Homemade Churros: the simple recipe for a popular dessert

Sweet, crunchy, and hard to have just one, churros are an incredible-tasting snack that can also be eaten at breakfast. It's a classic Spanish recipe that's famous across the globe. Churros have a long, cylindrical shape, which is given by the dough introduced in a churrera, a sort of pastry syringe, and then squeezed and deep-fried directly into a large skillet with boiling oil.

In the Spanish version they're usually coated with sugar, while in Mexico churros are dusted in a generous coating of cinnamon sugar — as we do! Homemade churros are made by creating a dough and piping it into hot oil.

Usually, churros are served with a chocolate sauce, but many people love dipping churros in dulce de leche, a rich caramel spread also found in many Latin American countries.

What are Churros?

Churros are an amazing sweet fried dough snack that is popular in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico as street food but is also enjoyed worldwide. Similar in flavor to cinnamon doughnuts, churros are usually enjoyed as a snack or as part of breakfast, usually served with hot chocolate or a cup of coffee.

Traditionally, they're made with water, butter, egg, sugar, flour and vanilla extract. Next, churros are deep-fried, and finally the dough is rolled in sugar or cinnamon sugar.

There is no certain info about churros origins, but probably they were first cooked by the nomadic shepherds who resided on the uplands of the Iberian Peninsula who did not always have the opportunity to go to the city to buy bread, and so they invented churros.

How to Serve Deep-Fried Churros

Churros taste best when served fresh and warm. Serve them with a dipping sauce. Chocolate is popular, but dulce de leche is amazing as well. You can also dip them in a cup of sweet coffee or hot chocolate.

Tips for Easy Homemade Churros

Level out your flour measures to ensure your churros have the perfect texture.

If you prefer eggier churros, you can add up to 3 eggs to your batter.

Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes before you add the egg. If you add the egg too soon, it might cook in the dough.

Drain the churros on a paper towel before rolling them in the cinnamon sugar. It will stick better and coat the churros more evenly.

The best way to make churros is using a pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle attachment. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can use a freezer bag with a corner snipped off.

For healthier churros, you can use an air fryer. Fry them at 375˚F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Can you bake Churros?

If you want to make baked, lighter churros, just begin to preheat the oven to 180°C while you prepare the churros. Place them on a plate lined with baking paper and bake them for about 20 minutes until they are completely golden brown. You can also serve them cold, but eat them right away as it's best not to store churros.

How to Store Homemade Churros

Keep your leftover churros fresh by placing them in an airtight container lined with parchment paper and storing them at room temperature. Enjoy them within 2 days.

To reheat churros, bake them for 5 to 8 minutes at 400˚F.

How to Make Churros

Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl and set aside.

In a deep skillet, heat 1 ½ inches of oil until it reads 360˚F on a thermometer.

Bring water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Lower heat to medium-low and stir in flour.

Stir constantly until the batter forms. Pour the batter into a bowl and allow it to cool slightly.

Add in the egg and vanilla.

Blend with a handheld mixer.

Pour the batter into a piping bag. Pipe the batter directly into the oil in 5 to 6-inch segments. Cut the batter with scissors or a sharp knife to form the individual churros.

Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.

Roll the churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat until all the batter has been fried.

Serve immediately.

Notes

Use an oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable or canola oil are great options.