dessert

Churros

Name: Churros
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: dessert
Ingredients: 230 ml (1 cup) water; 1½ tbsp sugar; 80 g (2¾ oz) butter; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 110 g (4 oz) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 2 whole eggs; Neutral oil for frying; Cinnamon sugar for rolling

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Prep

15 minutes

Cook

5 minutes per batch

Total

20 min

Serves

8 servings

Crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and vanilla-scented, churros start as a stovetop choux paste piped straight into hot oil. This is a large-batch recipe built for service.

Ingredients

230 ml (1 cup) water
1½ tbsp sugar
80 g (2¾ oz) butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
110 g (4 oz) all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 whole eggs
Neutral oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar for rolling

Instructions

1
Bring the water, sugar, and butter to a boil in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the vanilla, then mix in the flour and salt until a cohesive dough forms.
2
Let the paste cool until warm to the touch, not hot. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each. The finished dough should look smooth and glossy and fall slowly from a spoon.
3
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
4
Heat oil in a deep pan to 180 °C (350 °F). Pipe 10–12 cm (4–5 inch) lengths directly into the hot oil, cutting with scissors.
5
Fry until deep golden brown on all sides, turning once. Drain on paper towel.
6
Roll in cinnamon sugar while still warm.

Cook's Note

Let the paste cool until it's warm but not hot before adding the eggs. If it's still steaming, the eggs will start to cook on contact. The finished dough should look smooth, glossy, and fall slowly and steadily from a spoon, if it's too stiff or too loose, adjust with a little more egg or flour.

Best Served With

Hot chocolate for dipping. Also good with dulce de leche on the side.

Why This Recipe Works

Churros use a choux paste, the same dough as eclairs. Cooking the flour in boiling water changes how the starch behaves, it absorbs moisture and becomes sticky, which traps steam when the churro hits the hot oil and makes it puff. The eggs add structure so it doesn't collapse.

Make It Yours

Dip in warm chocolate sauce or dulce de leche.
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough itself.
Fill with pastry cream using a piping tip after frying.

Leftover Strategy

Best eaten immediately. Reheat in a hot oven at 200 °C (390 °F) for 3–4 minutes to crisp back up.

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Pairing

Hot chocolate or a milky coffee.