Churros

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These Churros pack a sweet cinnamon punch, crispy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside. The whole milk and butter make them incredibly rich and tender. And guess what? We’re sharing two amazing sauces to dip them in!

Plate of churros served with a side bowl of rich chocolate sauce.

Homemade Churros

Churros might remind you of the vibrant streets of Spain, but they’ve truly won hearts all over the globe. Whether you’re in Disneyland or the comfort of your own home, biting into a warm churro is the stuff of dreams!

And guess what? They’re not that hard to whip up at home! A few ingredients, some basic kitchen tools, and you’re on your way to mastering the art of churro-making in no time.

Ingredients (milk, butter, water, and vanilla) being simmered together in a pot.

Churro Ingredients

  • Dough: The churro dough, a perfect blend of milk, water, sugar, cinnamon, butter, vanilla, flour, and eggs, goes beyond traditional recipes. With added flavor enhancers such as vanilla and cinnamon, and the richness from the milk, it promises a more flavorful and indulgent bite.
  • Oil: Vegetable or Canola is used for frying the treat. These oils have a neutral flavor and can withstand high frying temperatures.
  • Cinnamon Sugar Topping: Sugar combined brown sugar and ground cinnamon creates a sweet and warmly spiced coating that enriches the overall flavor.

Adding flour and eggs, and mixing in a saucepan for the churro dough.

How To Make Churros

  1. Dough Prep: Mix milk, water, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a pot. Heat until butter melts, then add flour. After cooling slightly, blend in vanilla and eggs.
  2. Heat Oil: Warm oil in a deep fryer or pot to 350°F. A candy thermometer ensures the right temperature.
  3. Cinnamon Sugar Mix: Combine white and brown sugars with cinnamon.
  4. Frying: Fill a pastry bag with dough and pipe strips into hot oil. Fry until golden, then drain.
  5. Finish & Serve: Roll churros in cinnamon sugar. Serve hot, ideally with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche.

QUICK TIP

What piping tip is best? I recommend the Wilton 1M Open Star Tip. Smaller tips result in thinner churros that cook rapidly, becoming crispy without a soft inside. Using heavy-duty or cloth pastry bags is advised to prevent splitting due to the dough’s heat and pressure. 

Churro dough inside a pastry piping bag.

How To Serve Churros

These are typically a street treat, so you’d pick up a churro (or some bite-sized ones), that are often drizzled with sauce by vendors. The perfect snack to munch on as you stroll!

But at home? Just lay them out on a plate with a dipping sauce on the side and dig in! For an extra treat, pair them with ice cream. Trust me, Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches are a game-changer!

However you choose to serve them, keep in mind that this churros recipe is best enjoyed while they’re fresh, warm, and crispy.

Churro dough being piped through a pastry bag onto a parchment-lined tray, forming long, ridged cylinders characteristic of churros.

Churros FAQs

1Are Churros Mexican Or Spanish?

Churros are originally Spanish, but they have also become popular and integrated into Mexican culture and cuisine.

2Why Are My Churros Raw Inside?

Most issues arise from overheating the oil. If the churros are undercooked inside but golden outside, reduce the oil temperature. Using a candy thermometer is essential; it simplifies frying and precisely monitors oil temperature fluctuations.

3What Does A Churro Taste Like?

A churro tastes like a sweet, deep-fried pastry with a crispy exterior and a soft interior, coated in a blend of cinnamon and sugar. Its flavor is reminiscent of cinnamon-spiced desserts with a hint of buttery richness.

4How Long Do Churros Last?

Churros are best enjoyed fresh and warm, ideally right after frying and coating in cinnamon sugar, as they don’t keep well. However, you can:

  1. Store churro dough in the fridge for up to a day; let it return to room temperature before frying.
  2. If pre-frying, avoid the cinnamon sugar. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, then coat with cinnamon sugar. Consume within 1-2 days.

Dough frying to golden perfection in hot oil.

Tips For Success

  • Thermometer is Key: Ensure oil’s correct temperature using a candy thermometer; it’s vital for this desserts perfection.
  • Avoid Crowding: Fry only 3-4 churros simultaneously to maintain oil temperature.
  • Immediate Coating: Quickly roll churros in cinnamon-sugar post-frying for the best adherence.
  • Sauce Timing: Prepare the Dulce De Leche sauce before churros. As for the chocolate sauce, prepare during the final churro batch. If it thickens, microwave briefly or add a bit of vegetable oil.
  • Dough Caution: Avoid over-mixing to ensure they are soft and fluffy, not tough. Read more about how to avoid overtaxing here.

Freshly cooked churros, ready to delight the taste buds.

