OMG i finally figured out how to combine my two fav breakfast treats!! If ur like me and can never choose between pancakes or churros, this recipe is gonna change ur life. Made these churro pancakes for my family sunday morning and they were GONE in like 10 mins flat. seriously. There’s just something about biting into that soft fluffy pancake with the crunchy cinnamon sugar coating that’s kinda addictive?? stick around to see how u can make these churro pancakes urself!
Why You Gotta Try These Churro Pancakes
K so regular pancakes are fine and all but churro pancakes?? NEXT LEVEL.
I sorta discovered this recipe by accident tbh. Ran outta syrup one morning (total breakfast fail) and was digging thru my pantry when i found some cinnamon sugar i use for making cookies. lightbulb moment!!
Now my kids beg for these every weekend lol. My 9yr old even asked for churro pancakes instead of birthday cake last month?! And when my mother-in-law (who’s super picky btw) came to visit, she actually asked for the recipe. That NEVER happens.
What makes these so good is they’re way easier than making actual churros but u still get that amazing cinnamon-sugar flavor. Plus u can whip these up in like 20 mins tops. perfect for lazy sundays or when u want breakfast that feels special without tons of work.
Stuff You Need For Churro Pancakes
For the pancake part:
- 1¾ cups flour – just regular all-purpose, nothing fancy
- 2 tbsp sugar – white granulated works best
- 1½ tsp baking powder – check that it’s not expired!
- 1 tsp baking soda – helps make em fluffy
- pinch of salt – don’t skip this!
- 1 tsp cinnamon – gotta have cinnamon in churro pancakes
- 2 eggs – i use large ones
- 1½ cups buttermilk – makes em super tender but regular milk works too
- 3 tbsp butter, melted – salted or unsalted, whatever u have
- 1 tsp vanilla – the real stuff if u have it
For the churro-y coating:
- ¾ cup sugar – plain white sugar
- 1½ tbsp cinnamon – i sometimes add a little extra cuz i love cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter, melted – for brushing so the sugar sticks
Extra stuff u might want:
- dulce de leche – soooo good drizzled on top
- chocolate sauce – classic with churros
- whipped cream – because why not?
- sliced bananas or strawberries – to make it “healthy” lol
if ur dairy-free, almond milk + 1 tbsp vinegar works ok instead of buttermilk. and coconut oil can replace the butter. not exactly the same but still pretty good!
How To Make These Churro Pancakes
First, make the churro coating
- dump ¾ cup sugar and 1½ tbsp cinnamon in a shallow dish
- mix it up real good
- set it aside
Next, make ur pancake batter
- grab a big bowl and throw in flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
- mix it around with a whisk
- in another bowl, crack ur eggs and beat em a little
- add buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla to the eggs
- pour wet stuff into dry stuff
- stir just until mixed – don’t go crazy! lumps are good!!
Cook those pancakes
- heat up a pan or griddle to medium
- drop a little butter or cooking spray on there
- pour about ¼ cup batter for each pancake
- wait till u see bubbles on top and edges look dry (like 2-3 mins)
- flip em over
- cook another minute or two till golden
- stack em on a plate as u go
The churro magic part
- while pancakes are still hot, brush both sides with melted butter
- immediately dip into the cinnamon-sugar mix
- press a little so it sticks good
- shake off extra
- stack em up and serve asap!
pro tip: don’t let the pancakes get cold before adding the cinnamon sugar! it needs warm butter to stick right. if ur making lots, keep the finished ones warm in the oven (like 200°F) until ur ready to do the sugar part.
Different Ways To Make Churro Pancakes
Stuffed Churro Pancakes
Mix 4oz cream cheese with 2 tbsp powdered sugar and spread between layers. sooooo good.
Apple Cinnamon Churro Pancakes
Throw ½ cup diced apples sauteed with some cinnamon and butter into the batter. tastes like fall!
Chocolate Churro Pancakes
Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the batter and drizzle with chocolate sauce. for serious chocolate lovers only!
Mini Churro Pancake Bites
Make tiny dollar-sized pancakes, coat in cinnamon sugar, and serve with toothpicks for a party. cute and fun!
Churro Pancake Roll-Ups
Make thinner pancakes, coat with cinnamon sugar, add sliced bananas and roll up. great for kids!
Pumpkin Churro Pancakes
Add ⅓ cup pumpkin puree and some pumpkin spice to the batter. perfect for october mornings!
