cook · Cook

How to Make Churros from Scratch

Name: How to Make Churros from Scratch
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup water; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2-3 inches vegetable oil; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Churros are made from a simple choux pastry dough that you pipe into hot oil and fry until golden. The key is getting your oil to exactly 375°F and piping the dough directly into the oil while it's still warm. Once fried, you roll them in cinnamon sugar while they're hot so it sticks properly.

Total time: 30 min
Hands-on: 25 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2-3 inches vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Step by step

Make the dough. Bring 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour until a smooth dough forms. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes until you can handle it without burning yourself.
Heat the oil. Fill a heavy pot with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 375°F. Use a thermometer. Too cool and your churros absorb oil. Too hot and they burn outside while staying raw inside.
Prepare your piping setup. Transfer the warm dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. If you don't have a star tip, cut a 1/2-inch opening in the bag. Mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a shallow dish.
Pipe and fry. Pipe 4-inch lengths of dough directly into the hot oil, using kitchen shears to cut them off. Fry 2-3 churros at a time for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown all over.
Coat in cinnamon sugar. Drain churros on paper towels for just 10 seconds, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar while they're still hot and slightly oily. The sugar needs that heat and oil to stick.

Tips & troubleshooting

Make sure your dough is still slightly warm when you pipe it. Cold dough is too stiff and won't pipe smoothly.
Don't overcrowd the oil. Churros release steam as they cook and too many will drop the oil temperature.
Have your cinnamon sugar ready before you start frying. Churros need to be coated while hot or the sugar won't stick.
If your dough seems too thick to pipe, beat in one egg to loosen it up.

Variations

Filled Churros. After frying, use a skewer to poke a hole in one end and pipe in dulce de leche, chocolate ganache, or pastry cream using a squeeze bottle.
Chocolate Churros. Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the flour before mixing into the hot water. Roll in plain sugar instead of cinnamon sugar.
Baked Churros. Pipe onto parchment-lined baking sheets, brush with melted butter, and bake at 425°F for 15-18 minutes. Not traditional, but works if you want to avoid frying.

Questions

Can I make the dough ahead of time?: You can make it a few hours ahead, but keep it covered and at room temperature. Cold dough becomes too stiff to pipe properly.
Why are my churros soggy?: Your oil temperature is too low. Churros need 375°F oil to develop that crispy exterior quickly before they absorb oil.
What if I don't have a star tip?: Cut a 1/2-inch opening in your piping bag. You won't get the classic ridged texture, but they'll still taste right.
How long do churros stay crispy?: They're best eaten within an hour of frying. After that, they start to lose their crispness and become chewy.