Okay, Let’s Talk Crumbl Churro Cookies (And Why I’m Obsessed)
Hey friend! Have you ever bitten into a Crumbl Churro Cookie and thought—“Yup, this is basically a cinnamon-sugar hug”? Me too. (Too many times, honestly.) I still remember the first time I tried to replicate it at home—let’s just say, my kitchen looked like a cinnamon bomb went off and my first batch was a little, uh, chewy. But! After a few tweaks and a stubborn refusal to accept defeat, I landed on this recipe and my family’s basically started requesting it anytime the weather dips below, say, 70°F. Or, you know, if it’s Thursday. Be warned: making these will make you popular, and possibly force you into regular cookie-baking duty. (Helpful? Yes. Dangerous for your jeans? Also yes.)
Why This Cookie Is Totally Worth It
I mean... I make this whenever someone needs cheering up or when I feel like procrastinating. My family? They rave. My brother says it's his "most favorite cookie ever" (I swear his grammar is as questionable as his eating habits, but he means well). These cookies basically disappear in a blink, though sometimes my husband manages to grab a stash and squirrel it away somewhere (I still haven't found his hiding spot behind the pasta boxes). I used to get frustrated by sticky dough, but honestly, just a dusting of flour on your hands and countertop and you're golden. Plus, there's cinnamon sugar everywhere by the end, which feels a bit magical, even if you're still finding it in your socks a week later.
What You’ll Need Ingredient-Wise
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or sometimes I use 2 cups flour and add ½ cup bread flour if I want it slightly chewier—don’t stress it though)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp (Grandma always nagged to use Kerrygold, but store brand works just fine in my book)
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar (or dark, if you’ve run out—gives a deeper taste)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar—plus more for rolling (I’m loosey-goosey here; a little less or more won’t wreck it)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I’ve done it with imitation; no one noticed)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for topping (I went wild once and used 3—no regrets)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- For the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping: Mix together ⅓ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon (sometimes I make extra because, well, I get carried away)
- For the Frosting (optional but—wow): ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2–3 tablespoons milk, pinch salt
How I Actually Make These (With a Few “Oops” Along the Way)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). I always forget this, so I just do it first and then hustle to get everything else ready. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment if you’ve got it. (Foil? Sure. Bare baking sheet? Honestly, works, but clean-up is a stinker.)
- Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using a mixer until it’s fluffy—3 minutes? 4 minutes? Just until it looks like you could eat it with a spoon. Which, let’s be honest, I sometimes do.
- Add eggs and vanilla, beat until just combined. If your butter’s gone a bit lumpy, don’t worry, it smooths out later.
- Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Honestly, half the time I don’t bother whisking this—just toss on top of the wet and mix until just combined. You want it thick, but not dry. (If you overmix, it gets a little tough. I learned that the hard way.)
- Scoop the dough (about 2 tablespoons per cookie—or a big golf ball, more or less) and roll into balls. This is where I sneak a taste. Roll each ball in cinnamon-sugar topping until generously coated.
- Place on the baking sheet a couple inches apart. They spread some, but not crazy amounts. Flatten slightly—just a gentle press does it.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges look set and a little golden. The centers will seem soft, maybe even a bit underbaked. That’s good! If you overcook them, they’re less churro-ish, more... crunchy. Let them hang out on the sheet for 5 min, then transfer to a rack.
- For frosting (if you’re feeling indulgent), beat butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon with a dash of milk and pinch of salt until smooth and dreamy. Actually, less milk makes it pipeable, more milk and it’s drizzly. Your call. Add a swirl on top, sprinkle more cinnamon sugar because you can.
Just a Few Notes (Stuff I Figured Out After Many Batches)
- If your dough is super sticky, chill it for 20 minutes. If you can’t wait (I often can’t), just coat your hands with cinnamon-sugar instead of flour.
- I tried melting the butter once—meh. Cookies spread too much, and sort of looked like floppy pancakes. Don’t do that unless you like chaos.
- On second thought, the cookies are weirdly better the next day. Something about the cinnamon getting cozy with the dough?
Wild Variations I’ve Attempted–Some Worked!
- Used pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon. It’s sort of fall-ish, and my aunt went back for thirds.
- Mixed chocolate chips straight into the dough once. It wasn’t my favorite, but my nephew thought they were the best thing since sliced bread, so who am I to judge?
- Tried stuffing them with Nutella one time. Disaster. Did not look remotely photogenic, but tasted alright (horrible for the baking sheets though—use parchment if you try it, really).
The Equipment I Use (But You Don’t Have To)
- Hand or stand mixer—makes life easier. I’ve mixed with a spoon in a pinch, but you’ll get an arm workout.
- Parchment paper—goodbye stuck cookies. No parchment? Butter that tray and live a little.
- Cookie scoop—not essential. Honestly, two spoons work just fine (or, be a maverick, and just eyeball it).
Keeping Cookies Fresh (Sorta)
So, technically you can keep these in an airtight container for about three days. Theoretically. In practice, they rarely last that long in my house—someone’s always sneaking ‘em. You can freeze the dough balls for a rainy day and just bake straight from frozen with an extra minute or two. But good luck not eating them first.
How We Serve These at My Place
I like to make these the size of my palm and pair ‘em with (wait for it)... coffee! My dad dunks his in hot chocolate, but we won’t talk about the mess that leads to. Sometimes on birthdays, I let the kids pile on extra frosting and cinnamon sugar—chaos on a plate, but it’s a tradition now. They’re great with ice cream, too.
The Pro Tips I Learned By Messing Up
- Don’t rush creaming the butter and sugar; I tried once and they ended up super dense. “Biscuit” texture, my mother-in-law said. Not a compliment, I fear.
- If you try to bake two sheets at once, swap ‘em halfway—once I forgot and got city vs. country tanning differences (striped cookies, anyone?).
- I add extra cinnamon to the sugar sometimes, out of paranoia I guess, but honestly, it’s pretty hard to overdo it with churros…
Actual FAQ—Because People Keep Texting Me Cookie Questions
- Can I use margarine instead of butter? You can, but, uh, they don’t taste as rich. Still edible though! Won’t be mad if you sneak one.
- Do I have to frost them? Nope! I’d call the frosting optional joy. Sometimes I run out of powdered sugar and go commando (well, the cookies do).
- What if I don’t have cinnamon? I’d say… borrow some? Kidding (sort of). You could sub in apple pie or pumpkin spice blend, it’ll be different but still good. Probably.
- How do I freeze? I scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze, then toss ’em in a zip bag. Bake straight from frozen, add a minute or two. My sister says this is the only way she gets a warm cookie at 11pm (I should charge rent in my freezer, honestly).
- Safe for kids to help? Yeah, just watch them with the cinnamon-sugar—turns any kitchen into a sandpit, but it’s worth it for the giggles.
Oh! Quick digression: If you’re obsessed with all things Crumbl like me, check out their current rotating menu when you’re not baking, or for cinnamon spice inspiration, Sally’s Churros are also pretty wild. But I swear, once you try these cookies, you’ll be a convert.
If you give these a whirl, let me know how it went—unless you hated them, in which case, blame my brother (just kidding, kinda). Happy baking!
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for coating)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for frosting)
- 1 tablespoon milk (for frosting)
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
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3Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until just combined.
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4Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on the baking sheet.
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5Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set. Cool completely on a wire rack.
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6For the frosting, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Spread frosting on cooled cookies and sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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