Homemade Cajeta and Baked Churros
Homemade cajeta is so addictive, and so easy to make! Serve with a big basket of baked churros for dipping. If you like dulce de leche, you’ll adore this Mexican caramel sauce, made with goat’s milk!
I have a few important questions for you: Do you like donuts? With cinnamon sugar? How about caramel?
Pretty much a no-brainer, right? Like, duh. You’re reading Baking a Moment, after all, so it kinda goes without saying I guess.
Now tell me, what are your feelings about goat’s cheese? That creamy, soft mouthfeel? That hint of tanginess? That almost chalky, clean quality it has, that you just can’t quite put your finger on?
I absolutely adore it, and I can’t ever get enough. So, naturally cajeta needed to happen in my kitchen, ASAP!
Have you ever had cajeta? Have you ever heard of cajeta? It’s Mexican caramel, like dulce de leche, only it’s made with goat’s milk! Omg, you guys. It’s like heaven in your mouth.
Can we all agree that caramel, in general, is like, the best taste in all the land? Ok now imagine a caramel that’s just got the subtlest little difference. It’s just enough to make you go “Wow, that is really fabulous… and gee what is that I’m tasting…?”
It’s goat’s milk. It’s milk, but from a goat instead of cow. <– I probably didn’t need to explain that just now. But it’s true! It tastes like the milk you are used to, but with the teensiest little difference. Creamy, a little tangy, really clean tasting. If that makes sense. And simmered down for hours in a big pot with lots of brown sugar, it’s positively transcendent.
And that’s really all there is to it. It takes longer to make than my Simply Perfect Salted Caramel, but on the other hand, it’s almost entirely down time. Just let it simmer away and do it’s own thing.
The hardest thing is probably finding the goat’s milk, but I didn’t really even have too much trouble with that. They had it at Whole Foods, but I actually found an even better selection at good ol’ Shop Rite. If you have a store near you that has a decent selection of “ethnic” foods, in particular Hispanic, go there. Or a higher-end grocery store with a lot of products for people with food allergies/sensitivities would be another safe bet. Because goat’s milk is often a lot gentler on the tummy than cow’s milk.
A lot of times you’ll see crepas de cajeta on the dessert menu at a Mexican restaurant (which are crepes with cajeta drizzled on top- ORDER THEM!!!), but I decided to go a different route and pair my cajeta with a big platter of baked churros. It’s as simple as piping a batch of my Simply Perfect Pate a Choux into 4-inch logs, baking them up, brushing them lightly with melted butter, and tossing them in cinnamon sugar. I really like using this kind of tip, it gives them the crunchiest grooves for the cinnamon sugar to get caught in 😉
Just be sure to bake them until they’re nice and brown, so you get a nice texture. If you pull them from the oven too soon, they get wet inside and deflate. Whomp, whomp. Make sure they’re dry, and really light and hollow.
So addictive!!! Just. Can’t. STOP!
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Homemade Cajeta and Baked Churros
Ingredients
- 4 cups (0.95 l) fresh goat's milk, (1 quart)
- 1 1/4 cup (275 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 batch Simply Perfect Pate a Choux
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter,, melted
Instructions
To Make the Cajeta:
- Place the goat's milk, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, and heat until simmering.
- Keep the mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced down to about 1½ cups (about 2 hours). It will be very thick and toasty brown.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, and immediately pour the hot caramel into a heat-safe vessel to cool. (Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.)
To Make the Baked Churros:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place the pate a choux dough in a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. Pipe 4-inch long lines onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the churros are evenly browned, dry, hollow, and light.
- Brush lightly with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.
Alllie, these photos are gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!! I’m not a fan of goat’s milk but I’d happily make the churros and regular caramel for dunking. I’m drooling, lady!
Thank you dear! I forgot to mention in the post that the recipe works equally well with cow’s milk. Thanks for reminding me, and for the sweet comment! Hope you’re enjoying the weekend Nancy! <3 <3 <3
Did you say cajeta? Ohhh man… I am in trouble. It was so nice meeting you at Blog Her Food!
It was so great meeting you too Melissa! What a fun and crazy weekend it was. I wish we could have hung out more! Thanks so much for stopping by, you are too sweet 😀
I haven’t heard of cajeta, but I want some! I love that you used choux paste dough to make the churros — brilliant! This looks just delicious, Allie. 🙂
Thanks Marcie! I just love that choux recipe- it works perfectly every time and it was great for the churros b/c of the hollow center. It’s a perfect hidey-hole for the caramel 😛
Ahhh…..I love churros. So sweet and perfect Allie!
Have a beautiful weekend!
They remind me of the churro I had in Miami on the food tour. So yummy!
