Churro Pancakes

I love recreating our favorite breakfast restaurant menu items like these Mexican churro pancakes which are often found on IHOP menus. Let me say that IHOP (or a box of frozen pancakes or waffles) has nothing on a fresh batch of pancakes made from scratch. It’s a great way to save a bit of money while treating you and your family to a restaurant-style brunch any day of the week.

Mexican Churro Pancakes

What do churros taste like? Is heaven an appropriate answer? They’re crispy on the outside but fluffy like a cinnamon donut on the inside. The crunchy texture of the sugar crystals and the warming cinnamon flavor is just amazing. It’s easy to replicate a churro with pancakes (and a bit healthier).

Easy to make! Pancakes are easier than deep-fried churros. There’s only a short list of ingredients consisting of basic pancake staples, with one extra step. That extra step is what gives the pancakes a buttery, cinnamon sugar crunchy exterior which contrasts perfectly with the fluffy pancakes.

Additional toppings are optional. Since the pancakes already have a sweet coating, they don’t really even need any toppings. If you want, a drizzle of chocolate sauce or warm caramel sauce is never a bad idea. Neither is a nice dollop of whipped cream. Add a pinch of cinnamon to the whipped cream, or garnish with extra cinnamon sugar.

Ingredient Notes

• Butter: Melted butter goes into the pancake batter as well onto the griddle. The butter gives the pancakes a lot of flavor so we don’t recommend substituting oil.
• Pancake basics: You’ll need eggs, buttermilk (or homemade buttermilk), water, vanilla extract, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• For the coating: A simple mixture of cinnamon and sugar is all you need, or you can use cinnamon sugar that you’ve made in advance.

How to Make Churro Pancakes

Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of melted butter, cooled slightly, and the eggs. Once they’re mixed, whisk in the water, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients. In the same bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until all the flour is incorporated and set aside for 5 minutes to let the batter rest.

Preheat. Meanwhile, preheat the griddle to 375ºF, or a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat.

Make coating. While the batter rests, melt another quarter cup of butter and set it next to your griddle or frying pan. I like to use a microwave-safe measuring cup with a spout. In a separate shallow bowl or flat-bottomed container, mix the sugar and cinnamon. The bowl should be about the same diameter as the pancakes.

Fry pancakes. Pour about 1 teaspoon melted butter to the cooking surface and pour ⅓ cup of the batter on top of the butter. Cook the pancakes for 5 to 6 minutes before carefully flipping and continuing to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. They should be golden brown on both sides.

Add cinnamon coating. Once the pancake is cooked, immediately transfer it to the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Flip to coat it on both sides, shaking off any excess coating before transferring to a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Nonstick Stovetop Griddle

I’ve had this griddle for years and use it a few times a week (we’re big fans of pancakes!). You can easily fry up 4 pancakes at a time. It’s quite heavy and heats evenly.

Serving Ideas

Mexican-theme breakfast: Serve the churro pancakes with sheet pan breakfast tostadas. Make crockpot hot chocolate; stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne for Mexican hot cocoa.

Recipe Variations

• Even more cinnamon! Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the pancake batter (with the dry ingredients).
• Even more churro! For that extra bit of churro love, enjoy your pancakes with slivers of real churro right on top.
• Roll ’em up. Spread Nutella or whipped cream on the pancakes and roll them up to make a stuffed churro. It may end up looking like a taco but you get the idea. We also love them stuffed with warm homemade apple compote or applesauce.

Homemade Cinnamon Sugar

Keep a jar of cinnamon sugar on hand. You can use it for these pancakes but it also comes in handy for lots more uses. To make a large batch, simply mix together ½ cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Refrigerate/freeze: Although churro pancakes are best eaten immediately, you can keep leftover pancakes stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be storing some of the pancakes for later, skip the cinnamon sugar coating. Add it later when you reheat the pancakes.

Reheat: If the pancakes aren’t coated in cinnamon sugar, reheat them briefly on the griddle with extra melted butter. Add cinnamon sugar as directed. This is the best method for reheating. If you are in a pinch, the pancakes can be reheated in the microwave for 20 second intervals until warmed through.

• Whisk together ¼ cup melted butter (make sure it’s cooled down first) and the eggs. Then whisk in the water, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.

  ¼ cup butter, melted, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup water, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the the bowl, and then whisk until the flour is incorporated. Set aside for 5 minutes.

  2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt

• Preheat an electric griddle to 375ºF, or a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat.

• Meanwhile, get the churro coating ready. Melt ¼ cup butter (I like to melt it in a measuring cup with a spout). Place the melted butter near your griddle or frying pan. Stir together sugar and cinnamon in a flat-bottomed container that is about the diameter of your pancakes.

  ¼ cup butter, melted, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

• Pour a teaspoon of the melted butter per pancake on the cooking surface. Don’t spread the butter. Pour or scoop out ⅓ cup of batter per pancake on each pool of butter. Cook the first side for 5 to 6 minutes, then flip the pancake and cook 2 to 3 minutes on the second side until both sides are golden brown.

• Once each pancake is cooked, transfer it to the container of cinnamon sugar. Using a spoon, cover the pancake in cinnamon sugar. Flip the pancake over and spoon more cinnamon sugar on the other side. Light dust off the excess and transfer the pancake to a serving plate.

• Repeat for the remaining batter. Churro pancakes are best served immediately.

• Make ahead tip: Keep a jar of cinnamon sugar on hand. You can use it for these pancakes but it also comes in handy for lots more uses. To make a large batch, simply mix together ½ cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Store in a covered container at room temperature.

Serving: 1pancake, Calories: 208kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 326mg, Potassium: 59mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 307IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 149mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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