March 3, 2013

Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros & Disneyland Gluten-Free Dining Tips

Name: Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 10-15 Churros depending on the size
Ingredients: 1 cup Water; 1 stick ((8 tablespoons) unsalted Butter); ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt; ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated Sugar; 1 cup Gluten Free Flour ((I used Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend)*); 3 Eggs (, room temperature); 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon; Canola or Vegetable Oil ((enough to be 1 inch deep in pot used for frying)); Supplies: Pastry Bag (, 1-inch star tip, Candy thermometer)

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Over the President’s Day weekend we took a trip to Disneyland (California) to celebrate a special family birthday. We were excited for full immersion into the ‘happiest place on earth’, a break from winter’s chill and to focus exclusively on having fun.

We were not in the park long before we realized ‘excitement’ was not the only thing in the air. There was the most delicious smell of sugary, cinnamon fried dough. Utterly intoxicating. Churros. They smelled so alluring and of course were NOT gluten free. We paused to reminisce about being able to eat those types of things when we could eat gluten (though I’m unsure any of us had actually eaten a Churro), shook it off and sped along to do Space Mountain one more time before the crowds descended on the park.

This was not our only inhalation of the perfect mouth-watering snack. We encountered them again….

In Fantasyland

In Critter Country

In New Orleans Square

In Main Street U.S.A.

As well as in California Adventure Park…..

In Cars Land

In A Bug’s Life

On Paradise Pier

This wasn’t all but you get the drift.

Complete stalker photo. As most parents are trailing Disney characters and princesses I was discretely trying to take Churro iPhone pics.

By the end of our trip my children were begging me to please come up with a gluten free version of a Churro we could eat at home. So I did.

The Churros provoking shameless begging were Disney-perfect. Long, straight sticks of lightly fried perfection dusted in cinnamon-sugar and wrapped in the middle with a tidy bit of paper to keep guests’ hands from becoming soiled with sugar; though doubtful that would actually happen for the speed they were devoured by Moms, Dads, babies in strollers and full families en masse. We turned into full churro stalkers by the end of the long weekend with as many pictures of the Churro stands on my phone as my children with Pluto.

My churros were delicious. Light, gently fried dough in the center of a star-shaped golden cinnamon-sugar coated crust. They were not however, ‘Disney-perfect’. The dough writhed in the bubbling oil at their own whim, showing no respect for my desired conformance for a photo. In the end they presented looking more like Medusa coming out of my makeshift newspaper cone but I did not care based on their scrumptious bite. Another gluten-filled treat converted.

Gluten-Free Mickey Mouse Waffles at the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast {Disneyland CA}

Before we get to the gluten-free Churros recipe I have to say I personally believe Disney parks are the best at accommodating Gluten-Free diners (as well as other allergies I’m sure). Our first visit after becoming gluten free, probably about 5 years ago, we were impressed at being able to pick up a list of accommodating eateries on property which even included a character breakfast. Disney has iterated their dining model to further accommodate and with Spring Break coming I wanted to share some tips:

Safe Dining Everywhere: Disneyland no longer issues lists of property restaurants which can accommodate gluten-free needs. Instead when visiting any Disney restaurant or café, announce to the Disney attendant you are gluten free. The policy now is that the chef or a comparable representative will speak to you directly about options. I was told at Disney’s City Hall that virtually all the eateries could accommodate gluten free diners in some way. We found this to be true in spades. There is every cuisine imaginable from gluten-free pizza (Tomorrowland) to retro breakfast options (Flo’s V8 café in Cars Land) to higher end Creole-inspired food at the Blue Bayou. Also the on property hotel restaurants do a superb job tailoring delicious gluten-free dishes including pasta, pizza and other less commonly found options.
When Making Dining Reservations Notify the Attendant you are Gluten-Free: We pre-arranged some reservations at two more popular venues which is recommended (The Blue Bayou at the Pirates of the Caribbean and a Character Breakfast at the Plaza Inn) and were prompted about any special dietary needs. When arriving for the reservation, each venue had our gluten free needs highlighted in yellow on their reservation sheet and we were in good hands from the get go.
Healthy Gluten Free Snacks Abound: Despite my sniveling about gluten-filled Churros, Disney has done a masterful job at positioning healthy, gluten free snacks everywhere in their parks. Large iced carts of all sorts of fruits and bottled water are readily available. We found some sweet treats that were gluten-free too!

Clearly marked Gluten-Free Cheeseburger and fries at the Storyteller Cafe {Grand Californian Hotel – Disneyland}

General Park Tips:

There are many online resources for planning the most productive and fun trip to Disneyland and California Adventure Park but I wanted to share some highlights that really helped maximize our trip. Most of these insights also pertain to Disney World and in the case of #2 there is a dedicated Disney World option.

