These gluten free waffle churros are like a Cinco de Mayo miracle. They have all the taste and texture of churros, but in a no-fry waffle batter. Whatever you do, don't skip the chocolate sauce!
It may not be Cinco de Mayo (yet), but if you could have all the taste of light, fluffy and crisp churros without, well, having to deep fry anything, wouldn't you get an early start? That's what I thought. Enter gluten free waffle churros.
We've already made gluten free churros, but this isn't just that recipe made in a waffle iron. The ingredients are largely the same, but the proportions are different in all the right ways.to make a waffle texture so perfect that you'll
The result is a waffle texture so perfect that you'll almost swear they were fried. Only “almost” since everybody knows that only fried food tastes fried but the texture is so perfect that I promise you won't mind.
I've made this dough (which is really the same fabulous French choux pastry that we use to make everything from cream puffs and crullers to éclairs and gougères (with a few savory twists). Here it's more like a batter and less like a dough) every which way: by hand (don't really recommend, but it can be done), in a food processor (lovely, except when you have to clean it) and in a blender (both high speed and regular blender).
My favorite method is the blender (high speed or otherwise), but any will work. It is indeed difficult to make a super smooth batter (or dough) by hand, but please remember that you're not making your food to photograph it and share it … with you. So less-than-perfect is perfectly okay.
Do make sure that you allow the mixture to cool after it comes off the stovetop and before you add the eggs to blend everything together. That keeps your blender or food processor from overheating and the eggs from scrambling in the hot pastry dough.
I'll be honest, sometimes I skip the cinnamon-sugar coating because I'm a total clean freak and it makes a mess. And you'd better believe that as soon as I got this shot of drippy chocolate I cleaned up that jar but good.
Gluten Free Waffle Churros, con chocolate
Equipment
- Waffle iron
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
For the waffles
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) milk
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups (175 g) gluten free pastry flour (please click thru for details about this blend)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 (200 g) eggs at room temperature
For the cinnamon-sugar coating
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted
For the chocolate sauce
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) milk
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) superfine sweet rice flour or cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- For this recipe, I prefer to use a standard waffle iron, not a Belgian waffle iron. But either works just fine.
Make the waffle batter.
- Place the milk, butter and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the flour, sugar and cinnamon, and stir vigorously. Return the pan to the heat and continue to stir vigorously for about 3 minutes, until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and comes together in a ball. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 3 minutes (this ensures that the mixture will not overheat your blender or food processor, and will not cook the eggs when they are added). Transfer half the dough to a blender or food processor. Pour the beaten eggs on top and then add the rest of the dough. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and uniformly well-blended.
Make the cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow baking dish, and set it aside.
Make the waffles.
- Pour about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter into each cavity of your prepared waffle iron (more or less depending upon the size and shape of your iron), and spread the batter into an even layer using a small offset spatula or a spoon. Close the lid and cook until steam stops escaping from the iron, between 4 and 5 minutes, depending again upon the capacity of your waffle iron. Remove the waffle from the iron and place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. Once you have made all of the waffles,* using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut each waffle into strips about 1 1/2-inches wide. Using a pastry brush, coat each waffle strip with the melted butter and roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating, pressing gently to ensure that the coating adheres.
Make the chocolate sauce.
- Place the chopped chocolate and 1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces) of the milk in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the milk begins to simmer. While the chocolate is melting, in a separate small bowl, whisk the flour or cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) milk until smooth. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan, and stir to combine. Simmer the chocolate mixture, continuing to stir occasionally, until it coats the back of a spoon (about 2 minutes). Pour into a small container for dipping, and allow to cool to room temperature before serving as it will thicken as it cools. Serve the waffle strips with the chocolate sauce.
Gluten Free Waffle Churros, con chocolate
Equipment
- Waffle iron
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
For the waffles
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) milk
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups (175 g) gluten free pastry flour (please click thru for details about this blend)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 (200 g) eggs at room temperature
For the cinnamon-sugar coating
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter melted
For the chocolate sauce
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) milk
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) superfine sweet rice flour or cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- For this recipe, I prefer to use a standard waffle iron, not a Belgian waffle iron. But either works just fine.
Make the waffle batter.
- Place the milk, butter and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the flour, sugar and cinnamon, and stir vigorously. Return the pan to the heat and continue to stir vigorously for about 3 minutes, until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and comes together in a ball. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 3 minutes (this ensures that the mixture will not overheat your blender or food processor, and will not cook the eggs when they are added). Transfer half the dough to a blender or food processor. Pour the beaten eggs on top and then add the rest of the dough. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and uniformly well-blended.
Make the cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow baking dish, and set it aside.
Make the waffles.
- Pour about 3/4 to 1 cup of batter into each cavity of your prepared waffle iron (more or less depending upon the size and shape of your iron), and spread the batter into an even layer using a small offset spatula or a spoon. Close the lid and cook until steam stops escaping from the iron, between 4 and 5 minutes, depending again upon the capacity of your waffle iron. Remove the waffle from the iron and place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter. Once you have made all of the waffles,* using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut each waffle into strips about 1 1/2-inches wide. Using a pastry brush, coat each waffle strip with the melted butter and roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating, pressing gently to ensure that the coating adheres.
Make the chocolate sauce.
