Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes start with a cinnamon sugar cake batter and are swirled with cinnamon buttercream for the ultimate churro treat! Fill with chocolate ganache for an EXTRA dose of yumminess.
Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes were originally posted on April 29, 2019 and have been updated with a new cupcake recipe, new pictures, a new video, and plenty of great tips and tricks.
Some of the items linked in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission.
why you'll love this Churro cupcakes recipe
- They're easy to make
- The cupcakes are soft and fluffy and have cinnamon sugar baked right in!
- The cinnamon American buttercream is heavenly
- They taste just like a churro!
ingredients You'll Need
*You'll find all ingredients and amounts in full in the recipe card below.
The Cupcake
- Butter - sometimes I make cake and cupcake recipes using oil, but this one uses butter. If you are dairy free, you can substitute it with a dairy-free butter alternative.
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend - while you may have success with a store bought flour blend, I have not tried one so I can't speak for the results.
- Sour cream - makes the cupcakes very tender.
- Cinnamon and sugar - a mixture of the two are sprinkled on top of the cupcake batter before they go into the oven. It creates a sugary crust that's delightful, even without any frosting.
- Eggs - eggs offer not only structure, but fluffiness for the ultimate fluffy cupcakes.
The Filling
- Chocolate - if you can, try to get a good quality chocolate, such as Callebaut callets (affiliate link) or a good supermarket brand, such as Lindt or Ghirardelli.
The Frosting
- Butter - you can't theoretically make buttercream without butter, although some have used shortening to make what they want to call "buttercream." If you have a dairy allergy, try using a good quality butter alternative, like Miyoko's.
- Powdered sugar - my American buttercream is not the usual sickening sweet variety. It has the same amount of powdered sugar as butter (by weight).
Make the cinnamon sugar cupcakes
- Step 1: Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
- Step 2: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy for 4-5 minutes.
- Step 3: Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
- Step 4: Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Step 5: Slowly add flour and dry ingredients and mix for an additional 30 seconds to thoroughly combine.
- Step 6: Scoop into lined muffin pan and sprinkle the top of each with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
make the cinnamon buttercream
- Step 1: Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon in increments.
- Step 2: Increase speed and beat for 5 minutes, until very light in color and fluffy.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Step 1: Steep cinnamon sticks and cayenne in heavy cream and pour over chocolate through sieve.
- Step 2: Whisk gently until smooth.
Assemble Cupcakes
- Step 1: Core cupcakes with a cupcake corer (affiliate link), apple corer (affiliate link), or knife.
- Step 2: Fill each cupcake with chocolate ganache.
- Step 3: Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes in decorative pattern (if desired).
churro cupcakes FAQs
Can I use a cream cheese frosting on churro cupcakes?
Yes, cream cheese frosting would also be wonderful! I would suggest adding 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to any cream cheese frosting recipe.
Do I have to fill churro cupcakes with ganache?
No, these cupcakes will still taste fabulous and be every bit of churro-y without the ganache filling. You can leave it out, OR instead fill with dulce de leche (yum!)
How do I store churro cupcakes?
Cover them and store them at room temperature for up to 4 days and they'll remain as fresh as ever. For even longer storage, freeze individually and then wrap each in a layer of plastic wrap for up to 2 months.
more gluten free cupcake recipes
- gluten free hi hat cupcakes
- gluten free banana cupcakes with peanut butter and candied bacon
- gluten free hostess with the mostest cupcakes
- gluten free mexican chocolate cupcakes
- gluten free champagne cupcakes
If you're looking for that special something to go with your Cinco de Mayo spread, or for any time you're craving cupcakes, look no further than these Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes! You'll be asked for the recipe, I guarantee it.
Gluten Free Churro Cupcakes
Get ready for Cinco de Mayo with these wonderful gluten free churro cupcakes! They're vanilla cakes with a cinnamon-sugar crust and a luxurious cinnamon buttercream. Fiesta time!!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- ¾ cups (170g) butter, at room temperature (a dairy-free butter alternative may be used)
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (300g) sour cream
- 2 cups (280g) Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)
Ganache Filling (Optional):
- 8 ounces (226g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate
- ⅔ cup (160ml) heavy cream
- 2-3 whole cinnamon sticks (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
Cinnamon Buttercream:
- 3 cups (680g) butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups (680g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line muffin tins with paper liners. The recipe makes about 20 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill the liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating just until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients, a little at a time, until all of it has been added, stopping the mixer right after adding the last amount. Fold in any unmixed flour by hand.
- Scoop the batter into cupcake liners to ¾ full. Combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top of each. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.
For the Buttercream:
- Using the beater blade, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until well blended. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Turn mixer up to medium high or high and continue to beat for about 5 minutes, or until very light in color and fluffy.
