In Good FlavorCrispy on the outside and light, tender, and airy on the inside, churros are easier to make than you’d think. This simple homemade recipe lets you whip up the fried dough goodness and enjoy it whenever the craving hits!
I’ve never met a fried dough I didn’t like—and churros are right up there on the list. These golden, deep-fried strips are delightfully crispy on the outside, soft and airy inside, almost donut-like, and coated with cinnamon sugar for a perfect sweet finish. They’re just right for a quick snack, an easy dessert, or a fun addition to Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo.
While churros are a staple at fairs, carnivals, and festivals, you don’t have to leave home (or pay the markup) to enjoy them fresh. This easy recipe comes together in 30 minutes using a simple choux-style dough made on the stovetop, then mixed with eggs, piped, and fried into irresistibly crisp, golden strips.
Where did churros come from?
Often associated with Mexican cuisine, churros actually originated in Spain, where they began as simple fried dough strips coated in sugar. They spread to Latin America in the 16th century, and in Mexico, they developed into the rich treat we recognize today, coated in cinnamon sugar and often filled with chocolate, cajeta, or sweet fruit preserves.
Ingredients needed:
- All-purpose flour—provides structure and shape to the dough.
- Butter—adds richness, flavor, and a soft and airy interior.
- Eggs—add color, richness, and provide structure and a fluffy interior.
- Water—gives churro its signature light and hollow texture from the evaporation of steam. Water also helps in creating the crispy exterior.
- Granulated sugar—adds a slight sweetness to the dough and aids in developing a golden color when fried. It’s also used as a coating for the churros.
- Ground cinnamon—just enough for a mild warm spice flavor.
- Salt—rounds out all the flavor.
- Vanilla extract—aromatic and flavor-enhancing.
- Neutral oil—canola or vegetable oil for frying.
Recipe highlights:
- Bring water, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix in the flour off heat until it forms a smooth dough. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, adding vanilla with the second egg. Mix until the dough is smooth and slightly glossy.
- Fill a large, deep frying or sauté pan with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil and heat to 360° F. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating and set aside.
- Fill a pastry piping bag, fitted with a star tip, with the dough.
- Work in batches, pipe 6-inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil using scissors or a knife to cut them off the tip. Fry until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the churros to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Coat the churros with the cinnamon mixture once they are about halfway cooled.
- Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Serving variations:
One of the most popular ways to serve churros is to coat them in cinnamon sugar. It’s the perfect package, but you can bump up the decadence by dipping or stuffing them.
- Dipping sauce: serve them with a side of chocolate ganache, salted caramel sauce, dulce de leche, cream cheese dip, or raspberry sauce.
- Stuffed: hollow out the churros with a wooden skewer, pipe the dipping sauce using a pastry bag fitted with a long, narrow tip.
How to make ahead:
If you’re entertaining or bringing churros to an event, you can prepare them in advance and reheat them when you’re ready to serve. It’s best to fry them just before they’re fully done, then let them drain and cool completely on a paper towel-lined cooling rack. Hold off on applying the cinnamon sugar at this stage. Simply transfer the cooled churros to a paper-lined airtight container until you’re ready to reheat.
Store them in an airtight container, lined with paper towels, in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the churros using the reheating methods below until they’re golden brown, then coat them with the cinnamon sugar mixture once they have cooled sufficiently.
How to store and reheat:
As with most fried pastries, churros are best consumed freshly made, but you can still enjoy leftovers. They can be stored at room temperature for 1 one day. While many people use an airtight container lined with paper towels, I find that method softens them within several hours.
For longer storage, refrigerate churros in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to 2 days to absorb excess moisture. The churros will soften slightly, but not as much as at room temperature.
No matter how you store them, make sure the churros are cooled completely before storing.
To reheat, place churros on a baking sheet in a preheated 350° F oven or in an air fryer and cook until warm. You can also reheat the churros by deep-frying them in 360° F oil, which will take only 20-60 seconds.
Can you freeze churros?
Yes, you can freeze churros. In fact, I prefer freezing to refrigeration because the churros don’t soften as they would in the refrigerator. Let them cool completely, then arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and store for up to 2 months.
Reheat the churros from frozen as you normally would, adding a little more time to account for the frozen state.
Pro tips:
- Add the eggs to the dough, one at a time, and make sure to incorporate each well before adding the next for a glossy dough and a pipeable consistency.
- Keep the oil at as close to 360° F as you can for frying. They become greasy and soggy if the temp is too low, and too brown and undone in the center if it’s too hot. Use a candy or instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
- Drain freshly fried churros on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Let the churros cool halfway before coating them in cinnamon sugar. If they’re too hot, they’ll absorb too much sugar and become overly sweet; too cool, and the sugar won’t stick well.
Don’t have time to look at the recipe card? No problem! Save this pin for later!
Recommended supplies:
(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or are highly rated.)
- Frying pan—this large tri-ply stainless steel deep frying pan can fry churros in fewer batches.
- Small saucepan—this 2-quart saucepan features drip-free pouring, a cool grip handle, and a flavor lock lid.
- Electrix hand mixer—this includes a 6-speed, 275-watt motor, a storage case, and seven attachments. You can mix the dough by hand instead of using an electric mixer.
- Wire hand whisk—this whisk is stainless steel, rust-resistant, and dishwasher safe.
- Pastry brush—for brushing excess sugar off the churros, if desired.
- Spatula—this set of three spatulas is sturdy, heat-resistant, and dishwasher-safe.
- A piping bag and a star tip—for piping the dough. Or you can also use a plastic food storage bag with the corner cut off instead.
- Candy thermometer—to help regulate the oil temperature.
- Tongs or a slotted spoon
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Easy Homemade Churros
Description
Crispy on the outside and light, tender, and airy on the inside, churros are easier to make than you’d think. This simple homemade recipe lets you whip up the fried dough goodness and enjoy it whenever the craving hits!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add water, butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat.
- Add the flour using a whisk, spatula, or a wooden spoon, until it forms a smooth dough. Spread the dough out to help it cool more quickly. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Add an egg and mix by hand or with an electric mixer until combined. Add the second egg and vanilla, then stir or whisk until the dough is smooth and slightly glossy.
- Fill a large, deep frying or sauté pan with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil and heat it to 360° F. In a shallow container, mix 5 tablespoons of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon (or 3/4 teaspoon for extra cinnamon flavor) of cinnamon, and set aside.
- Scoop the dough into a pastry piping bag fitted with a star tip, or into a plastic food storage bag with a 1/2-inch-wide cut-off tip.
- Pipe 6-inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil using scissors or a knife to cut them off the tip. Do not crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the churros to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Continue frying the remaining churros, and coat the cooked ones with the cinnamon mixture once they are about halfway cooled.
- Makes about 20 churros.
The batter will break apart when you mix in the eggs, but keep mixing until it comes together into a soft dough. If you’re mixing by hand, I find that using a wire whisk, then switching to a spatula or wooden spoon, works well.
Use a candy thermometer or an instant-read food thermometer to help regulate the oil temperature.
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