Churro Pancakes
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Shallow dish
- Griddle or frying pan
- Spatula
- Pastry brush (or similar for butter application)
- Plate (for stacking)
- Oven (optional, to keep pancakes warm)
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk or substitute: almond milk + 1 tbsp vinegar for dairy-free
- 3 tbsp butter melted (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Churro Coating:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tbsp cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- Optional Extras for serving:
- Dulce de leche drizzle
- Chocolate sauce drizzle
- Whipped cream
- Sliced bananas or strawberries
Instructions
Make the Churro Coating:
- In a shallow dish, combine ¾ cup sugar and 1½ tbsp cinnamon. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Prepare the Pancake Batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
- In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (Lumps are okay; do not overmix.)
Cook the Pancakes:
- Preheat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat and lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the hot surface.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges appear dry. Flip the pancake and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and stack them as you go.
Apply the Churro Coating:
- While the pancakes are still hot, brush both sides with melted butter.
- Immediately dip each pancake into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, pressing gently to ensure the coating sticks. Shake off any excess sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
Stuff People Ask About Churro Pancakes
Can I make churros out of pancake mix?
Yup! If ur feeling lazy, pancake mix works great for churro-inspired stuff. For these churro pancakes, just follow the box directions, add some cinnamon to the batter, then coat the cooked pancakes in cinnamon sugar. super easy! If u want actual churro sticks, make the pancake batter extra thick, put it in a piping bag, squeeze into hot oil, fry till golden, then roll in cinnamon sugar. not exactly traditional churros but still yummy and WAY easier!
Why are restaurant pancakes so fluffy?
Restaurant pancakes are so dang fluffy cuz they know the tricks! they usually don’t overmix the batter (big mistake most ppl make at home), they let the batter REST before cooking (game changer!!), and they cook on perfectly heated griddles. some fancy places even separate the eggs and whip the whites before folding them in! For ur churro pancakes at home, definitely try the resting trick – mix the batter, then leave it alone for like 15 mins before cooking. makes a HUGE difference!
Can I add cinnamon to pancake batter?
100% YES! Cinnamon in pancake batter is amazing, especially for churro pancakes duh. just mix it with the dry ingredients first so it doesn’t clump up. start with 1 tsp per batch and add more if ur a cinnamon freak like me. what makes churro pancakes special is u get cinnamon TWICE – in the batter AND in the coating. cinnamon overload in the best way possible!
Why are my churros not fluffy?
If ur churros (or churro pancakes) are coming out flat and sad instead of fluffy, few things might be wrong. for pancakes: ur probably overmixing (STOP stirring so much!!), ur baking powder might be old (test by putting some in hot water – should fizz like crazy), or ur pan might be wrong temp. for real churros: might be too much moisture in dough, oil not hot enough, or piping the dough wrong. for perfect churro pancakes, mix super gently and only until just combined – lumps are ur friends!!
Are churros better with or without eggs?
So traditional Spanish churros don’t usually have eggs but Mexican churros do! For churro pancakes tho, u definitely want eggs. they give structure and make them fluffy and rich. without eggs, pancakes would be kinda flat and sad. if u can’t do eggs for whatever reason, u can try using ¼ cup applesauce or a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 mins) for each egg. texture will be different but still tasty.
More Breakfast Stuff You Might Like
If ur into these churro pancakes, u should totally check out our Banana Pancakes for another sweet breakfast option. Or go totally decadent with Bananas Foster Pancakes – omg sooo good.
Having people over for brunch? Our Cornbread Breakfast Casserole is always a hit and u can make it ahead!
Super busy in the morning? Make Protein Overnight Oats before bed and grab-n-go in the am.
Keep some Hotcake Mix in ur pantry for pancake emergencies. And when u realize ur out of milk (happens to me ALL the time), our Pancake Recipe No Milk will save breakfast!
Why Churro Pancakes Are Basically The Best Thing Ever
K so first time i made these churro pancakes was actually for my nephew who was staying over. kid is PICKY with a capital P. but these? he ate FOUR. and asked if he could have them again for dinner!
there’s something kinda magical about churro pancakes that just makes ppl happy. maybe it’s nostalgia for carnival churros or just the combo of soft fluffy pancake with that sweet crunchy coating. whatever it is, works every time.
listen, don’t overthink these. they’re not fancy restaurant food. they’re just really really good pancakes with a twist that makes them special. next time ur standing in ur kitchen on a weekend morning wondering what to make, remember these churro pancakes. ur family will think ur some kind of breakfast genius, promise!