Golden, crispy on the outside, soft inside, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. This easy churro recipe uses a simple dough and frying method for authentic results at home.
Bring the magic of the carnival or street market right into your kitchen with these irresistible homemade churros. This classic recipe transforms a simple, cooked flour paste into golden, ridged wands of fried dough that are impossibly crispy on the outside, tender and airy on the inside, and coated in a blanket of warm cinnamon sugar.
Paired with a silky chocolate dipping sauce, they are a celebration in dessert form. While they seem fancy, the technique is straightforward—master the “choux” paste and the frying, and you’ll have a show-stopping treat that’s far superior to any fair-bought version.
The Science of the Crisp Shell & Hollow Center
Churro dough is a variation of pâte à choux, the same dough used for cream puffs and éclairs. The magic happens when water, butter, and salt are boiled together, and flour is stirred in. This cooking process gelatinizes the starch in the flour, which allows it to absorb a high amount of water and fat. When eggs are beaten in, they provide structure and steam.
During frying in hot oil (375°F/190°C), the exterior sets almost instantly, trapping the steam inside. This steam expands, puffing the dough and creating the characteristic hollow, airy interior. The ridges from the piping tip are crucial—they increase the surface area, leading to more crispy, golden-brown edges in every bite. The immediate roll in cinnamon sugar while hot allows the sugar to adhere and partially caramelize, creating that iconic crackly-sweet shell.
Ingredients
For the Churros:
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick / 57g) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Chocolate Dipping Sauce (Optional):
- ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
Instructions
1. Make the Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and immediately add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add Eggs: Using an electric mixer or vigorous stirring by hand, add the eggs one at a time, beating fully after each addition until the dough is smooth and shiny. Beat in the vanilla. The dough should be thick and pipeable.
3. Prep for Frying: Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Mix the ½ cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.
4. Pipe & Fry: Spoon dough into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (like a Wilton 1M or 8B). Carefully pipe 4-6 inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil, using kitchen scissors to cut the dough from the tip. Fry 3-4 at a time for 2-3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.
5. Drain & Coat: Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried churros to the paper towel-lined sheet to drain for 30 seconds. While still hot, roll each churro in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
6. Make Sauce (Optional): For the chocolate sauce, heat the heavy cream until steaming. Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl, let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
7. Serve Immediately: Churros are best served hot and fresh. Arrange on a platter with the chocolate dipping sauce on the side.
8. Pro-Tip for Leftovers: Re-crisp leftover churros in an air fryer or 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
Pro-Tips for Churro Success
- Oil Temperature is Key: Use a thermometer. Oil that’s too cool makes greasy, soggy churros; too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks.
- Cook the Flour Paste Thoroughly: Stirring the flour in over heat for a full minute cooks out the raw flour taste and dries the mixture enough to absorb the eggs properly.
- Room Temperature Eggs: Cold eggs can cool the dough and make it harder to incorporate, potentially causing the dough to separate.
- Pipe Directly into Oil: Piping onto parchment and sliding them in can cause deflation. Piping straight in gives the best puff.
- Don’t Crowd the Pot: Frying too many at once lowers the oil temperature dramatically.
- The Right Piping Tip: A large open star tip (at least ½-inch opening) creates the classic ridges. A closed star tip will not work as well.
- Coat While Hot: The cinnamon sugar will only stick to the churros while they are still warm and slightly oily from frying.
- Safety First: Be extremely cautious when working with hot oil. Keep kids and pets away from the stove.
These Homemade Churros are a fun, rewarding project that delivers pure, crispy joy.
