Home > Desserts > Churros Churros May 4, 2020 | 26 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Churros are a delicious cinnamon-sugar-coated fried pastry dough dessert. They are surprisingly simple to make at home and are the perfect party treat. Along with this recipe, I’m sharing two dipping sauces: a shortcut dulce de leche and a dark chocolate sauce. Serve Churros for dessert after enjoying these Mexican street corn Chicken Tacos or this Quinoa Enchilada Bake! Homemade Churros Most people believe Churros originally came from Spain, and they are one of those amazing foods that have been assimilated into nearly every culture. There’s nothing better than walking down cobblestone streets with a hot churro and chocolate sauce in hand (either at Disneyland or in Spain). Although they may seem intimidating to make at home, they’re actually quite simple. With few ingredients and a couple of kitchen tools, you’ll be a Churro-making-master in no time. First thing first: if you’ve never made homemade Churros, you might be wondering what is in these magical cinnamon-sugar-coated treats. Churro ingredients Churro dough is a mixture of milk, water, sugar, cinnamon, butter, vanilla, flour, and eggs. While a lot of traditional recipes call for fewer ingredients, I like adding a few more flavor enhancers. The vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon in the dough make it more flavorful and the milk makes the dough richer. After they’re cooked, they’re rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. I like to add a little brown sugar to the mix for even more flavor! Now that we’ve talked about what’s in the dough, you might be wondering what these end up tasting like. If you’ve never tasted a Churro, you are in for a treat! What does a Churro taste like? Churros are a cinnamon-sugar deep-fried pastry. (Yes, they are as delicious as they sound). If you’ve ever had Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal, you can compare the flavor of Churros to that. They are generally served with dipping sauces and are very best served while they’re still warm and soft. Texture-wise… Are churros soft or crunchy? Churros have a relatively crisp outside and soft inside. The cinnamon sugar crystallizes from the heat of the fried dough and creates an addictive sugary and crispy exterior. Texture-wise, they taste like a chewier, denser, slightly crispy donut. FAQs How long do Churros last? They’re best eaten fresh, while still warm. I highly recommend eating them minutes after they’ve been fried and coated in the cinnamon sugar. (They really don’t store or last very long!) That said… Make them ahead: Churro dough can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a day before frying. When you’re ready to fry them, let the dough come to room temperature. If you are frying the dough ahead of time, don’t roll the Churros in cinnamon sugar. Allow the fried dough to cool completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the fridge). Reheat the Churros on a tray at 350 degrees F for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp again. Then roll in the cinnamon sugar. (When fried ahead of time, it’s best to eat them within 1 to 2 days). Why are my Churros raw inside? Most problems are caused by the oil being too hot. If the dough is underdone (or even raw), but golden brown on the outside, lower the oil temperature. I highly recommend using a candy thermometer. Frying the dough is a cinch when you have one. It clues you in to sightly increasing or decreasing temperatures when frying. I can’t recommend a thermometer enough when gauging oil temperature. More troubleshooting If the Churro is chewier than you’d like, it needs to cook longer to get that crispier exterior. That said, if cooking longer will burn the outside, this means the oil temperature needs to be lowered. If the Churro is too crispy or brittle, it was overcooked (or the dough was overworked/mixed). Either cook them for less time or lower the oil temperature. What piping tip is used for Churros? I use a Wilton 1M open star tip. Smaller baking tips will create thinner Churro dough that will cook very quickly and yield crispy Churros (without a soft interior). I also recommend using heavy-duty (or cloth/canvas) pastry bags when piping the dough; this will keep the bags from splitting from the heat and pressure of the dough. Tips for this recipe 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 biggest factor for 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 lowers the oil temperature. Roll the fried Churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture immediately after draining off excess oil; otherwise, the sugar won’t stick. Sauces: I recommend making the dulce de leche sauce before making the Churros and making the chocolate sauce during the last batch of frying. The chocolate sauce gets very thick as it cools. If it thickens too much, place it back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and/or thin with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Don’t overmix the dough. This will cause tough Churros instead of soft, light, and fluffy ones. More delicious desserts Icebox Cake with Oreos® Fruit Dip only four ingredients Snickerdoodle Cookies reader favorite Homemade Cinnamon Rolls best ever! Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread with a vanilla glaze FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Churros 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe Churros are delicious cinnamon-sugar-coated fried pastry dough desserts that are surprisingly simple to make at home and are the perfect party treat. This Churros recipe is our favorite! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Churros 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Churros are delicious cinnamon-sugar-coated fried pastry dough desserts that are surprisingly simple to make at home and are the perfect party treat. This Churros recipe is our favorite! 