Drop what you're doing and make these vegan & gluten free baked churros immediately! They're easy to make, crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside with a generous dusting of cinnamon coconut sugar goodness. They're baked, not fried, making them a healthy version of the classic.
A good vegan churro can be hard to come by. The best churro I've ever had was in a small bakery in Spain. Disney World is also supposed to have some BOMB churros. But sometimes I want a fresh baked pastry (like these gluten free donuts) in the comfort of my own home - am I right?
Well, look no further because these baked churros are next level amazing! Plus, they're made vegan, gluten free, and paleo which I bet you never thought was possible with a churro 😉
Be sure to check out my gluten free crepe and cinnamon sugar doughnut recipes while you're here!
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Ingredient notes
To make these baked vegan churros, you need just a couple gluten-free pantry staples:
- Coconut oil - This is what provides the moisture. It also ensures a crispy, golden brown outside when brushed on top of the dough.
- Coconut sugar - Used to sweeten the churros. The dough itself has a touch of sweetness from the coconut sugar and we use this for the cinnamon coating on the outside.
- Almond flour + Tapioca flour - This is the base of our vegan churros. The combination of almond and tapioca flour makes a fluffy yet structured texture perfect for baked churros!
Step by step directions
This vegan churro recipe is so simple and easy you'll want to put vegan churros on your weekend to-do list pronto.
Step 1 : Bring the water to a simmer
First, add the water, coconut sugar, and coconut oil to a small pot or sauce pan. Heat on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir well until it reaches a simmer.
Remove the skillet from the element and turn the stove off.
Step 2 : Add dry ingredients
Add the almond flour and tapioca flour to the skillet and stir until a sticky dough forms. This is best done with a rubber spatula. The dough will be sticky which is what we want. It will firm up a little as it cools down.
Step 3 : Pipe onto baking sheet
After the dough has cooled for a couple minutes, fill a pipping bag fit with a large star-shaped tip (like this one). Pipe long lines onto a baking sheet. You can get creative with the shape - I did a traditional straight and long churro. Brush each with a little melted coconut oil and bake in the oven until golden.
Step 4 : Roll in cinnamon coating
Mix together the cinnamon and coconut sugar in a deep dish pan or plate.
Once the vegan churros are baked, quickly roll each vegan churro in the mixture. The churros will be hot to the touch but it's important to do this step while the churros are still warm. The heat will allow the cinnamon mixture to stick. If needed, you can pick up the churros with a fork and roll them in the mixture as well.
Serving tips
- Warm, fresh out of the oven. These vegan churros are best served warm. I recommend baking these right before you are wanting to enjoy them. See below section for how to make them ahead of time.
- Coated in a sweet sugar mixture. A churro isn't a churro if it's not covered in sugar. We use a combination of sweet cinnamon and coconut sugar to achieve a subtly sweet coating for our vegan churros.
- With chocolate. Like many things, churros are made even better dipped in hot melted chocolate. I recommend melting your favorite dark chocolate and dunking in your fresh churros (you can double-dip, we won't tell).
Storing
To store these vegan churros, place them in an airtight container on the counter. Where they will keep for 4 days. When ready to enjoy, I recommend heating them up in a toaster oven or on a baking sheet in the oven to make them crispy again. I don't recommend microwaving them as they will dry out a little and won't be as crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Churros are typically fried on in oil. However, you can also bake them for a healthier version! Simply prepare the dough and pipe long lines onto a baking sheet. Then bake in the oven until golden. While they are still warm, roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
The classic churro recipe usually calls for butter, eggs, and sometimes heavy cream. However, this recipe uses a few simple swaps to make these churros vegan friendly!
These vegan churros are best served fresh out of the oven. However, you can prep the dough ahead of time if serving these at a gathering or party. Simply make the dough as instructed below and store in a zip-lock bag at room temperature. When ready to bake, transfer the dough to a pipping bag and pipe onto a baking sheet to bake.
The tapioca flour simple assists in "cutting" the density from the almond flour. Arrowroot starch or corn starch will also work as an alternative.
For more delicious recipes, check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Easy Vegan and Gluten free Baked Churros
Ingredients
For the Churros
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil - plus a little extra to brush on before baking
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup tapioca flour
For the Coating
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For the Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips - melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat the water, coconut sugar, and coconut oil in a skillet oven medium heat until it reaches a simmer. Take the skillet off the element.
- Stir in the almond flour and tapioca flour until sticky dough forms; set aside to cool for a couple minutes
- Transfer dough to a pipping bag fitted with a large start tip and pipe the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in long lines (or alternative shape). Brush with additional 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil and bake for 18 - 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare the cinnamon coating while the churros are baking. Mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a shallow baking pan. While the vegan churros are still warm, place each in the shallow baking dish and toss to coat.
- Serve warm with melted chocolate and enjoy!
These were SO AMAZING!!!!!!!! I had no clue how they would turn out but they. were. PERFECT. Replaced the coconut sugar and coconut oil with maple syrup and avocado oil. Tasted just like real churros. Can't wait to make again.
Wow these look so good😍 can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Hi Julia! Yes almond meal should also work with this recipe.
Can i sub tapioca flour by spelt or buckwheat?
Hi Dana! So the tapioca flour is used to make the churros fluffy on the inside. I don't think spelt or buckwheat would be great replacements. Arrowroot starch would be the best substitute or you could do corn starch.