Crispy Soft Spanish Churros

I burned my first batch of churros so badly they came out like charred breadsticks. The oil was too hot, and I panicked when the dough hit the pan, forgetting to lower the heat. My kitchen smelled like a carnival mixed with regret. But I tried again the next morning, this time with a thermometer and a little more patience, and when those golden ridges emerged from the oil, crispy and perfect, I understood why people line up at street carts in Madrid at midnight.

I made these for my neighbors kid once after she came home from a school trip to Barcelona talking nonstop about churros con chocolate. She sat at my kitchen counter, dipping each one slowly and seriously, like she was trying to remember something important. Her mom told me later that she asked to learn how to make them herself. That felt better than any compliment.

Ingredients

• Water: This forms the base of your dough, and using the right amount matters because too much makes it sticky and too little makes it stiff.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps the dough puff up when it hits the hot oil, giving you that airy inside.
• Granulated sugar: A little goes into the dough for subtle sweetness, but most of it lives on the outside where it belongs.
• Salt: Just a pinch balances everything and keeps the dough from tasting flat.
• All-purpose flour: The structure holder, and measuring it correctly by weight or spooning it in lightly makes a real difference.
• Egg: Binds the dough and gives it that glossy sheen, plus it helps with the chew.
• Vanilla extract: A quiet background note that makes the whole thing feel a little more special.
• Vegetable oil: You need enough to submerge the churros halfway, and it should be neutral so it doesnt compete with the cinnamon.
• Ground cinnamon: The warm spice that makes churros smell like a memory.
• Heavy cream: The base of your chocolate sauce, and it needs that fat content to stay silky.
• Dark chocolate: Use something you would actually eat on its own, because bad chocolate makes bad sauce.

Instructions

Make the Dough Base:

Bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter melts completely. You will see small bubbles forming around the edges.

Form the Dough:

Add the flour all at once and stir hard with a wooden spoon until it pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth ball. This takes about two minutes and your arm will feel it.

Cool and Enrich:

Let the dough sit off the heat for five minutes so it does not scramble the egg. Then beat in the egg and vanilla until the dough turns glossy and stretchy.

Prepare for Piping:

Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. If you do not have a star tip, the churros will still taste good but they will not have those classic ridges that hold the cinnamon sugar.

Heat the Oil:

Pour about two inches of oil into a deep pan and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer because guessing the temperature is how you end up with pale soggy churros or burned ones.

Pipe and Fry:

Carefully pipe four to six inch strips directly into the hot oil, snipping the ends with scissors. Fry them in small batches for two to three minutes per side until they turn deep golden brown.

Drain and Coat:

Lift the churros out with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels for a few seconds. While they are still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until every ridge is coated.

Make the Chocolate Sauce:

Heat the cream and sugar in a small saucepan until it just starts to simmer, then remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, butter, and salt. Let it sit for a minute, then stir slowly until it becomes smooth and shiny.

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I brought a plate of these to a potluck once, still warm in a towel lined basket with the chocolate sauce in a little jar. They disappeared in minutes, and for the rest of the night people kept asking if I had more hidden somewhere. I did not, but I loved that they thought I might.

Getting the Texture Just Right

The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped but not so stiff that it fights you. If it feels too loose, you can cook it on the stove for another 30 seconds while stirring. If it is too thick, beat in a teaspoon of water at a time until it loosens. The dough should fall slowly from a spoon in a thick ribbon, not plop down in a lump.

Serving Suggestions That Work

Churros are perfect with coffee in the morning or after dinner with a small glass of something sweet. You can serve them piled on a plate with the chocolate sauce on the side, or you can go full street cart style and pour the sauce into small cups for dipping. Either way, they are best eaten within an hour of frying while the outside is still crisp and the inside is still soft.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The biggest mistake is not measuring the oil temperature, which leads to greasy or burnt churros. Another common issue is overfilling the pan, which drops the oil temperature too fast and makes everything cook unevenly. Also, people sometimes skip mixing the dough long enough after adding the flour, and that leaves lumps that turn into hard bits when fried.

• Use a thermometer and keep the oil between 350 and 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fry only three or four churros at a time so the oil stays hot.
• Stir the dough vigorously for the full two minutes even if your arm gets tired.

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There is something about handing someone a warm churro and watching them bite into it that feels like a small victory. Make these once and you will want to make them again.

Recipe FAQ

→ What makes churros crispy on the outside?

Frying the piped dough strips in hot oil at 350°F creates a golden crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft.

→ How is the soft interior achieved?

The dough, made with water, butter, flour, and an egg, is cooked before frying, allowing the inside to remain tender and airy.

→ What ingredients coat the churros?

Churros are rolled warm in a mixture of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to create a flavorful, sweet coating.

→ How is the chocolate dipping sauce prepared?

Heavy cream is gently heated with sugar, then removed from heat to melt chopped dark chocolate, butter, and a pinch of salt for a smooth sauce.

→ Any tips for extra crispy churros?

Frying in smaller batches prevents the oil temperature from dropping, resulting in extra crispiness.