Jump to recipe
Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Whether they are considered an indulgent dessert or a scrumptious breakfast, churros are beloved little cinnamon-sugar batons. With Spanish and Portuguese origins, this is a crispy pastry that is not only popular in Latin American cuisine but also can be made in your home kitchen. With a delicately crunchy exterior and a fluffy interior, these churros are begging to be dunked in coffee, hot chocolate, or whipped homemade dulce de leche. Make them for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, or any day that calls for sugary fried dough (at least once a month)!
What is a churro made of?
A churro is made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil. Choux pastry dough is the same base as airy treats like eclairs and cream puffs. Unlike its baked French cousins, deep-fried churro dough usually has less butter and fewer eggs. This creates a cake-y interior rather than the egg-puffed hollow centers of a cream-filled eclair. The method, however, is still the same. Water, butter, sugar, and salt are heated until boiling before mixing flour in with a wooden spoon. Using a wooden spoon is important because a spatula might scrape the pan too efficiently. Here, forming a thin “skin” of dough is a good thing! It is how you know the dough has released enough moisture. After allowing the dough to cool slightly, eggs are beaten in and these churros are ready to be piped.
Can churros be made ahead?
Churros are best when they are made, fried, and served on the same day. Nothing compares to tearing open a crispy churro with a hot, fluffy interior. As the churros sit, they will still taste delicious, but that wonderful texture fades. The dough itself can be mixed up a day in advance and stored in a pastry bag inside of an airtight container. But save the frying for the day of!
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Ingredients
For the churros:
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
For the whipped dulce de leche:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup dulce de leche
Directions
- Step 1For the churros: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of water, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until the mixture comes to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Once all of the flour is incorporated, place the pan back over medium-high heat. Stir continuously for 4–5 minutes until the dough is smooth, forms a skin on the bottom of the pan, and is pulling away from the edges of the pan. Place the dough into a medium bowl. Allow the dough to cool for 5 minutes.
- Step 2In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 1 ½ inches of oil until the oil registers 350℉. In a shallow dish, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Step 3With a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the churro dough for 1 minute on medium speed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl each time. Beat until the egg is fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (Ateco 846).
- Step 4For the whipped dulce de leche: In a large bowl, beat the cream with a hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until very soft peaks form. Add the dulce de leche and whip on medium speed until the dulce de leche is fully combined with the cream. Increase the speed to high and whip until the cream forms fluffy, medium peaks. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Step 5Holding the piping bag a few inches above the hot oil, carefully pipe a churro until it is about 4 inches long. Use a clean pair of scissors to cut the dough from the piping bag. Fry 3 or 4 churros at a time until they are golden, turning with a pair of tongs as necessary, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Step 6Remove the churros from the oil and immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the churros on a cooling rack.
- Step 7Serve hot or at room temperature with the whipped dulce de leche.
Tip: Change up the sugary coating on your churros with a 1/2 teaspoon of other warm spices such as nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom.
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