Equipment
Ingredients
Churro Dough
- 250 ml water
- 30 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 4 g kosher salt
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Frying and Coating
- 1000 ml neutral oil
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 5 g ground cinnamon
Thick Chocolate Sauce
- 300 ml whole milk
- 15 g cornstarch
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 150 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 621 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 96 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 58 g
- Sodium
- 645 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 73 mg
- Potassium
- 380 mg
- Calcium
- 135 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 76 mg
- Phosphorus
- 212 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 107 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 145 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 18 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a shallow dish wide enough to fit the churros, combine 100g granulated sugar and 5g ground cinnamon. Mix thoroughly and set aside for coating.
In a small saucepan, whisk together 15g cornstarch and 300ml whole milk while cold until completely smooth to prevent lumps.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 30g sugar and 2g salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Stir in 150g chopped dark chocolate until the sauce is glossy and heavily thickened. Cover to keep warm.
Pour neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of at least 5 centimeters. Heat over medium-high heat until a thermometer registers 190C/375F.
While the oil heats, combine 250ml water, 30g unsalted butter, 15g sugar, and 4g salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low. Add 150g all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a cohesive dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan cleanly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the dough from the heat and let it cool for 3 minutes to prevent scrambling the egg. Beat in the egg and 5ml vanilla extract until the dough is completely smooth and glossy. The dough will be very thick.
Transfer the warm dough to a heavy-duty piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Carefully pipe 15-centimeter lengths of dough directly into the 190C/375F oil, snipping the ends cleanly with kitchen scissors. Fry 4 to 5 churros at a time for about 4 minutes, turning halfway, until deep golden brown.
Use a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer the fried churros briefly to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still hot.
Serve the churros immediately while hot and crispy, presented alongside the warm, thick chocolate dipping sauce.
Chef's Notes
- The star piping tip is non-negotiable. The ridges it creates provide structural integrity and essential surface area, preventing steam from building up and causing the dough to explode in the hot oil.
- Do not wait for the churros to cool before tossing them in the cinnamon sugar. The residual oil and heat on the surface are what allow the coating to adhere perfectly.
- Traditional Spanish churro dough does not always include egg, but adding one provides a richer flavor, a softer interior, and a much more reliable texture for home cooks.
- For the chocolate sauce, European-style Spanish hot chocolate relies on cornstarch to achieve its signature pudding-like consistency. Whisking it into cold milk first ensures it won't clump.
- Safety first: Keep your face and hands back when piping into hot oil. Keep the piping bag close to the surface to prevent splashing, but be mindful of the heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Chocolate sauce can be stored and reheated. Fried churros lose their crispness and should not be refrigerated.
Freezer: 1 month — Pipe the raw dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes of frying time.
Reheating: Reheat baked/fried churros in a 200C/400F oven for 5 minutes. Warm the chocolate sauce in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
Troubleshooting
Churros burst or explode in the hot oil
Cause: Trapped air bubbles expanding rapidly or using a round tip instead of a star tip
Fix: Cannot be fixed once frying. Adjust technique for the next batch.
Prevention: Squeeze the dough firmly in the piping bag to press out any air pockets before piping, and strictly use a star-shaped tip to increase surface area.
Raw, doughy center despite a brown exterior
Cause: Oil temperature is too high, causing the outside to cook before the inside sets
Fix: Reduce heat slightly and fry the remaining batches longer. Undercooked ones cannot be returned to the oil without burning.
Prevention: Maintain an oil temperature strictly between 185C and 190C, monitoring with a thermometer.
Cultural Context
Churros con chocolate is an iconic Spanish culinary tradition, particularly famous in Madrid where chocolaterias serve them at all hours, from early breakfasts to late-night snacks. While origins are debated between nomadic Spanish shepherds and returning Portuguese sailors, the dish was perfected when Spain introduced chocolate from the Americas to Europe. The thick, almost pudding-like chocolate sauce is specifically designed to cling to the churro's deep ridges.
