Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce
This homemade churro recipe delivers that perfect carnival treat right in your kitchen, with a crunchy exterior and soft, tender interior that melts in your mouth.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet - For frying
- Candy thermometer - To monitor oil temperature
- Piping Bag with Large Star Tip - Wilton 1M or similar closed star tip
- Medium saucepan - For making the dough
- Stand mixer or hand mixer - Optional but helpful
- Wooden spoon - For stirring
- Wire cooling rack - For draining and cooling
- Paper towels - For draining
- Shallow dish - For cinnamon sugar coating
- Scissors or knife - For cutting dough
- Small saucepan - For chocolate sauce
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer - For removing churros from oil
Ingredients
- 1 cup water - 240ml
- ½ cup unsalted butter - 113g
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 12g
- ¼ teaspoon salt - 1.5g
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - 125g
- 2 large eggs - At room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 5ml
- 2 cups vegetable oil - 480ml, for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ½ cup granulated sugar - 100g
- 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon - 9g
For the Chocolate Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- 6 ounces dark chocolate - 170g, chopped, 60% cacao or higher
- ½ cup heavy cream - 120ml
- cinnamon - Pinch, for sauce
- salt - Pinch, for sauce
Instructions
- Set up a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Bring eggs to room temperature and measure all ingredients. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish and attach star tip to piping bag.
- Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add all flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth and forming a ball. Return to low heat and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Transfer dough to a stand mixer and let cool 5-7 minutes until warm. Add vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
- Fill piping bag two-thirds full with warm dough, twisting the top to push dough toward the tip.
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 360-375°F (182-190°C). Use a candy thermometer to monitor temperature.
- Pipe 4-6 inch lengths of dough directly into hot oil, cutting with scissors. Fry 3-4 at a time for 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden brown.
- Remove with slotted spoon and immediately roll in cinnamon sugar mixture while hot. Transfer to wire rack.
- Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat, add chopped dark chocolate, let sit 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Add pinch of cinnamon and salt.
Notes
- Let the dough cool properly before adding eggs. If too hot, it will cook the eggs and create a scrambled texture. Wait until it's just warm to the touch.
- Use a closed star tip like Wilton 1M for deeper ridges, which means more crispy surface area.
- Maintain consistent oil temperature with a thermometer. Oil temp drops when you add churros, so increase heat slightly to compensate.
- Don't overcrowd the pot. Fry 3-4 churros at a time to prevent greasy results from temperature drops.
- Coat churros immediately after frying while still hot and slightly oily. Once they cool, the sugar won't stick as well.
- Serve warm for best texture. Churros are at their absolute best within 20 minutes of frying.
- Freeze raw piped churros on a parchment-lined baking sheet for up to 3 months. Fry directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to cooking time.
- Reheat fried churros in the oven at 350°F for 5-8 minutes or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes to restore crispiness.
- Store coated churros in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They'll soften but still taste good.
- For variation, try adding cocoa powder to the dough, using brown sugar in the coating, or filling churros with dulce de leche or pastry cream.