Oh ya? I should’ve gone on that tour!!! If for no other reason than churros, lol! Thanks for stopping by, Nicole!
What a creative recipe! Looks so yummy. And to answer your question, yes to caramel, yes to cinnamon and yes to donuts! Bring this on.
Love that video of you dipping, wish it were me =) hehe
Thanks so much Laura! I actually really wanted to post this for Cinco de Mayo… wouldn’t that have made so much more sense??? But the calendar got away from me, lol! I’m so happy you enjoyed the post; thanks for the sweet comment 😀
These look delicious, and your pictures are gorgeous!!
Thanks so much Chloe! 😀 😀 😀
I love how these pictures turned out! So bright and beautiful! Also, I’ll take that whole tray of churros with EXTRA cajeta please 🙂
Ha ha oh yeah! I was double dipping all over the place, Meriem! Thanks for the sweet comment dearie 😉
I’m impressed! What an amazing looking dessert, will definitely have to give this caramel a go too!
Wouldn’t it be great for a crowd? I can just imagine everyone crowding around that big platter…! Thanks Jessica!
I have been wanting to try making my own churros, but held off because I’m too timid to try deep frying in my kitchen. But now that I see your recipe for baked churros, I have no excuse. And cajeta? It sounds hands-down amazing. I must admit that I have never tried it. So glad you enlightened me. I’ve got a half-eaten jar of dulce de leche in my fridge at this moment(which I admit to enjoying by the spoonful), and I have a feeling cajeta would be just up my alley. I mean, who doesn’t like caramel, right??!
Totally!! The baked churros are so much easier than frying in all that oil. What a hot mess, literally, lol!
My fiance loves doughnuts, so I may have to make him some churros sometime soon. I love the idea of dipping them in caramel, and the goat’s milk is such an unusual touch.
Oh ya, it’s so good! Just a little bit different but not so much as to make it weird, lol! Thanks so much for the great feedback, Heather!
Ooh girl, we’re just on the same wavelength right now.
I love cajeta so much and just bought a big bottle of goat milk to make my own.
But I guess you beat me to it! 😉
Ha! That is too funny! I actually wanted to post this before Cinco de Mayo but it totally snuck up on me. Enjoy your cajeta!!!
Wow, those churros look absolutely perfect, Allie. To be totally honest, I’m not all that keen on that distinct tang that goat’s cheese has (shock, horror!) but lately I’ve been starting to appreciate it just a little more. I’m trying, anyway, and for sure I’d ‘risk’ having plenty of dips of this sensational-looking caramel, goat’s milk or not!
Love the little ‘video’ at the end of the post!
Thanks Helen! To be honest, my mom could barely detect the “goat” flavor. But I got it, more so on the aftertaste. I love it, and I’m glad you are coming around! Maybe this caramel would entice you over to the other side 😉
In response to your question: yes, yes, and yes!!! I have never had this but it sounds like something I would really like (especially with churros). You make it look absolutely irresistible!
Oh, it is, SO irresistible. I can’t walk past the jar without dipping in a spoon, lol! 😉
No way! Goat milk Mexican caramel? Um yes, I definitely like this. Like, a lot. More than the fact that I will have to invest in new stretchy pants after drinking that entire jar. I can’t believe how easy it is! And your photos at the end are awesome, by the way, color me impressed!
So glad you like it, Mary Frances! Thanks so much for the sweet comment 😉
When I saw these over on Google+ I knew I had to pop over and check these babies out! Holy cow, Allie! I am so in love with this recipe, ESPECIALLY the goat’s milk addition! How yum!? Thanks for sharing such a delicious looking recipe. I hope you have a fantastic holiday weekend! xoxo
Thank you so much for the great feedback Justine! And for sharing on Google+ too 😉
I can’t even begin to list what I like about this. So let’s just say everything!! Like for real!! The cinnamon sticks, the creamy goat cheese and caramel sauce. Yummm! Such a great combination! Will be perfect for entertaining this weekend.
oh my gawd, Allie!!! these look amazing!! and hey, I don’t think your pin it hover buttons are working? I can’t get them to pin?
I thought it was just me! Thanks for the heads up, girl! Guess I’ll uninstall and re-install…
I’ve actually never had a churro before, but these…these are every reason I need to make them at home. I know what’s for dessert tonight! Pinned!
Thank you so much for pinning, Margaret Anne! You’re such a dear. <3
Oh my goodness that stuff looks amazing! I have feeling if I made this I would eat nearly the whole batch. 🙂 Love the gif at the end, I can almost taste the sweet, sweet churro…
Ya, that’s pretty much what I did, lol! No shame 😉