I created Healthy Baked Churro Bites and in the recipe I reveal a surprising pantry swap that cuts calories without sacrificing flavor, ideal for Food For Potluck Parties.

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I love snacks that feel a little sneaky, and these Easy Baked Churro Bites do exactly that. Crisp little bites dusted with ground cinnamon and a touch of tang from plain low fat Greek yogurt give you the churro thing without the grease.

They disappear at my movie nights, someone always asks “what are these?” and I smile cause they dont expect the lightness. If you need something for Easy Food For Potluck this is the kind of thing that looks fancy but will not stress you out.

Take one and you’ll see why everyone comes back for more.

Ingredients

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Self rising flour: Adds structure and lightness, carbs heavy, not much fiber or protein.
Plain low fat Greek yogurt: Creamy boosts protein and tang helps moisture and tender crumb.
Egg: Binds ingredients, adds protein and richness helps browning.
Maple syrup or honey: Natural sweetener, adds flavor depth, a bit more moisture than sugar.
Coconut oil or unsalted butter: Adds fat for crisp edges and flavor raises calories though.
Coconut sugar or granulated sugar: Sweetens and caramelizes, coconut sugar give subtle molasses notes.
Ground cinnamon: Low calorie spice, big aroma, makes them taste like churros.
Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness, enhances flavors, tiny sodium boost but not unhealthy in small amounts.
Vanilla extract: Adds warm sweet notes, makes flavors rounder without adding sugar.
Optional powdered sugar: Extra sweetness and pretty dusting, adds carbs not nutrition.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt

1 large egg

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

2 tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

cooking spray

optional: powdered sugar for dusting

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup self rising flour and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. In a separate bowl mix 1/2 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

3. Stir 2 tbsp melted coconut oil or unsalted butter into the wet mix, then pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Dont overmix or the bites will get tough; a slightly sticky dough is fine.

4. If the dough is way too sticky to handle chill it 10 minutes in the fridge or dust with up to 1 tbsp extra flour until you can scoop it.

5. Scoop or roll dough into roughly 1-inch balls (a small cookie scoop helps) and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. You should get about 18 to 24 depending on size. Spray the tops with a little cooking spray or brush with melted butter so they brown nicely.

6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until the bites are set and lightly golden. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.

7. While they bake mix 1/4 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar with 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl for rolling. Have optional powdered sugar ready if you want a dusting later.

8. When bites come out of the oven let them cool on the pan 1 to 2 minutes, then roll each warm bite in the cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks. If they’re too soft wait another minute, but roll while still warm for best coating.

9. Arrange on a rack to finish cooling a bit, dust with powdered sugar if using, and serve warm. They taste best fresh but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

10. Tips: use a cookie scoop for uniform size, parchment prevents sticking, dont overcrowd the pan, reheat briefly in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh crust.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C)
2. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Two medium mixing bowls
4. Whisk and a rubber spatula for folding (or wooden spoon)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion dough
7. Cooling rack and a toothpick to test doneness
8. Pastry brush or cooking spray for brushing/spraying tops

Dont worry if you dont have a scoop, a spoon works fine.

FAQ

Can I use all purpose flour instead of self rising flour? Yes, you can; use 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and omit the 1/4 tsp salt in the recipe (or cut salt in half) so it wont be too salty.

Are these dairy free or vegan friendly? They can be dairy free if you swap the Greek yogurt for a thick plant based yogurt (unsweetened so it wont add extra sugar) and use coconut oil instead of butter. Theyre not fully vegan unless you also replace the egg (see below).

Can I skip the egg or use an egg substitute? Yes, use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, chilled 5 min) but expect a slightly denser, chewier bite. The egg helps with rise and a lighter texture so results will differ a bit.

How do I get them crisp on the outside and not soggy inside? Dont overcrowd the baking sheet, bake at 375 F until golden and set (about 10 14 minutes for small bites), cool on a wire rack and toss warm in the cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks. Brushing lightly with melted coconut oil before coating helps too.

Can I freeze them and how do I reheat? Yes, freeze cooled baked bites in a single layer then transfer to a freezer bag up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen on a baking sheet at 350 F for 8 12 minutes until heated through. You can also freeze raw scoops on a tray and bake from frozen, add a few extra minutes to the bake time.

Will they work if I pipe the dough instead of scooping? The batter is thicker than choux so piping may be messy. Use a small cookie scoop or roll small balls by hand for best results. If you do pipe, use a wide tip and expect uneven shapes.

Easy Baked Churro Bites Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Self-rising flour: use 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt. Works great if you’re out of self-rising, just mix well.
Plain low fat Greek yogurt: swap 1:1 with sour cream or plain regular yogurt. It’ll be a touch richer if you use full fat but still good.
1 large egg: make a flax “egg” by stirring 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes. Binds well but bites will be a bit denser.
2 tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted: replace with 2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil. Olive oil works too but gives a different flavor.

Pro Tips

– If the dough is stubbornly sticky, chill it for 10 minutes or dust with just 1 tbsp extra flour; adding more than that makes the bites dense so be sparing.
– Use a small cookie scoop for uniform size, and press the tops down slightly with the back of a spoon so they bake evenly and get a bit crispier on the edges.
– For maximum cinnamon-sugar cling brush each warm bite very lightly with melted butter before rolling, or shake the bites in a zip bag with the coating so every nook gets covered.
– Store in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. To refresh, pop them in a 300 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes or microwave 8 to 12 seconds for a quick warm-up; frozen baked bites reheat well at 325 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Easy Baked Churro Bites Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

I created Healthy Baked Churro Bites and in the recipe I reveal a surprising pantry swap that cuts calories without sacrificing flavor, ideal for Food For Potluck Parties.

Servings

servings

Calories

156

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C)
2. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Two medium mixing bowls
4. Whisk and a rubber spatula for folding (or wooden spoon)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion dough
7. Cooling rack and a toothpick to test doneness
8. Pastry brush or cooking spray for brushing/spraying tops

Dont worry if you dont have a scoop, a spoon works fine.

Ingredients

1 cup self rising flour
1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
cooking spray
optional: powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and spray lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup self rising flour and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. In a separate bowl mix 1/2 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
Stir 2 tbsp melted coconut oil or unsalted butter into the wet mix, then pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Dont overmix or the bites will get tough; a slightly sticky dough is fine.
If the dough is way too sticky to handle chill it 10 minutes in the fridge or dust with up to 1 tbsp extra flour until you can scoop it.
Scoop or roll dough into roughly 1-inch balls (a small cookie scoop helps) and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. You should get about 18 to 24 depending on size. Spray the tops with a little cooking spray or brush with melted butter so they brown nicely.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until the bites are set and lightly golden. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
While they bake mix 1/4 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar with 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl for rolling. Have optional powdered sugar ready if you want a dusting later.
When bites come out of the oven let them cool on the pan 1 to 2 minutes, then roll each warm bite in the cinnamon sugar so the coating sticks. If they're too soft wait another minute, but roll while still warm for best coating.
Arrange on a rack to finish cooling a bit, dust with powdered sugar if using, and serve warm. They taste best fresh but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Tips: use a cookie scoop for uniform size, parchment prevents sticking, dont overcrowd the pan, reheat briefly in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh crust.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.