Delicious Homemade Churros: A Step-by-Step Guide
Craving something sweet, crunchy, and irresistibly cinnamon-y? Look no further than this foolproof homemade churros recipe. These golden sticks of joy are perfect for dipping in chocolate or caramel sauce, making them an ideal treat for gatherings or a cozy night in. Here’s how to make them.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Churros:
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preparing the Cinnamon Sugar: Start by whisking together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Set this aside for coating your freshly fried churros.
2. Making the Dough: Combine water, unsalted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the flour. Stir rigorously until you have a smooth, lump-free mixture. It should be shiny and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
3. Cooling and Mixing: Transfer the hot dough into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. This prevents the egg from cooking upon contact. Add the vanilla extract and egg to the dough, and use a hand mixer to blend until the mixture becomes smooth and cohesive.
4. Piping the Churros: Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch star tip (a WiltonM1 tip is recommended for that classic churro shape). Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or deep skillet to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the temperature with a candy thermometer to ensure accuracy.
5. Frying to Perfection: Carefully pipe 6-inch lengths of dough into the hot oil, cutting each with kitchen scissors. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can lower the oil’s temperature and result in soggy churros. They should turn golden brown after about 2 minutes on each side.
6. Coating with Cinnamon Sugar: Once fried, let the churros drain on paper towels for a few minutes. Then, while they’re still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar mix until they’re beautifully coated.
7. Serving: Serve the churros warm, accompanied by your choice of chocolate or caramel sauce for dipping. They’re best enjoyed fresh for that perfect crunch.
Nutritional Information & Serving Size:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 10 churros
- Calories: 139 kcal per churro
These homemade churros bring the essence of Spanish cuisine right into your kitchen, offering a delightful mix of texture, flavor, and warmth. They’re surprisingly easy to make and are sure to impress anyone lucky enough to try them. Enjoy crafting these treats and indulging in their sweet, crispy goodness!
Churros
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, cold
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying
Cinnamon Sugar:
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions:
In a shallow dish, whisk together sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating and set aside.
Place water, unsalted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the flour with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir constantly until the mixture comes together and is shiny and smooth, with no lumps (a few tiny lumps are ok).
Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Using a hand electric mixer, whisk in vanilla extract and the egg into the flour mixture until fully combined and smooth. The mixture may start to separate, keep mixing until it’s combined.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch star tip, WiltonM1 works great.
Heat about 1 1/2-2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or deep cast-iron skillet over medium-high. The oil should reach 360 degrees Fahrenheit, use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
Carefully pipe the mixture into the preheated oil, pressing about 6-inch lengths of churros and cutting the end with clean kitchen scissors. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried churros to paper towels for about 2-3 minutes, after that toss them immediately into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Serve warm with chocolate or caramel sauce for dipping.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Kcal: 139 kcal | Servings: 10 churros