Churro Rolls

Thanks to the great folks at NFRA for making this recipe post possible. As always, my comments, opinions, and love for the traditional flavors of Mexico are my own.

This year Hispanic Heritage Month has inspired me to celebrate some classic, traditional fresh flavors of my Mexican culture, but with a new, creative twist. Since my two boys love churros so much, I thought it would be nice to make something that captures their crispy, crunchy, cinnamon sweet essence, while skipping most of the time, effort, and all that deep frying traditional churros require.

I headed for the frozen aisle in my supermarket where I knew I could find Athens® Fillo Dough. I like these phyllo dough sheets because they are convenient, real, and versatile (just check out my crunchy chorizo and potato baskets recipe here). You can fill them up with either savory or sweet ingredients, and they have no trans fat, saturated fat, or cholesterol. They always add elegance and crispiness to my dishes, and I can use them for so many things.

Another benefit is there is no waste. I used one roll (the box comes with two) and the other one is happy in my freezer preserved at the peak of freshness until I need it for another yummy recipe.

I think you’ll love these churros. They are simple to make, but will transport you back to the churros that inspired them.

Here's the recipe.

Yields 6 rolls

1 box Athens® Fillo Dough (the box includes 2 rolls, use one, and return the other roll to the freezer)
4 tablespoons Land O Lakes® unsalted butter, melted
14-15 teaspoons turbinado sugar (Find at Mexican markets or in your local store sold as raw sugar, the crystals are larger)
Ground cinnamon to taste

You will also need

wax or parchment paper
kitchen brush
baking sheet

You will need just one of the two rolls in the box for this recipe. Take one phyllo dough roll from the box and defrost it according to the directions on the package. You can do it overnight in the fridge or on your kitchen counter for 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare your work area by cutting a piece of parchment or wax paper, and be sure to have your turbinado sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon ready to work with.

Take the phyllo dough roll and unroll it. Carefully take one of the thin sheets (the roll is made of many sheets, about 18-20) and place it on the parchment or wax paper. Brush the entire surface of the sheet with melted butter, starting from the edges to the center. Add a second sheet on top of the first, brush surface with butter again, then sprinkle two teaspoons of turbinado sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Add a third sheet on top and brush with butter.

Cover the remaining unused sheets with another piece of wax paper, then, a clean, wet, cloth kitchen towel on top of that to prevent the sheets from drying out until you need them.

Using the parchment or wax paper to help you, roll a little bit of the 3 prepared sheets starting from one of the longer edges. Using your fingers, carefully check that the roll is forming. Don't be afraid to use your fingers to get it started.

Then, lift the paper up and let the roll take form, check out this short video:

Once rolled up, brush the roll with more melted butter and sprinkle a little turbinado sugar.

Place roll on an ungreased baking sheet. Cover with another sheet of wax paper to keep it from drying out.

Repeat until you have finished with all phyllo dough sheets. You may end with a couple of extras. In this case, you can make one more roll, just add cinnamon and sugar after the first sheet, or you can save them for later.

Remove the wax paper you are using to prevent the prepared rolls from drying out and bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Enjoy with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate or with vanilla ice cream!

For more inspiration and to discover what flavors from around the world are right in your local supermarket's frozen aisle, check out the NFRA at www.EasyHomeMeals.com, and our “Cool Food Panel” board on Pinterest.

¡Buen Provecho!

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Silvia Martinez

Silvia started bilingual website Mama Latina Tips in 2009 to connect and share her stories, recipes and culture with readers. Silvia loves dancing, cooking, watching movies, reading, throwing Mexican parties and spending time with family and friends. Silvia is the winner of The Great American Recipe.

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