How To Make Authentic Churros Recipe

I’m sharing my Homemade Churros Recipe that turns simple pantry staples like butter and eggs into churros with a crisp exterior, a soft spongy interior, and a cinnamon sugar coating, ready in just 30 minutes.

I love making churros at home, and this version is one of those quick wins that always disappears before I can pose for a picture. Using simple pantry tricks and a bit of patience I turn out crunchy golden ridges dusted in ground cinnamon and a soft spongy center that my kids fight over.

It’s what led me to collect notes for How To Make Churros Easy and test dozens of Diy Churros Recipes till this felt right. I still mess up sometimes, but that’s part of the fun, and the smell of unsalted butter and ground cinnamon pulling you in is worth it.

Ingredients

• Water: Creates steam in dough so churros puff up, no calories and no real flavor.
• Unsalted butter: Gives rich flavor and tender texture, brings saturated fat but loads of good taste.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens dough and coating, quick carbs that spike energy, very little nutrition.
• All purpose flour: Provides structure and chewiness, mostly starch and carbs with little fiber or protein.
• Eggs: Help bind and enrich the dough, add protein, moisture and help golden color.
• Neutral frying oil: Used for frying so churros get crisp, adds lots of fat and calories.
• Cinnamon and spices: Cinnamon sugar gives warm sweet spice, optional nutmeg or cloves add depth.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar for coating
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for coating
• Pinch ground nutmeg or ground cloves, optional

How to Make this

1. Mix the coating first so it’s ready: stir 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg or cloves, set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup (240 ml) water, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; bring to a full simmer over medium heat until the butter melts.

3. Remove from heat, add 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides; return to the stove on low for 1 minute more to dry the dough slightly.

4. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or stand mixer and let cool 3 to 5 minutes so it’s warm not hot, then beat in 2 large eggs one at a time until each is fully incorporated and the dough is glossy and pipeable; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. (If the dough looks too stiff add a teaspoon of beaten egg, if it’s too loose add a bit of flour.)

5. Fit a large star tip to a pastry bag or use a sturdy zip bag with a corner cut, fill it with the dough; keep a second bag or bowl of water handy to wet your fingers and scissors so dough won’t stick.

6. Heat 2 to 3 cups neutral oil (vegetable or canola) in a heavy pot to 350 to 375°F (175 to 190°C). If you don’t have a thermometer drop a tiny piece of dough in; it should sizzle and rise slowly to the surface.

7. Pipe 4 to 6 inch strips directly into the hot oil, cut with scissors and fry in small batches so the oil temp stays steady, turning occasionally until deep golden and crisp, about 2 to 4 minutes total per batch depending on thickness.

8. Drain churros on paper towels briefly, then toss them in the cinnamon sugar while still warm so the coating sticks nicely.

9. Serve right away with chocolate sauce or dulce de leche, or keep them in a single layer at room temp for a few hours and re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium saucepan, to melt butter and make the dough
2. Wooden spoon, for stirring the dough until it forms a ball
3. Mixing bowl or stand mixer, for cooling and beating in the eggs
4. Pastry bag with a large star tip or a sturdy zip-top bag with a corner cut
5. Kitchen scissors, to cut piped dough straight into the oil
6. Heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer, for frying the churros
7. Instant-read or deep-fry thermometer, to keep oil at 350 to 375°F (175 to 190°C)
8. Slotted spoon or spider skimmer and a tray lined with paper towels, for draining and tossing in cinnamon sugar

FAQ

How To Make Authentic Churros Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Water: swap for whole milk or unsweetened soy or oat milk, use the same amount. Makes the dough richer and browner, you might need a little extra flour if it feels too wet.
• Unsalted butter: use 2 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola, or melted refined coconut oil if thats all you got. Dough wont have that buttery note but still fries up crisp.
• All purpose flour: replace with a cup for cup gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, measure the same. Texture will be a bit different and slightly more crumbly, or use 00 flour for a silkier lighter result.
• Eggs: use flax eggs for a vegan swap 1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water per egg, stir and let sit 5 minutes. The churros wont puff quite as much but they hold together fine when fried.

Pro Tips

Pro tips:

1. Keep the oil steady, dont crowd the pot. Use a thermometer if you can, but if not drop a tiny scrap of dough in to test — it should sizzle and float up slowly. If you toss too many at once the temp will fall and theyll soak up oil and get greasy.

2. Cool the dough enough so its warm not hot before adding eggs, otherwise theyll scramble into a mess. Add eggs one teaspoon at a time if you need to fine tune the texture, you want glossy pipeable dough not soup or a brick.

3. Make piping less annoying by reinforcing the bag: double-bag or slip a smaller bag inside a sturdier one so it wont burst. Keep a little bowl of water to wet your fingers and scissors so the dough wont stick, and cut with quick confident snips so the ends look clean.

4. Coat and store smart: roll them in cinnamon sugar while still warm so it sticks, dont pile them up while hot or theyll steam and go soggy. If you need to hold them a few hours keep in a single layer at room temp and re-crisp in a 350F oven for a few minutes before serving.