Crispy Homemade Churros Recipe – The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Golden Spanish Churros with Cinnamon Sugar
Churros are classic fried pastries featuring a crispy golden crust and a tender, airy center. Rolled in fragrant cinnamon sugar, they offer a delightful combination of crunch and sweetness. This easy homemade recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together in under an hour. Churros are perfect for breakfast, dessert, parties, or special celebrations and pair beautifully with chocolate sauce, caramel, or dulce de leche. Their iconic ridged shape and irresistible flavor make them a favorite across generations. Once you try fresh homemade churros, you'll never want store-bought again.
Ingredients
For the Churro Dough
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Frying
- Vegetable or canola oil
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the flour until a smooth dough forms.
- Allow the dough to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Heat oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Pipe 5–6-inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil, cutting each strip with scissors. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer the churros to paper towels to drain briefly, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- For the chocolate sauce, heat the heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
- Serve the warm churros with chocolate dipping sauce.
Notes
- A star piping tip creates the traditional churro shape.
- Let the dough cool slightly before adding the eggs.
- Fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature.
- Roll the churros in cinnamon sugar while still warm.
- Use fresh cinnamon for the best flavor.
- Serve immediately for maximum crispness.
- Chocolate sauce can be made in advance and reheated.
- Leftover churros can be reheated in the oven or air fryer.