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Churro Bars

Churro bars are an easy dessert with a buttery, soft-baked base that’s brushed with melted butter and dusted in cinnamon sugar. Bake until light golden brown, then cool briefly before cutting into bar-shaped squares.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
rest 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butter dough
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Cinnamon sugar coating
  • 0.5 cup cinnamon sugar for coating
  • 2 tbsp butter melted for coating

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan so the dough presses out cleanly.
  2. Cream together 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix until the texture looks pale and well-aerated.
  3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix just until evenly incorporated.
  4. Mix in 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until a dough forms. Stop when no dry flour streaks remain.
  5. Press the dough evenly into the greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Aim for an even thickness so the bars bake uniformly.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375°F until light golden brown. Look for edges that set and a dry, lightly browned surface.
Coat, cool, and cut
  1. While still warm, brush the top with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover the surface evenly so the coating sticks.
  2. Immediately sprinkle with 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (for coating) over the warm bars. The sugar should adhere right away and look evenly dusted.
  3. Cool for 30 minutes before cutting into bars. Let them firm up so you get clean squares.

Notes

For the cleanest bar cuts, cool the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then lift out and cut with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter option, you can substitute plant-based butter for the butter in the dough and coating, keeping the same method and bake time.