Homemade Churros Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican, Spanish

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 2

Total Time: 17

Servings: churros

Calories: 79kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

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.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

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

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

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

Video

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