If you’ve never had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into freshly fried and cinnamon-sugar coated churros, please do yourself a favor and make these immediately! This homemade recipe is easy to make and even easier to enjoy! Richer than a traditional doughnut, they can be eaten plain or dipped in melted chocolate, dulce de leche, or hot chocolate.

A black platter with parchment paper topped with fresh fried churros covered in cinnamon sugar.

Churros are a popular Mexican, Spanish, and Portuguese pastry. They are typically sold by street vendors and are enjoyed at carnivals, street fairs, and other celebrations.

Churros are made from a choux-based dough that’s a little less enriched (not as many eggs) and a little sweeter (thanks to vanilla!) that is piped into hot oil and fried like doughnuts. They can be straight, curved, or any shape you’d like. THEN (and this is where the churros shine!) they are tossed in a cinnamon-sugar coating that is just to die for.

Making these beauties is relatively quick and easy, and everyone you serve them to will be begging for more. Let’s get to it!

The Ingredients

The ingredient list for churros is a relatively short one, and you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen and pantry!

  • Butter: Adds a little fat and flavor to the dough.
  • Milk + water: Keeps the dough moist.
  • Salt + vanilla: Flavor, flavor, flavor!
  • Flour: Gives structure to the choux pastry.
  • Egg: Enriches the dough and helps it puff up in the frying process.
  • Oil: For frying the churros.
  • Cinnamon sugar: A deliciously addictive coating at the end!
Ingredients for churros on a grey white counter with purple labels describing the ingredients.

How to Make the Dough

Churros are made using a pate a choux dough. Once the dough is made, it is piped into hot oil to be fried, then tossed in a cinnamon-sugar coating. This is how it’s done…

  • Heat liquid ingredients: Place butter, milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Mix in flour: Add all of the flour at once, reduce heat to medium-low and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and appears to dry out, another 2 to 3 minutes. A film or “crust” will develop on the sides of the pan.
Three side by side photos of the process of making churro dough in a blue skillet.
  • Cool the dough: Immediately place the dough into a mixing bowl and beat on low until it stops steaming and it just warm to the touch, approximately 1 minute.
  • Mix in egg + vanilla: Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the egg beating until fully incorporated and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
  • Prepare for piping: Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with an extra-large open star piping tip. I recommend Ateco #829.
Two side by side photos of the choux pastry in a glass mixing bowl on the left with an un-mixed egg and on the right after the egg has been mixed in.
A pastry bag fitted with a star tip and filled with choux pastry in a mason jar to hold it up.

Fry the Churros

  • Heat oil: Add at least 1 inch of vegetable oil to a large heavy skillet. I recommend a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Bring the oil to 360°F over medium heat.
  • Prepare drying station: Line a rimmed baking sheet with two layers of paper towels and set aside. Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  • Pipe into oil: Once the oil comes to temperature, pipe the churros directly into the oil, about 6 inches in length. Use a pair of kitchen shears to snip off the dough at the end of the piping tip.
  • Repeat with additional churros in the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan- you should fit about 4 to 5 per batch.
  • Fry the churros: Turn the churros in the oil and cook until golden brown all over, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
Fried churros on a paper-towel lined baking sheet on the left and a shallow glass container with cinnamon sugar coated churros on the right.
  • Drip oil off churros: Remove fried churros to the paper towel-lined pan to drain for about 15 seconds, or until able to be handled.
  • Toss with cinnamon-sugar mixture and transfer to a serving dish.
  • Repeat: Allow the oil to heat back up and repeat the frying process with the remaining dough, approximately three more batches.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

Why are the churros raw inside?

The main reason you may end up with raw churros is pulling them from the frying pan before they have cooked through. If you notice they are raw on the inside, pop them back in the pan to fry an additional minute or two.

If the exterior of the churro is dark but the inside is still raw the oil might be too hot, which leads to uneven cooking of the dough. Make sure the dough stays around 360°F.

Soft Churros

If you find your churros to lack the crispy exterior texture it’s probably due to over-crowding the pan. When you add too many churros or too much dough to the hot oil it brings the temperature of the oil down. Be sure to only cook about 4 to 5 churros at a time to keep the temperature hot and provide enough space for each churro to evenly fry.

A pie pan with parchment paper with churros in a glass jar on the left and chocolate dipping sauce on the right.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh out of the frying pan and lightly coated in cinnamon sugar is the best way to enjoy these churros. Once coated in the cinnamon sugar you can dish these churros out with:

Storage and Making Ahead

These easy churros are best enjoyed right after they are made. If you want to store them or are looking for a way to prep them in advance here are a few helpful tips.

  • Storing: Cool completely before storing. Keep fried and coated churros in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to two days.
  • Freezing: Place cooked and cooled churros on a baking sheet and pre-freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month for ultimate freshness.
  • Making ahead: If you plan to make these in advance prep the dough and pipe the churros onto parchment paper. Freeze the dough then transfer the frozen churros to a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
  • Cooking frozen churros: No need to thaw the dough, simply cook the churros following the same frying instructions. 
A glass jar with melted chocolate and a churro dipped in with chocolate drizzling back into the jar and a platter of churros behind the chocolate jar.

Delicious Desserts to Dive Into Next:

Crispy, golden, and addictively delicious, these homemade churros have it all! Make these light and airy churros for a sweet breakfast treat or an after-dinner dessert. No matter when you make them, they are sure to go fast! 

If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️

A pie pan lined with parchment paper and topped with fresh fried churros.

Churros

Yield: 15 churros
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Choux pastry is piped and fried to golden perfection in this delicious homemade churro recipe. Serve as is or with warm melted chocolate for dipping!
4.89 (9 ratings)
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Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (142 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Frying

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Cinnamon-Sugar

  • 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Add at least 1 inch of vegetable oil to a large heavy skillet (I recommend a 12-inch cast iron skillet). Bring the oil to 360 degrees F over medium heat.
  • While the oil is heating, make the dough. Place the butter, milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add all of the flour at once, reduce heat to medium-low and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and appears to dry out (a film or “crust” will develop on the sides and bottom of the pan), another 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Immediately place the dough into a mixing bowl and beat on low until it stops steaming and is just warm to the touch, approximately 1 minute.
  • Increase mixer speed to medium and add the egg, beating until fully incorporated and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. The final dough will appear smooth, creamy, and shiny.
  • Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with an extra large open star piping tip (I recommend Ateco #829). Line a rimmed baking sheet with two layers of paper towels.
  • Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  • Once the oil comes to temperature, pipe the churros directly into the oil, about 6 inches in length. Use a pair of kitchen shears to snip off the dough at the end of the piping tip. Repeat with additional churros in the oil (don’t overcrowd the pan – you should fit about 4 or 5 per batch). Turn the churros in the oil and cook until golden brown all over, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to the paper towel-lined pan to drain for about 15 seconds, or until able to be handled, then toss in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and transfer to a serving dish.
  • Allow the oil to back up to temperature and repeat step #7 with the remaining dough, approximately three more batches. Serve immediately!

Notes

  • Storing- Cool completely before storing. Keep fried and coated churros in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to two days.
  • Freezing- Place cooked and cooled churros on a baking sheet and pre-freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month for ultimate freshness.
  • Making ahead- If you plan to make these in advance prep the dough and pipe the churros onto parchment paper. Freeze the dough then transfer the frozen churros to a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
  • Cooking frozen churros- No need to thaw the dough, simply cook the churros following the same frying instructions. 
Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 86mg, Potassium: 23mg, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 170IU, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican

Photography by Ari Laing