Homemade Churros
Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, these homemade churros are pure magic. Made with simple pantry staples and ready in under 30 minutes, they deliver that perfect cinnamon-sugar-coated bite you'd find at a street fair—right from your own kitchen. Whether served as a weekend breakfast, after-dinner dessert, or party treat, these golden, ridged beauties never fail to impress.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Piping bag with large star tip At least ½-inch star tip opening; a large zip-top bag can be used as a substitute
- Deep, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer For frying; needs to hold about 2 quarts of oil
- Candy thermometer Digital thermometer preferred for accuracy
- Paper towels For draining fried churros
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Shallow dish For the cinnamon sugar coating
- Kitchen scissors For cutting dough to desired length when piping
Ingredients
For the Churros
- 1 cup water 240ml
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25g
- ½ teaspoon salt 3g
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 30ml; plus about 2 quarts (1.9 liters) for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120g
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
For the Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Vietnamese or Saigon cinnamon recommended for best flavor
Optional for Serving
- chocolate sauce for dipping
- dulce de leche warm slightly for easier dipping
- caramel sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Mix ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a shallow dish until evenly combined. Set aside near your frying station.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides, about 1 minute.
- Let the dough cool for 5 minutes, then add the lightly beaten eggs and stir vigorously until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Fit a large piping bag with a ½-inch star tip, fill it halfway with the warm dough, and twist the top to eliminate air pockets.
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C), monitoring with a candy thermometer.
- Pipe 4–6 inch lengths of dough directly into the hot oil, snipping with kitchen scissors, and fry 3–4 at a time for about 2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- While still hot, immediately roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat all sides, then transfer to a serving platter and serve at once with dipping sauces.
Notes
- Cool the dough for at least 5 minutes before adding eggs to avoid scrambling them.
- Maintain the oil temperature at 375°F (190°C)—too cool creates greasy churros; too hot burns the outside before cooking through.
- Fry only 3–4 churros at a time to prevent overcrowding and temperature drops.
- Use a star tip with deep grooves for maximum crispiness—the ridges increase surface area.
- Coat churros while they're still hot so the cinnamon sugar adheres properly.
- No piping bag? Use a large zip-top bag with a ½-inch corner snipped off—churros won't have ridges but will taste great.
- Make-ahead tip: Dough can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead; cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface and store at room temperature.
- To reheat leftovers, bake at 375°F for 5–8 minutes or air fry at 350°F for 3–4 minutes to restore crispiness.
- For baked churros, pipe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and bake at 425°F for 15–20 minutes. Brush with more butter before coating.
- Variations: Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder for chocolate churros, 1 tablespoon matcha for matcha churros, or orange zest for a citrusy twist.
Nutrition
Serving: 1churroCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1.5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 3mg
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