- Pipe or spread on cupcakes as desired. Buttercream will keep in sealed container for about one week in refrigerator, or 2-3 months in freezer. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator overnight before allowing to come to room temperature.
For the Ganache:
- Add cinnamon sticks and cayenne to heavy cream in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow the flavors to steep for 20-30 minutes. Reheat cream again to just below the boiling point.
- Pour cream through a sieve over the chocolate in a medium bowl and discard cinnamon sticks. Whisk ganache slowly until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour ganache into a decorating bag and allow to cool until just lukewarm.
Assemble Cupcakes:
- Using a cupcake corer, apple corer, or knife, core the middle of the cupcake, making sure not to go all the way through.
- Cut the tip off the ganache-filled decorating bag and fill each cupcake with the ganache.
- Pipe the buttercream on top of each cupcake in a swirl pattern and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.
Notes
Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tried this recipe?Tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram so we can see!
Melissa says
Hi Kim! I recently found your youtube channel and website and have been trying lots of things! I made sourdough starter and have made sourdough bread twice with great results. Thank you!
For this recipe, can I use heavy cream in place of the half and half? Just because that's what I happen to have in the fridge. Thanks!
Melissa says
Also...any change for high altitude? We're in Colorado and at almost 7000 feet.
Kim says
I'm not familiar with high altitude baking, so I always direct people to this article: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Kim says
You should be able to with no problem 🙂
Kim says
Followed the recipe to a T and it made way more batter than just for 24 cupcakes as stated in the recipe. I ended up filling some mini muffins too. I filled them 3/4s full and they are spilling over the edge of the tin 👀 I have no idea what happened
Melissa says
Same thing happened to me. Are you by chance in a high-altitude area? I live in Colorado at almost 7000 feet. I wonder if that might be the problem.
Klaridy says
Excellent!! My family is NOT gluten free and they loved them.
Sarah says
I just made them and they are greasy and gummy... I made sure the butter was warm and creamed well. I followed the directions to the letter. Last time this happened you said the butter was cold... What else could be going wrong. I use your flour blend, butter, organic sugar, farm fresh milk, 1/2 and 1/2 from the store, farm eggs and vanilla, baking soda and sea salt. Kitchen was about 65 and the oven was preheated. It tend to run a few degrees cool so cooking times are usually a little longer. But I start with the shortest time. They were overdone and sunk in the middle. I love cake and it was the first thing I learned how to make gluten free and I have not had such weird results with any other recipe. In your flour blend I use arrowroot in place of the cornstarch... Is it possible this is the culprit? I am so frustrated.
Kim says
I'm so sorry you're having trouble, Sarah. I've made these cupcakes over a dozen times and they always come out really well. You said your oven runs a few degrees cool? Maybe that is the culprit?? When cupcakes are sunk in the middle it's usually because they haven't baked long enough. Why do you think they were overdone? If your oven is running at a different temperature, then maybe either leave them in the oven longer or bump up the temperature of your oven by 25 degrees to compensate. Oven temperature can make a huge difference for sure.
Possibly the arrowroot could be the culprit, although it usually can be subbed 1:1 so I don't think that would be a problem.
Sarah says
I bake on the 2nd rack from the bottom. The cupcakes were dark caramel color and the toothpick came out clean. They were sunk in the middle when I opened the oven. I had a little batter left over that I baked in a glass baking pan. Cupcake pans one was gold and the other was black. I baked it for 37 mins and it had a nice round top and clean toothpick when I took it out. As it cooled the top slowly sunk it also was darker then I would like... Same batter it also had a gummy texture... I went looking for answers and found one that said arrowroot and milk don't play nice together. Which is why I am wondering if it is the arrowroot.
Kim says
Oh, well then that could make sense then (the arrowroot). What if you try substituting a dairy free milk? I wish I knew what else to do to solve this problem, other than you giving me the brand names of all the flour components you use so I can do some research.
Shari says
Hi Kim, just wondering if you’ve made your cupcakes a few days to a weak ahead of time and then frosted on the day you needed them. If so, did you keep cupcakes in refrigerator or freezer. Trying to find enough hours in the day, haha.
Kim says
I hear ya, Shari! Yes, I have and what I like to do is keep them in the freezer because they don't dry out like they seem to in the fridge. Let them completely cool and then either place them in a large ziptop bag in one layer. I like to suck out all the air using a straw, just like those food saver machines (I saw Tyler Florence do this once and I've been hooked since)!
Shari says
Thank you for your quick response, just what I wanted to hear, Awesome! Have a blessed day. 🦋🌞
Shari says
Hi Kim these are awesome. Taking to a block potluck today. 🦋
Kim says
Thank you, Shari 😍😍😍
Mary Ocamb says
Another Winner!
Kim says
Thanks so much 🙂 🙂 🙂