This Homemade Churros recipe, the iconic Spanish delicacy, is crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth delicious on the inside. Our quick and easy churros recipe is perfect for a sweet treat!
Churros are a type of fried-dough pastry—predominantly choux—based snack. Churros are popular in Spain, Portugal, France, the Philippines, Ibero-America, and North Africa.
Here in America are quite popular at theme parks, fairs, and carnivals. But despite their Spanish (not Mexican) roots, they are also traditionally served here for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
I honestly think that we Americans love churros so much that we just look for any excuse to make and/or enjoy them. We don’t need a specific holiday or event – but we certainly welcome it if they are available.
I know that I will order them whenever they are on the menu wherever we are dining at. But I also love that I can make them at home – so perfectly warm and delicious with that cinnamon and sugar coating.
I know you’ll love them as much as we do.
churros recipe
Here are some commonly asked questions
About Churros
In Spain, churros are traditionally eaten for breakfast dipped in hot chocolate. Churros are generally prisms or twisted shapes, and they are sometimes called “Spanish doughnuts” in English. Churros are made from choux pastry dough, and there are two types of churros, wet and dry. The wet dough is used for softer churros, and the dry dough is used for crunchier churros.
Churros are fried until they are golden-brown in color, and then they are sprinkled with sugar. Cinnamon sugar is the most popular type of sugar to use, but some people also like to use plain sugar, chocolate sugar, or confectioner’s sugar.
What is the difference between wet and dry churro dough?
Wet dough is used for softer churros, while the dry dough is used for crunchier churros.
Can churros be served with anything else besides sugar?
Yes – they can also be served with a chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, or caramel. But we also like to dip them in these great recipes too…
Tips for Perfect Churros Every Time
- Serve the churros immediately. Nothing beats a freshly made warm churro.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the oil.
- The oil should be about 325°F when you start frying the churros; otherwise, they will come out mushy. You can save time by having a thermometer on hand to check the temperature of the oil as it heats up (so you can adjust the heat if necessary).
- Because it will take time for the oil to come up to temperature, preheat it while you prepare the batter.
- Use a closed star piping tip (one with rounded off edges), which gives the churros more defined edges. This means the exterior is crispier and the churro design looks traditional.
Ingredients to Make Churros
- Water adds moisture to the churros to create a soft and chewy dough.
- Butter adds richness and fat to the churros.
- Sugar adds sweetness– brown sugar is a delicious substitute as well.
- Flour gives the churros structure. Make sure to measure using the scoop and level technique.
- Vanilla enhances the sweetness of the churros.
- Cinnamon adds a bit of spice and warmth to the dough
How to Store Churros
- To Store: It’s best to serve homemade churros right away while they’re still warm and crispy, just like with any deep-fried food. When you have any leftovers, make sure they’ve cooled completely before storing them in a paper sack. They’ll keep for up to two days at room temperature. I found that airtight containers cause them to become too moist – which is why I like the paper bag – it allows just enough air to keep them from getting ruined.
- To Freeze: You can also freeze them by laying them on a baking sheet and freezing them until hard, then transferring them to a freezer-safe plastic bag. They’ll keep for up to one month in the freezer.
- To Reheat: Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Allow them to defrost before eating if frozen.
- Make-Ahead: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill it for up to 1 day. Bring it back to room temperature before frying.
How to Make Churros
Classic Stovetop Method
- Fill a large, high-sided pot with 2” of vegetable oil and heat it to 365F while you make the churro batter.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add in the water, butter, and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir until fully combined.
- Set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the egg and mix to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (no bigger than a 1/2″).
- Very carefully, pipe the churros directly into the oil and use sharp scissors to cut the dough.
- Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oil and toss the warm churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture immediately after removing from the oil to coat. Repeat with the remaining churros.
How to Make Churros in the Air Fryer
- Create the coating mixture – set aside.
- Follow the steps for the classic churros up to step 6.
- Pipe the dough out onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.
- Place the piped dough into the freezer for about 15 minutes or until firm enough to pick up without them changing shape.
- Once they are firm, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Transfer the frozen dough into the preheated basket.
- Spray lightly with cooking oil.
- Cook 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through. They should be crispy.
- Dredge in the cinnamon/sugar mixture immediately after removing from the air fryer – while they are still warm.
- Serve immediately.
Can I make this recipe into regular-sized churros?
Absolutely. Just make the dough the same way & use this larger, open star tip & cook them a lot slower. The outside will burn before the insides are cooked because of the size if you don’t go low & slow. Which is why we really love these bites instead.
What do I need to make homemade churros?
To make churros – you will need a pastry bag, pastry tip & of course your large bowl for mixing the dough, saucepan, large-shallow stockpot or dutch oven & strainer.
If you love this easy Homemade Churros recipe, you’re going to love these other churro-inspired treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
More Churro-Inspired Treats
Air Fryer Angel Food Cake Churro Bites
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Churros Recipe
Ingredients
Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Churros
- ½ cup water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- Vegetable Oil for frying
Instructions
Coating
- For the classic churro coating, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix. Set aside.
Churros – Classic Stovetop Method
- Fill a large, high sided pot with 2” of vegetable oil and heat it to 365F while you make the churro batter.
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add in the water, butter, and granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir until fully combined.
- Set the mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the egg and mix to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (no bigger than a 1/2″).
- Very carefully, pipe the churros directly into the oil and use sharp scissors to cut the dough.
- Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oil and toss the warm churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture immediately after removing from the oil to coat. Repeat with the remaining churros.
Air Fryer Method
- Create the coating mixture – set aside.
- Follow the steps for the classic churros up to step 6.
- Pipe the dough out onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet.
- Place the piped dough into the freezer for about 15 minutes or until firm enough to pick up without them changing shape.
- Once they are firm, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Transfer the frozen dough into the preheated basket.
- Spray lightly with cooking oil.
- Cook 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through. They should be crispy.
- Dredge in the cinnamon/sugar mixture immediately after removing from the air fryer – while they are still warm.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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