Churros

Sharing a warm churro with my sons at Disney is a memory I hold dear, but I wanted that same magic in our own kitchen without the long lines. After plenty of trial and error, I finally found the trick to getting that perfect crunch at home. My boys actually prefer these to the park version, and seeing their cinnamon-sugar-covered smiles from my own stove is the best part of my weekend!

Email this Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Go

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Dessert Recipes.

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Churros Recipe

These homemade churros are perfectly crispy on the outside and pillowy-soft in the middle. Made with a one-pan dough, these deep-fried treats are simple and delicious.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 minutes mins

Total Time: 17 minutes mins

Print Pin

Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• Dutch Oven or Deep Fryer
• Deep Frying Thermometer
• Piping Tip Set

Serves 21 churros

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ Vegetable oil for frying
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 large egg

Cinnamon-Sugar Coating (optional):

• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

US Customary | Metric

Turn Images Off

Instructions

• Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat it to 365°F while you make the churro batter. Alternatively, fill your deep fryer according to the instructions.
  Vegetable oil
  
• In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add in the water, butter, and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
  ½ cup water, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir until fully combined.
  ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• Set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Next, add the egg and mix to combine.
  1 large egg
  
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.
• Very carefully, pipe the churros directly into the oil and use sharp scissors to cut the dough at about 3 inches.
• Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the churros to a paper towel to drain any excess grease. Repeat with the remaining churros
• For the classic churro coating, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Toss the warm churros in the cinnamon sugar and enjoy.
  ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

Notes

Dough Tips:

• Make sure you cool the mixture for 5 minutes before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it.
• The dough might look like it’s breaking when your first add the egg. Keep stirring vigorously; it will eventually come together into a smooth, glossy paste.
• I recommend an open-star tip (like a Wilton 1M or 2D) for deep ridges.

Frying Tips:

• Make sure your oil is maintaining a constant temperature so that the churros don’t turn out oily (temp too low) or burnt outside and raw in the middle (temp too high). I recommend using a deep-frying thermometer!
• If you’re nervous about piping directly into hot oil, pipe your churros on parchment paper first, and drop the whole thing into the oil. The parchment will release, and you can fish it out with tongs.
• Use tongs to gently turn the churros as they cook; this will help them brown more evenly.
• If your churros are expanding or exploding, it’s because the outside is cooking faster than the inside. If this is happening, reduce the oil temperature.
• If your churros are splitting, it’s because they don’t have enough room to puff up properly. Make sure to only fry a few churros at a time and not to crowd the pot.
• If you’ve adjusted the time and temperature, and they’re doughy inside, you likely made them too thick. In this case, try piping thinner churros.
•  

Serving Tips:

• Toss your churros in cinnamon-sugar while hot so it sticks.
• Serve with your favorite dipping sauces (warm chocolate ganache, dulce de leche, or brown sugar caramel are all great!).
• These are best reheated in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 3-5 minutes rather than the microwave.

Baking Instructions: I recommend setting the piped and snipped dough on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet so they can crisp on all sides. Bake at 400°F for about 18-22 minutes, leaving them in the turned-off oven to dry for 10 minutes. After they have dried, toss them in cinnamon-sugar and serve. Note that baked churros will have a more choux pastry-like texture and less of a donut/fried dough texture, but they will still be delicious!

Storage: Store churros in an airtight container lined with paper towels at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Churros Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 churro)

Calories 79 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 14mg5%

Sodium 4mg0%

Potassium 8mg0%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 78IU2%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican, Spanish

Did you make this?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @easychickenrecipes for a chance to be featured.

How to Make Churros at Home Step-by-Step

Prep: Gather up everything you need to make these homemade churros. Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of vegetable oil and preheat it to 365°F while you make the churro batter. If you don’t have a deep-frying or instant-read thermometer, I can’t recommend getting one enough. It’s truly the key to great churros.

Melt the Butter: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, warm ½ cup of water, 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Add the Flour: Remove the pan from the heat and add ½ cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Stir until fully combined and pasty. Set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes. Do not skip cooling. If the dough is too hot, it will scramble the egg.

Add the Egg: Add 1 large egg and mix well to combine. The dough may look like it’s breaking when you do this, but don’t panic! Just keep stirring, and it will come back together.

Fry the Churros: Transfer the dough mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I like a Wilton 1M or 2D; the ridges increase surface area and prevent steam from building up inside, which stops the churros from popping in the oil). Very carefully, pipe the churros directly into the oil and use sharp scissors to cut the dough at about 3 inches. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the churros to a paper towel to drain any excess grease. Repeat with the remaining batter. For the classic churro coating, combine ½ cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Toss the warm churros in the cinnamon sugar and enjoy.