose flour that will work fine in a 1:1 ratio.
- This recipe uses honey in the main dough. You can substitute 1 cup of white sugar if you choose. General rule of thumb is for every 1 cup of sugar, you can use 1/2 to 3/4 cup honey. If you cannot use honey, you can also substitute agave or syrup.
- Bread Storage: I store my bread in an open ziplock bag, inside a linen bread bag. I have found this keeps the bread soft while still giving it room to breath. For this bread, I recommend storing in the fridge if you are not going to be eating it in the next couple of days. You can also freeze the bread after it has been baked. Allow the bread to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready, allow your bread to thaw at room temperature then reheat as needed.
- Tools Needed: Large bowl, medium bowl, small bowl, whisk, toothpicks, loaf pan.
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