Churros with Chocolate Sauce
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Today’s recipe for churros is your ticket to the most delectable deep-fried pastries you have ever tasted. Prepare your tastebuds for fresh warm pastries that are soft on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
Today I am thrilled to teach you how to make churros! This deceptively simple recipe is made with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry and will take less than 30 minutes to make.
If you have never experienced the wonder of freshly fried churros, you are in for a serious treat. Soft on the inside, perfectly crisped on the outside, and completely covered in dazzling cinnamon sugar crystals, these little beauties are going to rock your world! Plus, your kitchen is going to smell absolutely amazing, especially when you get the chocolate sauce going!
Caught the churro bug? Check out my Cinnamon Sugar Churro Waffles and Churro Chips with Whipped Cream and Dulce de Leche to keep the party going!
HISTORY OF CHURROS
There is a lot of debate on the origin of churros. Some say Spanish shepherds made the fried dough as an easy substitute for fresh bread.
Others say Portuguese sailors brought the recipe back from Northern China, where it’s known as youtiao, and gave it the star-edged shape as well as the sugary coating.
We do know for sure that it was the conquistadors who brought the treat to Latin America, along with the thick, hot chocolate that they used as a dipping sauce.
There are many variations of churros that have developed since their introduction. Different Latin cultures have since created delicious fillings for the fried dough such as guava, cheese, and dulce de leche.
Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card below on how to make these!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Butter – Adds a sweet, creamy richness to the batter.
- Sugar – Adds sweetness to the batter and combines beautifully with cinnamon to make a spicy sweet sugar coating.
- Cinnamon – Offers warmth and spicy sweetness to the outside of the churros.
- Flour – Forms the foundation of the recipe. Regular, all-purpose flour is perfect.
- Eggs – 3 small eggs or 2 large will do the trick.
- Oil – Canola oil is a great option or go with another neutral-tasting vegetable oil with a high smoke point.
- Chocolate Sauce – Takes these churros to the next level. Try this rich Mexican hot chocolate or any chocolate sauce you like.
HOW TO MAKE CHURROS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE
- Prepare the Rolling Sugar. Mix the cinnamon and sugar. Put the mixture in a pan or dish that is long enough to hold, roll, and sugarcoat the churros.
- Start the Batter. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and combine 1 cup of water, sugar, butter, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Stir until the butter has melted.
- Stir in the Flour. Remove from heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Mix until smooth. Give the batter 10 minutes to cool and rest.
- Add the Eggs. Add in the beaten eggs and stir vigorously to incorporate. The batter will be lumpy and difficult to stir at first, but keep going until it becomes smooth and elastic. Set aside.
- Heat the Oil. Add the frying oil to a deep fryer or high-sided skillet and heat it to 375 degrees F.
- Transfer Dough. Fit a piping bag with a round, wide, or open star tip and transfer the dough to the bag.
- Fry the Batter. Pipe out a few churros at a time into the hot oil. Aim for 6” in diameter and be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Roll the Churros. Give the churros a quick roll through the cinnamon sugar until coated on all sides.
- Serve with Sauce. Serve your churros with a rich chocolate sauce of your choosing. I recommend trying them with my Mexican Hot Chocolate.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve as is or with a chocolate dipping sauce. My Oaxacan Chocolate con Leche, a Mexican Hot Chocolate, is the perfect pair for this churros recipe.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- Use a candy thermometer to make sure your oil is at the correct temperature. If the oil is too hot, the churros will either be burned on the outside or undercooked in the middle. If the oil is too cool, it will take much longer to cook, and you will end up with hard churros.
- Use a piping tip to get that classic churro shape. An open star tip works best, but an open round will get the job done as well. If you don’t have piping tips, you can still easily make this recipe for churros. Just cut off the tip of the piping bag, or cut small triangles in the opening for a homemade open star tip.
- Make sure you let the dough rest before adding the eggs. Adding the eggs while the dough is still hot will cook them and ruin the mixture.
Why Are My Churros Coming Out Hard?
