Homemade Churros

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These homemade churros are delicately flavored with vanilla and tossed in a mixture of cinnamon sugar while being crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. While you can make them and have them ready to be served in less than an hour from start to finish, you can also make the batter days in advance and simply fry them up whenever you want to enjoy them. They are perfect for any occasion!

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What are Churros?

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Churros, which are a Spanish fried dough that is typically tossed in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and commonly served with warmed chocolate or caramel, was said to have originated in the Castile and Leon region of Spain. Shepards from that region were credited with first making the dessert and named it after the Churra Sheep, a sheep native to that region, which had horns that resembled what churros look like after being fried. Churros were introduced to the Americas during the Age of Exploration, and that is where they began being paired with chocolate, which was brought back to Spain from Central and South America.

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Churros differ from other popular fried doughs such as the beignet, doughnut, or fritter, in that they are long and lean and have a crisp exterior with a velvety-soft center. The churro is also great for eating on-the-go with its elongated shape and can be eaten rather easily with one hand.

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Ingredients for the Best Homemade Churros

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• Water: The water helps to lighten the batter and brings everything together which keeps the batter free flowing and allows for proper shaping/piping while frying.
• Eggs: The eggs help to give the batter a nice body and also help to give the cooked churro a creamy texture.
• All Purpose Flour: I like to use AP flour here because it has just enough gluten content to give the churro the correct structure without making them too dense.
• Butter: The butter lightens the batter and gives it a nice richness.
• Vanilla Extract: The vanilla is used to add an additional sweet flavor. If you want to use a fresh vanilla bean instead, that is awesome. You could also use a half teaspoon of vanilla bean paste if you would prefer.
• Coating: I like to stick to the classic cinnamon-sugar mixture here but you can certainly go without a coating or use whatever sweetener/spice combo you like.

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Tips for Making Churros

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1. For piping the batter: When piping the batter into the fryer, try to use a star tip with deep grooves. The deep grooves ensure that the churros cook all the way through in about the same amount of time it takes for them to get golden-brown and crispy on the outside.
2. Refrigerating the batter: If you refrigerate the batter at any time before frying, make sure you allow the batter to warm slightly before piping to make for a more free-flowing batter that is easier to pipe.
3. Frying the churros: When removing the churros from the fryer, try to shake off as much oil as possible before adding them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to prevent the cinnamon-sugar from clumping.

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Pair these with some caramel or chocolate sauce and you've got yourself the best dessert ever! Cheers and eat well.