Our Churro Toffee Recipe Brings Disneyland To Your Kitchen

Some people go to Disneyland for the magic alone, others go for the rides, and others yet go for the food. Indeed, you could show up to Disneyland with no intention other than hopping around and eating treats all day long, and you'd still probably run out of time on a given day. We've already explored those Disneyland desserts that might just be better than the famous Dole whip, and one such dessert is the churro toffee. Crunchy, rich, and perfectly cinnamon-y, churro toffee is the under-appreciated treat that is a must-try at Disneyland. If a trip to Disney isn't quite in the books right now, however, then this copycat churro toffee recipe from developer Jessica Morone will bring Disneyland right to your own kitchen.

"This toffee is absolutely delicious; the rich toffee base has the perfect snap, the white chocolate coating gives it a nice creaminess, and the cinnamon sugar gives it that signature churro taste," Morone describes. She also loves that this toffee falls into that "sweet but not too sweet" category of desserts and, like so many other toffees out there, this stuff will last at room temperature for up to two weeks. Will the cinnamon-sugar confection actually last that long? Probably not, but unlike the churro toffee, which is a one-and-done treat when you get it at Disneyland, there's nothing stopping you from whipping up a batch of this good stuff whenever you please.

The churro toffee ingredients list is pretty short and sweet. For the toffee itself, you'll need granulated sugar, butter, salt, vanilla extract, and either white chocolate chips or white melting wafers. For that churro-like topping, you'll need more granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.

In a small bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.

Add the butter, sugar, and salt to a heavy-bottomed pot and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring gently until the sugar is dissolved.

Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature on a candy or cooking thermometer reaches 290 F (the soft-crack stage).

Turn off the heat and gently stir in the vanilla extract until combined.

Pour into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power in 15-second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth.

Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the toffee in the pan.

Sprinkle the top with the cinnamon sugar topping.

Let sit until the toffee is set, then break it into pieces and serve.

While this recipe is a worthy replication of Disney's churro toffee, it is important to note that it's not exactly like what you'll find at Disneyland (though it is pretty darn close). As Morone explains, "This version has a single layer of white chocolate on top, whereas Disneyland's version is fully coated on all sides." She tells us that by only having one side of white chocolate, you still get that desired creamy flavor, "But instead of cutting the toffee into squares and dipping each piece in melted chocolate before coating it in cinnamon sugar, this recipe skips the extra steps of cutting and dipping, meaning less mess and a quicker process overall."

So, let's say you really want to make churro toffee exactly like they make it at Disney — is it possible with this recipe? Not only is the answer yes, but the process doesn't change all too much. Once you spread the toffee into the pan, let it set for just a few minutes, until it can be cut up but is still soft. Then, break the toffee into chunks and dip the chunks in melted white chocolate, coating them entirely, before rolling them in cinnamon sugar as the final step.

Toffee is a pretty easy treat to make, requiring very few ingredients or any baking for that matter. According to Morone, "Making perfect churro toffee comes down to handling sugar and white chocolate properly." For starters, investing in and testing a candy thermometer would be wise, as getting the initial butter-sugar mixture right to 290 F is key for the perfect toffee texture. "If undercooked, the toffee will be chewy instead of crisp, and if overheated, it can taste burnt," Morone explains. So, when you're first preparing the toffee over heat, stir gently to prevent any burning, but don't stir the whole time, which may result in separated butter and a ruined treat.

As for the white chocolate layer, you want to focus on using high-quality ingredients and make sure that the chocolate is melted perfectly to avoid scorching. "If using chips, choose a good-quality brand with real cocoa butter rather than palm oil for a smoother melt, and melt it in short increments in the microwave," Morone advises, and stop microwaving before the chips (or wafers) are fully melted. Once they're almost melted, you should be able to stir the mixture until it's perfectly smooth. If your mixture is melted but seems too thick to spread, Morone says to add a small amount of coconut oil or vegetable shortening to help thin it out.