When Disneyland started serving churro funnel cakes, I knew I had to recreate that magic at home. Instead of just making a regular funnel cake and dipping it in cinnamon sugar, I decided to take it up a notch. This recipe combines the crispy goodness of a classic funnel cake with the sweet, cinnamon-sugar flavor of churros—a match made in dessert heaven! But I didn’t stop there. I topped it off with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, just like they do at Disneyland.

For more Disneyland-inspired recipes, check out our Hand Dipped Corn Dogs and our ridiculously cute Mickey Mouse Oreo Pops.

Why Our Recipe

  • The crispy goodness of a funnel cake combined with the sweet, cinnamon-sugar flavor of churros. It’s a match made in dessert heaven!
  • A dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce makes for pure bliss.
A churro funnel cake on a blue plate, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

This indulgent treat is super easy to make and brings a bit of that Disney magic right to your kitchen. It’s the perfect dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth while you daydream about your next trip to the happiest place on earth. Until then, this churro funnel cake will do just fine!

Ingredient Notes

  • Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil, for frying. You’ll need enough to have about 2 inches of oil in your pot or deep fryer.
  • Butter: Make sure it’s fully melted before adding the flour to avoid any lumps.
  • Vanilla Extract: For the best taste, use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation.
  • All-Purpose Flour: The base for this traditional Pate a Choux dough.
  • Sugar: This is used for the cinnamon-sugar coating. You’ll want to coat the funnel cakes while they’re still warm so the sugar sticks well.
  • Ground Cinnamon: This is what gives the churro flavor its signature spice. Feel free to adjust the amount to your taste, but 1 teaspoon should give a good balance.
  • Whipped Cream: You can use store-bought whipped cream for convenience, but homemade whipped cream will elevate the dessert even more. Just whip up some heavy cream with a touch of sugar until soft peaks form.
  • Caramel Sauce: Store-bought caramel sauce is a quick and easy option.

Tips for Frying

Flipping your funnel cake can be a bit tricky. A flat spatula and a pair of tongs are your best friends here. The spatula provides support underneath the funnel cake, while the tongs help guide the flip without splashing hot oil.

When you’re ready to flip, lower the spatula gently under the funnel cake. Use the tongs to help guide the cake as you slowly and carefully flip it over. Avoid flipping too high or too quickly to prevent splashing oil.

An overhead view of a churro funnel cake on a blue plate, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

Piping Options

For this churro funnel cake, you’ll want to use a large pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. A large star tip, such as a Wilton 1M or Ateco 827, works best for this recipe.

When piping the batter, start from the center of the hot oil and work your way outwards in a spiral motion. Keep the piping bag a few inches above the oil so the batter drops gently into the oil without splashing. Once you’ve reached the desired size, pinch off the batter to stop the flow, and allow the cake to fry to golden perfection.

More funnel churro goodness…

Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.