About this recipe

Golden, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these classic Spanish churros are fried to perfection and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Made with a simple choux-style dough, they come together quickly and are perfect for dipping in thick hot chocolate or dulce de leche. This reliable, well-tested recipe delivers that authentic street-food experience right in your own kitchen.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a shallow dish or rimmed plate, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon and stir well. Set aside near the stovetop so it's ready the moment the churros come out of the vegetable oil.

2. 2

   In a saucepan over ^[medium-high heat], combine the water, butter, granulated sugar, and fine salt. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally to melt the butter.

3. 3

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add all the all-purpose flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute.

4. 4

   Let the dough cool in the saucepan for 5 minutes — this is important so the eggs don't scramble when added.

5. 5

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy. It will look like it's separating at first — keep stirring, it will come together. Stir in the vanilla extract.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star tip (1M or 6B). The dough should be thick but pipeable. Twist the top of the bag closed and set aside.

7. 7

   Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat over ^[medium-high heat] until the vegetable oil reaches ![360°F]. Use a meat thermometer — temperature control is the key to crispy, non-greasy churros.

8. 8

   Line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels and set it next to the stovetop. Once the vegetable oil is at temperature, hold the piping bag over the vegetable oil and pipe 4–5 inch lengths of dough directly into the hot vegetable oil, using scissors or a knife to snip off each churro. Fry 3–4 at a time — do not overcrowd the pot.

9. 9

   Fry the churros, turning occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon, for 3–4 minutes per batch until deep golden brown all over. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the vegetable oil at ![350–360°F].

10. 10

    Transfer the fried churros immediately to the paper-towel-lined plate for just 10–15 seconds to blot excess vegetable oil, then roll them in the cinnamon granulated sugar while still hot so the granulated sugar adheres. Place on a serving plate and repeat with remaining dough.

11. 11

    To make the chocolate dipping sauce, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over ^[medium heat] until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add the chopped dark chocolate and butter, and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Serve warm alongside the churros.

12. 12

    Serve the churros immediately while hot and crispy. They are best eaten fresh, but can be re-crisped in an air fryer at ![375°F] for 2–3 minutes.