If your churros are coming out hard, it is usually because the frying oil or the dough isn’t at the proper temperature. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the churros will take too long to cook and turn hard as a result.
Cold dough can cause the same problem. If you decide to chill your churro batter in the fridge, be sure to take it out 30 minutes before frying so it can come to room temperature.
Conversely, if the oil is too hot, you will end up with churros that are burnt on the outside while being doughy and undercooked on the inside. To avoid both of these problems, use a candy or meat thermometer to ensure your oil stays in the sweet spot of 375 degrees F.
Can Churro Dough Be Made Ahead of Time?
Churro dough can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for 1 day before frying. Be sure to set the dough out on the counter to come to room temperature before frying.
You can also freeze the uncooked batter for up to 3 months. To do this, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe out the churros as if they were going into the oil. Flash-freeze the dough, then transfer it to a freezer bag for storage. Thaw and bring to room temperature before frying.
How Do You Cut a Ziploc Bag For Churros?
If you don’t have a piping bag, don’t worry. A Ziploc bag makes a great substitute, and you can even hack it to get that signature star pattern.
After you transfer your dough, a simple snip of the corner will transform your plastic zipper bag into a basic piping bag. If you feel like getting fancy, you can try cutting out little triangles to form a zig-zag pattern.
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This recipe post, originally published on Kevin Is Cooking April 2020, has been updated with new content, photos and/or video in April, 2023.
Churros with Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
Churro Batter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten (See Note 1)
Frying
- 4 cup canola oil for frying
Rolling
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Optional Dipping Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce (See Note 2)
Instructions
- Mix together the Rolling Sugar ingredients together and place in a long sided casserole dish or small sided baking sheet, large enough lengthwise to hold and roll the churros in.
Churro Batter
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat add 1 cup of water, butter, sugar, kosher salt, cinnamon and stir until butter has melted.
- Turn off the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir using a wooden spoon, until smooth. Allow to rest 10 minutes and cool.
- Add the beaten eggs and stir to incorporate thoroughly. This will need some good old elbow grease! Stir vigorously and it will become lumpy, then smooth and elastic. Set aside.
Frying
- Heat the oil in a large pot, deep fryer or high sided skillet to 375°F.
- Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a wide, round or open star tip. (See Note 3)
- Pipe 6" churros into the hot oil, a few at a time. Do not over crowd. Turn occasionally and cook 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate to drain
Rolling
- Quickly roll in the cinnamon sugar, coating all over.
- Serve with a chocolate sauce. I like to use my Mexican Hot Chocolate, known also as Oaxacan Chocolate con Leche, a thick, sweet, rich chocolate drink perfect for dipping these in and sipping.
Video
Notes
- You can use 3 small eggs or 2 large.
- Serve as is or serve hot with a chocolate sauce of choice. I like to use my Mexican Hot Chocolate, known also as Oaxacan Chocolate con Leche, a thick, sweet, rich chocolate drink perfect for dipping these in and sipping, or use your favorite. Although I do not include the crushed candy canes unless it’s the holidays!
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a ZipLoc bag, add the batter and snip a corner to squeeze out.
- Adapted from Churros Mexicanos by Gonzalo Guzmán.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
These are the PERFECT dessert for any Mexican night!
This is the best treat to indulge in! So tasty and no too difficult to make!
My family will tank you for this recipe! It’s so mouthwatering!
I love it! I cannot wait to make them again!
This recipe for churros looks delicious and so easy to make! !
It really is so good!
Seriously delicious and surprisingly simple to make! We love these!
They really are so good! You have to make them!
Gave these a try this afternoon and this treat did not disappoint! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! Delicious!
I am so glad they turned out!
I had everything to make these and decided to give them a try. I am soooo glad I did! I can’t wait to make them again!
I am so glad you gave it a try too!
these are not spanish churros at all.
I don’t recall saying these were Toni? Hope you give these a try nonetheless.
I have ALWAYS wanted to make churros! This recipe looks super easy and I love that I have the video to fall back on! This is a great recipe for me to make with my kids this weekend!
You have to give these a try!