More Cinnamon-Sugar Treats:

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Churros

5 from 1 vote
These Churros pack a sweet cinnamon punch, crispy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside. The whole milk and butter make them incredibly rich and tender. And guess what? We're sharing two amazing sauces to dip them in!
Plate of churros served with a side bowl of rich chocolate sauce.
Print Recipe

Churros

Plate of churros served with a side bowl of rich chocolate sauce.
5 from 1 vote
These Churros pack a sweet cinnamon punch, crispy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside. The whole milk and butter make them incredibly rich and tender. And guess what? We're sharing two amazing sauces to dip them in!
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword churro, churros
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 25 churros
Chelsea Lords
Calories 227kcal
Cost $3.52

Equipment

  • 1M Open Star Tip
  • Candy Thermometer
  • Pastry bag (cloth/canvas recommended)

Ingredients

  • Recipes for Dulce de Leche Sauce & Chocolate Sauce in Notes section

Churros

  • 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup each: whole milk & water
  • 1/4 teaspoon each: salt & cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
  • 1-1/4 cup white all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

  • 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • CINNAMON-SUGAR COATING: Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
  • CHURRO BATTER: In a medium pot on medium-high heat, add butter, milk, water, salt, cinnamon, & sugar. Stir until butter is melted then bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat, add in flour, and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Remove pot from heat.
  • FINISH BATTER: Using a silicone spatula, continue to mix, pressing out any lumps, until the dough is smooth ~1 minute. Let dough cool for 5 minutes then add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, but avoid over-mixing.
  • PIPING BAG: Transfer dough to a pastry bag with the star tip.
  • HEAT OIL: Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed large pot to 350°F, ensuring consistent temperature with a candy thermometer. Set out a plate lined with paper towel.
  • PIPE CHURROS: Pipe 3-4 dough strips (3 inches each) into the oil, cutting ends with kitchen scissors so dough falls into oil. Do so carefully to avoid oil splatter burns!
  • FRY: Fry churros until golden brown (approx. 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side). Transfer to paper towels briefly, then generously coat in the cinnamon-sugar mix.
  • CONTINUE TO FRY: Continue frying remaining dough, ensuring consistent 350°F oil temperature. Do not fry more than 4 at a time.
  • ENJOY: Serve hot with sauces. Churros are best enjoyed immediately.

Recipe Notes

Tips:
  • Number One tip: Use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature of the oil; I've said this already, but I do think this is the most important key to success. Knowing the oil temperature is crucial for the perfect churros.
  • Only fry 3-4 churros at a time. If the oil is crowded with dough, it will lower the oil temperature.
  • Coat churros in sugar immediately after draining.
  • If making the sauces, prep dulce de leche sauce first, & chocolate sauce during the last churro batch. Reheat chocolate sauce if it thickens too much.
  • Don't over-mix the churro dough; this will cause tough instead of soft/fluffy churros.
Dulce de Leche Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup full-fat, regular sweetened condensed milk
  • In a medium-sized pot, heat 1 cup cream and 1 cup dark brown sugar. Stir while sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a slow boil. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reduces down to 1 cup (~10 minutes)
  • Once it has reduced, mix in ½ cup sweetened condensed milk and stir until everything is well combined. Let stand at room temperature to thicken while making the churros. Serve the sauce warm and re-warm it in the microwave if it starts to get too thick. 
Chocolate Sauce
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) chopped dark chocolate baking bar (or semi-sweet)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 15-second bursts, stirring between, until melted and smooth. Serve the chocolate sauce warm and re-warm it in the microwave if it starts to get too thick.
Nutrition information is for one churro, without sauce. Frying oil was not included in the numbers, either. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 25churros | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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23 Comments

  1. These are adorable! My lil guy loves finger foods so these all look fantastic! They look like so much fun and can’t wait to give these a try 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

  2. You may have added a bit too much water or not enough flour. If you try these again I would start with less water and add it as needed. Hope that helps 🙂

  3. Looking forward to trying this out, although I had promised myself to start cooking and eating mor healthy foods, i.e. no white flour or sugar. Sigh, but my Mexican DNA can’t say “no” to churros. Love them!

  4. Hi! I am a mom from Philippines and I love reading your post about your reciepies. If it is possible can you send me your more reciepies on my email. I am glad to share and preparing those to my family..
    Thank you!

    1. Hey Kim!! So great to have you!! You can actually sign up to get my emails in the subscription box on the right-hand side of my blog 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

  5. I have a Brownie Girl Scout Troop and we are doing World Thinking Day and we have chosen to tour Spain,

    Thought they would like to make Churro

    Thanks

  6. Those churros look tasty,buy they’re noy exactly spanish ones. Here in Spain, we eat them three ways: just fried; with sugar or with hot chocolate. But we don’t use to eat them with sugar and hot chocolate at once. But I’ve never done churros at home, so I will try yor recipe, thanks for sharing!

  7. As Ines says, your recipe for churros is not from Spain. In addition I’ve never seen a Spaniard dunk a churro in a cup of chocolate sauce, especially one with maple syrup. I’m sure yours is good too. in Spain people eat churros and sip a cup of hot cholate which is thicker than the one here in the USA. Nothing like eating freshly made churros in Madrid, Sevilla, or any other city in Espana.

  8. may i ask if the measurement in your recipes; are they in US measurement cups or metric or some other? much appreciated! love your blog!

  9. Can these churros be baked instead of fried? Or do you have a recipe for Baking them?

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