Pumpkin Churros

These Pumpkin Churros are crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. Pumpkin puree is combined with a choux-like dough, piped and fried and then rolled in sugar and pumpkin pie spice. 

I’ve had churros in all sorts of countries. From Peru to Spain and of course, Mexico, churros are delicious in every single one of those countries. But for some reason, I’m always craving a churro from Disneyland. Call me wild! Call me problematic! But I love churros in that context: walking down Main Street with that Disney vibe in the air. It’s so fun. So free. So cute.

Pumpkin Puree in Churros

Pumpkin in any baked good usually replaces some of the eggs. And these are no different. These churros have less eggs than my classic churro recipe. It results in a softer interior which shouldn’t be too big of a surprise. Pumpkin does have a lot more water then eggs. But it’s a good thing! And the outside is still deliciously crispy.

How to Make Pumpkin Churros

1. In a saucepan, you’re going to combine water and butter. You’re going to cook this until the butter melts. Then, add pumpkin and salt and mix it all up.
2. When it’s combined, pour in the flour and stir it until it forms a ball and releases from the side of the pan. It’ll be sticky–not to worry.
3.  Immediately transfer to a bowl or the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment. (You can also do this in a large bowl and using a strong spatula–it’ll just take some muscle power.)
4. Give it a mix just to release some of the steam. Allow to stand to cool for about 10 minutes. 
5. Add one egg at a time, waiting until it becomes completely cohesive, before adding the next one. Add the additional eggs. And then transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
6. Bring a quart of oil to 350 degrees F. When the oil hits 350F, bring down the heat to medium-low. This will help keep the temperature steady.
7. Pipe the churros into the hot oil, snipping the end with a pair of scissors.
8. Cook on the first side for about 1 minute and then flip it and cook for an additional minute.
9. Transfer to a bed of paper towels to drain. Then immediately transfer to the sugar mixture, being sure it’s evenly coated. Repeat with the remaining churro batter.

Tips and Tricks

• I like a drier pumpkin puree for this. If your pumpkin puree is super wet, blot it dry using paper towels. I know this sounds weird but it shouldn’t have any residual water releasing from it.
• I like to use piping bags and a large star tip. This is not required, but I find it neater.
• Find a helper. When you pipe them into the hot oil, it helps to have another person on hand to help with doing the scissor part.

If you make these Pumpkin Churros, let me know on Instagram!

Looking for more fall recipes? Here are some favorites:

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Fall Recipes
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Apple Cobbler
• Pumpkin Tres Leches
• How to Build a Fall Cheese Plate
• Mini Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
• Birria Tacos

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Churros

Author: Adrianna Adarme

These Pumpkin Churros are crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. Pumpkin puree is combined with a choux-like dough, piped and fried and then rolled in sugar and pumpkin pie spice. 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Latin America, Mexican, Spanish

Keyword: Churros, how to make churros, pumpkin churros

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

Pumpkin Churros:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 quart oil for frying (peanut or vegetable oil)

Pumpkin Sugar Mixture:

• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

To Make the Pumpkin Churros:

• In a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, add the water and butter. When the butter is melted, mix in the pumpkin and salt.
• When completely combined, add in the flour and mix until it begins to form a ball and pulls away from the pan. Stir until it’s completely cohesive—it’ll be sticky, not to worry. This should take about 30 seconds. Immediately transfer to a bowl or the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment. (You could also do this in a large bowl using a strong spatula or wooden spoon.)
• Give it a mix just to release some of the steam. Allow to stand to cool for about 10 minutes. Add one egg at a time, along with the vanilla, mixing the dough each time before adding the following egg.
• Mix until very smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a star-tip attached.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the sugar and pumpkin pie spice and pinch of salt. This is for the pumpkin churros when they come out of the oil.

To Fry up the Churros:

• Bring a quart of oil to 350 degrees F. When the oil hits 350F, bring down the heat to medium-low. This will help keep the temperature steady. Pipe the churros into the hot oil, using a pair of clean kitchen scissors to snip off the end of the churro.
• Cook on the first side for about 1 minute and then flip it and cook for an additional minute. Transfer to a bed of paper towels to drain. Then immediately transfer to the sugar mixture, being sure it’s evenly coated. Repeat with the remaining churro batter.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

• I like a drier pumpkin puree for this. If your pumpkin puree is super wet, blot it dry using paper towels. I know this sounds weird but it shouldn’t have any residual water releasing from it.
• I like to use piping bags and a large star tip. This is not required, but I find it neater.
• Find a helper. When you pipe them into the hot oil, it helps to have another person on hand to help with doing the scissor part.

Equipment: 

Le Creuset Dutch Oven | KitchenAid Stand-Up Mixer | Stainless Steel Bowls | Silicon Spatula | Kitchen Towels | Piping Bags | Piping Tip Kit | 

Nutrition

Serving: 12g | Calories: 300kcal (15%) | Carbohydrates: 37g (12%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 16g (25%) | Saturated Fat: 10g (63%) | Cholesterol: 41mg (14%) | Sodium: 102mg (4%) | Potassium: 75mg (2%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 12g (13%) | Vitamin A: 3650IU (73%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 17mg (2%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)

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