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 Calories 104kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $3.52 Equipment1M Open Star TipCandy ThermometerPastry bag (preferably cloth/canvas) IngredientsChurros▢ 1/2 cup whole milk▢ 1/2 cup water▢ 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican or plain vanilla extract)▢ 1 and 1/4 cup white all-purpose flour▢ 3 large eggs▢ vegetable or canola oil, for fryingCinnamon Sugar Coating▢ 3/4 cup white granulated sugar▢ 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamonChocolate Sauce▢ 4 ounces chopped dark chocolate (or semi-sweet)▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream▢ Tiny pinch of fine sea saltDulce de Leche Sauce (Easy Version)▢ 1 cup heavy cream▢ 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed▢ 1/2 cup full-fat, regular sweetened condensed milkUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsDulce de Leche sauce (easy version)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 1/2 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. ChurrosIn a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat, combine the 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 8 tablespoons butter. Stir until the butter is melted, and then bring the mixture to a rolling boil. As soon as the mixture boils, add the 1 and 1/4 cup flour. Reduce the heat to low and stir vigorously for 30 seconds to a minute and then remove from heat.Using a silicone spatula, continue to mix, pressing out any lumps, until the dough is smooth, another 30 or so seconds (don't overmix dough). Let dough cool for 5 minutes and then add in the vanilla and one egg. Stir. It will seem hard to mix and gluey, but mix until it comes together. Add another egg and stir until incorporated. Add the final egg and again, stir until incorporated. Again, avoid overmixing the dough. As soon as it's cohesive, stop stirring.Transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with an open star tip.Preheat a deep fryer (or heavy-bottomed large pot over medium heat) to 350 degrees F. Fill with oil -- about 3 cups (you may need to add more as you fry). I highly recommend a candy thermometer to ensure the oil heat stays consistent; this is the best way to tell if Churros are frying evenly.While oil is coming up to temperature, stir together the 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl, Set aside. Set out a large plate lined with a few paper towels.Pipe 3 or 4 strips of dough (about 3 inches long) into the deep fryer or pot. Pipe the dough and then use kitchen scissors to cut the dough from the star tip into the oil -- do this carefully to avoid oil splattering and burning your arm.Allow the Churros to fry until they are golden brown, flipping about halfway through the cooking time, for a total of about 2 minutes per side. I like to use a wire skimmer to remove the Churros. Transfer to paper towels to dry briefly (but don't wait long) and then transfer to prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll to generously coat.Repeat with remaining dough, being careful to not add more than 4 Churros to the pot at a time and watching the thermometer closely to ensure even/consistent 350 degree temperature.Enjoy while hot with chocolate sauce and/or dulce de leche. Churros are best enjoyed immediately after being fried. Chocolate SauceAdd all of the chocolate sauce ingredients to a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst, until melted and smooth. Stir until silky smooth. Serve the chocolate sauce warm and re-warm it in the microwave if it starts to get too thick. Recipe NotesTips: 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. Roll the fried Churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture immediately after draining off excess oil; otherwise, the sugar won't stick. Sauces: I recommend making the dulce de leche sauce before making the Churros and making the chocolate sauce during the last batch of frying. The chocolate sauce gets very thick as it cools. If it does thicken too much, place it back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and/or thin with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Don't overmix the Churro dough; this will cause tough Churros (instead of soft, light, and fluffy ones). Note 2: These calories are for the Churros and cinnamon sugar coating. Dipping sauces will vary in calories. Nutrition FactsServing: 25churros | Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.6g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 32.6mg | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 8.9g 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. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This is such a cute and creative idea! I love all those cute treats. Those Spanish Churros are calling my name. 🙂 Reply
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! Reply
Thanks for your comment Anna! 🙂 Yes, travel parent eat is such a fun blog and I love reading all of their fun parenting ideas! I can’t wait to teach my kids to eat with chopsticks! Reply
About how many 6- inch churros does this recipe make? & I was wondering what the 1 cup of water is used for in the recipe for the churro batter? because I couldn’t figure out what to do with it anywhere in the directions. Reply
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 🙂 Reply
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! Reply
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! Reply
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! Reply
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 Reply
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! Reply
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. Reply
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! Reply
