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churro cupcakes on marble board with caramel sauce

Churro Cupcakes

By Jennifer Segal
All the flavor of a churro in cupcake form—easy to make and even better to eat.
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup milk

For the Topping

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 oz full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, softened but still cool
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar

For Serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. In three additions, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer them to the rack to cool completely.

For the Topping

  • Place the melted butter in a shallow bowl. In another small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
  • Brush the top of each cooled cupcake with butter, then hold it over the cinnamon-sugar mixture and spoon the mixture over the top, letting any excess fall back into the bowl. Reserve the remaining cinnamon-sugar for the frosted cupcakes.

For the Frosting

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and aerated, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of the confectioners' sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. If the frosting is too thin, or you prefer a sweeter frosting, add the remaining cup of sugar and beat again.
  • Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, then dust lightly with the reserved cinnamon-sugar (you may not use all of it). Drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions: The cupcakes can be prepared one day ahead of time (wait to drizzle the caramel sauce until right before serving) and stored in a cake dome in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving. They can also be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. 
 

Nutrition Information

Per serving (24 servings)Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 172mgFiber: 1gSugar: 39g
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.