Churros
Quick answer
Churros are fried dough sticks made from a simple paste of water, flour, salt, and sometimes a touch of sugar.
What makes this special
- Star-shaped ridges increase surface area for an even crunch across these fried dough sticks.
- Star-shaped nozzle increases surface area for even all-around crunch
- Roll in cinnamon sugar within 10 minutes for maximum adhesion and aroma
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Combine 240ml water, 50g unsalted butter, and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan over medium heat.
- 2 Add 140g all-purpose flour all at once and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon...
- 3 Transfer the dough to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes, then add 2 eggs one at a time and mix until smooth.
Churros are fried dough sticks made from a simple paste of water, flour, salt, and sometimes a touch of sugar. The dough is piped through a star-shaped tip, which creates ridges along the length. These ridges increase the surface area exposed to hot oil, producing maximum crunch across every inch while the interior stays soft and pillowy. Straight from the fryer, they are rolled in cinnamon sugar, which clings to the warm, oily surface and creates a sweet, spiced crust. The traditional pairing is thick Spanish hot chocolate -- closer to a warm ganache than a drink -- into which the churros are dipped. The bitterness of the chocolate and the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar play off each other, and the contrast between the crisp dough and the dense liquid makes each dip satisfying. Churros wait for no one: they are at their best within ten minutes of frying, after which the crispness fades as residual oil migrates inward.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Combine 240ml water, 50g unsalted butter, and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan over medium heat.
Reduce to low heat once the butter is fully melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- 2Step
Add 140g all-purpose flour all at once and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a single ball that pulls cleanly from the pan base.
- 3Prep
Transfer the dough to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes, then add 2 eggs one at a time and mix until smooth.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip of 8 points or more.
- 4Heat
Heat oil to 175°C and pipe 10-12cm lengths of churros directly into the oil.
Using scissors to cut them off is easier. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- 5Finish
Remove the fried churros and drain on a paper towel.
Mix 80g sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon on a wide plate and roll the hot churros to coat evenly.
- 6Finish
Serve with chocolate sauce if desired.
Melt dark chocolate and mix with an equal amount of heavy cream for a simple ganache dipping sauce.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
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Churros with Chocolate Sauce
Churros are made from a choux-style dough of boiled water, butter, and flour, enriched with eggs and piped through a star tip directly into hot oil. Frying at 175 to 180 degrees Celsius produces a crisp, ridged exterior where the star-shaped edges brown and split cleanly, while the interior stays chewy with a slightly hollow core that forms as the steam escapes during cooking. The contrast between the crackling outer crust and the soft, doughy center is the defining textural quality of a well-made churro. Adding the eggs gradually and stopping when the batter falls in a slow, thick ribbon prevents the ridges from blurring during piping. Rolling the hot churros in cinnamon sugar immediately after frying coats them while the oil helps the mixture adhere. The accompanying dipping sauce melts dark chocolate into warm milk over gentle heat, producing a thick, bittersweet liquid that contrasts the sweetened dough. Across Spain and parts of Europe, churros dipped in hot chocolate are a standard morning meal, not a dessert.
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