- Place the chopped chocolate and 1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces) of the milk in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the milk begins to simmer. While the chocolate is melting, in a separate small bowl, whisk the flour or cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) milk until smooth. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan, and stir to combine. Simmer the chocolate mixture, continuing to stir occasionally, until it coats the back of a spoon (about 2 minutes). Pour into a small container for dipping, and allow to cool to room temperature before serving as it will thicken as it cools. Serve the waffle strips with the chocolate sauce.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
e says
hi Nicole, i am wondering if it would be better to use regular betterbatter in the bread recipes that call for bread flour than to make the bread flour using almond flour(df) and reg. tapioca starch( my mom wont buy expandex). also, in your mock starbucks morning buns are these best made completely the day before you eat them or should i make the dough and assemble them inthe morning?
Diane Stemple Swearingen says
I grew up with what we call “Waffle Cookies”. They are a solid cookie that is also really tender/soft. They are made on a waffle iron and then dusted with flour after they are on the cooling rack. That is one thing I miss terribly! Have you ever had them? I would be willing to share the recipe if it meant a GF version. ;)
Kelly Krause Renquist says
Nicole, these looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try them. I have a request/challenge if you feel like experimenting further in the waffle realm. One of my son’s favorite treats after skiing were the Belgian sugar waffles, or Liege, sold at our local ski resort. They are a yeast dough, studded with Belgian sugar pearls. As the dough cooks in the waffle iron, the sugar caramelizes. They can be served plain or dipped in chocolate. They are so delicious and the one thing he misses the most since his celiac diagnosis. If ever you felt compelled to try and replicate a gluten free version, you would have some ecstatic blog followers! Thank you for all you do to make GF living delicious!
Holly says
Nicole, please help! First of all I am saving to buy your newest book and I love your website! You are a genius! I made your mock Better Batter all purpose flour (the one with pectin) but I’m confused on when to use it. Most of the recipes I see on the site (like the one above) don’t call for it. Can it be subbed in equally for the Cup 4 Cup mock blend or another of your blends?? When you say “I used Better Batter” is it ok to use the mock blend? I find it all very confusing. I can’t afford to waste ingredients and find out later it didn’t work. I buy all organic flours/ingredients…it really adds up as I’m sure you know. Do you have a section here that directs us to recipes where each flour blend will work? I have searched and searched to no avail! Please please please respond!!!! Thank you in advance!! God bless
Elena, Age 11 says
the mock blend is the same as the regular stuff so it will work fine.
Holly says
Ok…Thanks! I was wondering more for her recipes…Do you work for/with her?
Natalie www.AFitPhilosophy.com says
OH WOWZA!!! These look incredible! I will definitely be trying these soon! Thanks for all of your yummy recipes :)
Jenny says
Hi, I just made these and it was super easy. although they taste really good, They are not cooking through and i have a very soft center. I even put them back onto the iron. I followed all directions exactly, can’t figure out why it is like this
Nicole Hunn says
Jenny, I’m afraid I can only guess as I’m not there with you, but it sounds like you didn’t let them cook for long enough. As the instructions state, you want to wait until steam is no longer escaping from the iron. Other than that, I’d always look first to any substitutions you have made, be sure you’re measuring by weight, using the proper flour and that your volume measurements are accurate. This is a very well tested recipe and will work when made as written!
Chelsea Johnson says
I’ve got a bit of a funny question, do you think this might work in one of those mini donut makers? I’m in New Zealand, and for some reason the only waffle makers I can find make the most anemicly thin things that are pretty much just crepes with a little pattern on them (might make decent waffle cones for ice cream though), which I’m pretty certain wouldn’t create the lovely churro texture. I’ve got a stove top waffle pan, but that just seems like so much work. What do you think?
Nicole Hunn says
Well that’s not a question I expected, Chelsea! I’m afraid I don’t think you’ll achieve the proper effect with the donut maker, as you probably suspected. You might actually be best off making my recipe for traditional deep-fried churros (link in the post)!
Jennifer S. says
I think this is so funny because the choux dough has been on my mind sooooo much lately. I’m going to make eclairs very soon. this recipe though is simply beautiful!
Nicole Hunn says
Meant to be, Jennifer!
Karen says
I’m so glad you put the time into coming up with recipes like this! I make these things which makes my daughter really happy, which makes me really happy . . .Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Sounds like exactly the desired effect, then, Karen! Thanks so much for the kind words. :)
Lucy says
Nicole these look amazing. I haven’t bought a waffle iron yet.
I’ve been looking for a non-Teflon coated one but haven’t found any… :(
Nicole Hunn says
That sounds like a tough one, Lucy. I’m sure mine are Teflon-coated. Wish I had some advice for you!
Liz Shapiro Hallsworth says
Has anyone tried with coconut milk and palm shortening?
Donia Robinson says
I have made a lot of Nicole’s recipes dairy free. I was about to say I hadn’t made the pate choux dough dairy free, but now I recall that I have. I made cream puffs (ironic) at Christmas. I believe I used Earth Balance and boxed almond milk, and they worked great. I’d say go for it, and remember that things may turn out a little differently than Nicole’s, but they’ll still be tasty and you can actually eat them! (That’s the way I look at it anyway…)
Nicole Hunn says
Coconut milk would be fine, I’m sure, Liz. Palm shortening, too, but the moisture balance will be a bit off. And you’ll miss the butter flavor, so I’d go with butter-flavored Spectrum shortening.