Early Park Entry: When buying a Park Hopper pass and/or staying at a Disney property there are ‘Extra Magic Hour’ and ‘Magic Morning’ days. One specific days of the week you may enter either park an hour before the public. These days are a golden opportunity to enjoy the more crowded rides. Only certain areas of each park are open during this time and it’s good to research and plan ahead to hit the rides you are most interested in. Highest ride wait time seems to be between 9:30-11:30 where lines can grow to well over an hour long (or 2 hours in the case of the new Cars Land ‘Radiator Springs Racers’ in California Adventure Park). Maximize the popular rides early and go on the less popular rides in the middle of the day when lines are longest.
Disneyland Wait Times Apps: We caught wind of the best park navigation tool available: ride wait time applications for smart phones. We downloaded ‘Disneyland Wait Times’ by VersaEdge Software LLC which was free and updated often. It allowed us to navigate the rides we wanted to go on real time without having to be at the ride AND which rides to get a Fast Pass for to arrive at a scheduled time to hop right on.
FastPasses: Big rides such as Space Mountain and Splash Mountain offer a ‘FastPass’. This allows you to enter a kiosk at the ride, insert your park pass and receive a ticket with a specified time window later in the day to return and ride the ride without waiting in the normal line. It’s a lifesaver. All rides offering the Fast Pass are listed on the park maps in each park.
Special Occasion Buttons: Disneyland offers a series of free special occasion buttons. If you are visiting for a family reunion, honeymoon, birthday, having your first Disney visit or maybe would like to be an Honorary Disneyland Citizen there is a button for you. In our case since we were visiting Disneyland to celebrate a birthday, when checking into the park hotel where we stayed we were given a birthday button with my son’s name on it and the rest of us were given ‘We’re Celebrating’ buttons. ‘Cast members’ (as the Disney employees are referred to) told him Happy Birthday all weekend long, from those sweeping the streets to ride operators. It was an incredible experience. Those wearing buttons are acknowledged making their visit extra special. You may inquire at City Hall/Guest Services when entering Disneyland or California Adventure Park, at park hotels and shops. They are a fun way to celebrate your visit.

We enjoyed an excellen dining experience at the Storyteller Cafe {Grand Californian Hotel - Disneyland}. The chef walked us through the entire menu and returned at the end of the meal with this gluten-free birthday bowl of ice cream 'with extra sprinkles' for our birthday boy.

We enjoyed an excellent dining experience at the Storyteller Cafe {Grand Californian Hotel – Disneyland}. The chef walked us through the entire menu and returned at the end of the meal with this gluten-free birthday bowl of ice cream ‘with extra sprinkles’ for our birthday boy.

This Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros recipe is fantastic! Soft, light churros with a fried sugary exterior. You’d never know they are gluten-free.

If you love Churros you definitely will want to check out Churro Fried Ice Cream and Churro-flavored Dipping Sticks with Mexican Chocolate Sauce! Both are gluten-free too!

5 from 1 vote

Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros

Light, fluffy inside with a golden-brown cinnamon-sugar outside make these gluten free churros irresistable. Can be made with regular all purpose gluten flour instead if desired.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword gluten-free churros

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 12 10-15 Churros depending on the size

Calories 82 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

1 cup Water
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted Butter
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated Sugar
1 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend)*
3 Eggs , room temperature
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
Canola or Vegetable Oil (enough to be 1 inch deep in pot used for frying)
Supplies: Pastry Bag , 1-inch star tip, Candy thermometer

Instructions

Begin to heat oil in a large pan. The optimum length of the churros is about 4-6 inches so the pan should be large enough to accommodate that length. Using a candy thermometer allow oil to reach 350 degrees. Oil can be heating while dough is constructed. It is important once cooking the churros that the temperature remain at 350 so as to not under or over cook the churro. Undercooking will leave them greasy; overcooking will alter their flavor.
In a medium pan over medium-high heat, combine the water and butter. Bring to a boil to melt butter; whisk to fully combine.
Add salt and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar; bring to a boil. Add gluten-free flour and stir vigorously and constantly until the mixture forms a slightly sticky dough; about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and do not overcook.
Add dough to the bowl of a freestanding mixer. Add one egg at a time, beating on high speed, allowing each egg to incorporate with the dough before adding the next. Beat on high until forming a shiny, smooth ball of dough; about 2-3 minutes. Allow dough to sit.
Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a rectangular baking pan or dish. Stir to mix thoroughly.
Place paper towels on a plate to allow cooked churros to have any excess oil absorbed. Assemble the pastry bag with large star tip. Fill the pastry bag with churro dough and pipe into the hot oil, in 4 to 6 inch lengths. The churros should not touch while cooking so I cooked one at a time. With a heat proof spoon or spatula, turn the churro as the underside begins to turn golden to ensure even cooking. Churros are done when they are a dark golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb any excess oil (note: they are not greasy at all and there will not be obvious excess oil).
When cool enough to handle (a few minutes) place the churro in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. With your hands, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar densely on every side of the churro, turning it to fully allow to coat. Gently tap the churro to allow excess to fall back into the pan (a bit like applying glitter to a glue project).
Serve when warm and freshly cooked.

Recipe Notes

+I have a mechanical Pastry Bag which worked great for this and provided good control when extruding the churro dough into the hot oil.

*I used Pamela’s flour because it is does not bear a distinct flavor and includes guar gum. If using a different flour blend I’d suggest adding ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum.

Nutrition Facts

Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros

Amount Per Serving

Calories 82 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Cholesterol 41mg 14%

Sodium 65mg 3%

Potassium 15mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 8g

Protein 2g 4%

Vitamin A 1.2%

Calcium 1.4%

Iron 3.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Cinnamon-Sugar Gluten Free Churros & Disneyland Gluten-Free Dining Tips