Homemade Churros

It’s hard to beat freshly fried churros that have just been coated in cinnamon sugar and presented on a plate with warm chocolate dipping sauce. In Mexico and Spain, this delicacy is readily available on street corners, offering a quick—albeit decadent—bite any time of day.

Not a local? No problem. These homemade churros are as close to the real thing as possible. Crispy, golden brown, cinnamon-sugar-coated edges protect a tender interior and a hollow center that’s begging for a dip in chocolate sauce (or dulce de leche, caramel sauce, Nutella or strawberry sauce).

Plus, this recipe will help you develop two new skills: learning how to deep-fry at home and making pate a choux. That’s the same dough used to make chocolate eclairs, whipped cream-filled cream puffs, savory gougeres and so much more. Let’s get frying!

Ingredients for Homemade Churros

• Water and milk: While some churros (and pate a choux recipes in general) are made using only water or only milk, we prefer a mixture of both. Water helps the churros crisp on the outside, and evaporates inside to give them a hollow center. Milk adds richness and helps the churros brown. Our homemade churros recipe is the best of both worlds!
• All-purpose flour: The mix of hard and soft wheat in all-purpose flour makes for a perfect churro, being strong enough to hold its shape yet soft enough to impart a tender bite.
• Egg: Eggs are crucial in pate a choux as they help the churros puff, creating the hollow interior. The proteins work with the flour to create structure.
• Lemon zest: A little lemon zest cuts some of the heaviness, making these churros pleasantly bright. When zesting a lemon, make sure to only remove its yellow skin, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
• Oil: The best oils for frying churros include canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. They all have high smoke points and neutral flavors, so they won’t overpower the flavor of your churro.
• Cinnamon sugar: Churros are typically coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture once they come out of the fryer. Make sure this is prepped before frying the churros.
• Chocolate sauce: Churros are delicious when dunked in a dessert sauce, but chocolate sauce is a traditional, uncontested favorite. It’s optional, but it’s delicious.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the dough

In a large saucepan, bring the water, 2% milk, canola oil and salt to a boil.

Add the all-purpose flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, and let it stand for five minutes.

Editor’s Tip: You may also see a film start to develop on the bottom and sides of the pot. That’s normal!

Step 2: Add the eggs

Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the dough on medium-high speed for one minute or until the dough softens.

Add the egg and lemon zest, and beat them into the dough for one to two minutes. Set the mixture aside to cool.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skip the dough’s resting and mixing time before adding the egg. That time allows the dough to cool off just enough so that the egg doesn’t scramble when it’s added.

Step 3: Pipe the churros

In a deep cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat 1 inch of frying oil to 375°F. Insert a large star tip into a pastry bag and fill it with the churro dough. On a baking sheet, pipe the dough into 4-inch strips.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re finding the dough too hard to pipe, fill the pastry bag only about halfway so you don’t have to squeeze as hard.

Step 4: Fry the churros

Carefully transfer the piped churro strips to the skillet and fry them until they’re golden brown on both sides. Using metal tongs, immediately transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Editor’s Tip: Let the churros drain before coating them in the cinnamon sugar. If you coat the churros right away, the sugar will clump and be messy.

Step 5: Coat them in cinnamon sugar

Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the churros, or toss the churros with the cinnamon sugar in a dish to completely coat them. Serve the churros warm with chocolate sauce, if desired.

Recipe Variations

• Try another citrus: Feel free to use whichever citrus zest you’d like. Orange or blood orange zest would add a pleasant sweetness and complement the cinnamon. You could also use grapefruit or lime zest, but those may be a little more bitter.
• Play with the spices: Cinnamon is one of the many baking spices you can add to the sugar coating. Feel free to add others, such as cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, for more nuance.
• Make ‘em mini: Control your own adventure by making the churros as little or big as desired. Just know the cooking times may change depending on the size: less time for smaller churros, and more time for bigger churros.
• Have fun with the dipping sauces: Chocolate sauce is a classic churro dipping sauce, but others like dulce de leche, Nutella, salted caramel sauce, creme anglaise, peanut butter and strawberry sauce are also good complements.

How to Store Homemade Churros

Homemade churros are best served hot, but on the off chance you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375° convection oven until they’re warmed through and crispy on the outside, about four minutes.

Can you freeze homemade churros?

Yes, you can freeze homemade churros. Allow them to cool completely to room temperature, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them until they’re solid. Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze them for up to one month. When you’re ready to eat, let the churros thaw at room temperature. Reheat them by popping them into the oven at 375° on a baking sheet for five to eight minutes.

Homemade Churros Tips

Why are my churros gooey inside?

Churros should be light and tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. If your churros are gooey inside, then they aren’t fully cooked. Before adding the dough, bring the oil temperature to 375°. If the oil is any hotter, the outside will brown before the inside can cook. If the oil is too cold, the churro will fall apart and take on too much oil, resulting in a greasy mess. It’s also important to let the oil come back up to the proper temperature between batches. Finally, don’t overcrowd the oil with churros. Otherwise, the churros will steam instead of fry.

How do you get the dough to detach from the piping tip after piping?

If your dough won’t release from the piping tip after piping, detach it by snipping it with scissors or cutting it with a knife.

What do you serve with homemade churros?

Churros are a great dessert to serve after a Mexican or Spanish-themed dinner. Pair them with chicken fajitas, ceviche or chilaquiles. Add them to a dessert tray with sweets like crema Catalana, Basque cheesecake, Mexican wedding cookies or creamy caramel flan.

Watch How to Make Homemade Churros

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