This tutorial recipe for homemade churros with spicy chocolate dipping sauce will have you making churros like a pro!
Have you ever had homemade churros with spicy chocolate dipping sauce from those food street vendors? If you have not, you are truly missing out! My daughter recently got in the kitchen and made these and they were spot on to what you find at most theme parks and state fairs.
We did a complete tutorial with simple ingredients so you would know how to make them too.
They are not as hard as you think. It sounds like there is a lot to making them, but if you stick with me, we will make your first time making churros at home a breeze. You can be just like the pros in no time flat! However, if making churros still seems daunting to you, try making this Churro Puppy Chow. It has all the same flavors as churros but may be easier for you to tackle.
Before we get into cooking them though, let's learn a little about them so that we can educate ourselves about the best way to tackle this recipe!
Here are a Few Things You Might Need to Know About Mexican Churros
What is a churro?
A churro is a fried-dough pastry — made with an egg-like pastry dough called a choux(pronounces shew)—based snack. Churros are traditional in Spain and Portugal, from where they originate.
The dough is made and heated which is what gives it the airy texture. When cooled, it is then piped into hot vegetable oil for frying.
How long do churros last?
Churros are best freshly made, but they can be stored in a Ziploc bag or container for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 4 weeks. Be aware that they will soften and lose the crunchiness as they cool.
Why are my churros raw in the center?
Most problems are caused by the oil being too hot. … If your dough is raw/underdone on the inside but your churro is done on the outside, you need to lower your oil temperature because the outside of the churro is cooking faster than the inside and giving you the impression that it's done.
How to Make This Easy Churros Recipe
First step — Make the choux pastry dough
In a large saucepan on the stove, over medium heat — heat the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract together. Once the mixture is boiling, take it off the heat and pour all of the all-purpose flour into the pot at once.
With a wooden spoon, stir the choux dough quickly until the mixture becomes a big ball of dough.
Now, flatten the mixture to the bottom of the pan you are using. Return it to medium heat and then listen for the mixture to begin making a crackling sound.
Once you hear it crackling, pull the mixture to the side of the pot and see if there is a thin film on the bottom. If it is, your dough is dried enough to remove from the heat. If not put it back on the mixture until that film forms.
Now that you have removed the mixture from the heat, stir with the wooden spoon again until you do not see any more steam. Do not try to attempt this step with an electric mixer. The dough will be too thick.
Once the steam is gone, add in the eggs one at a time and stir until it is combined. Each egg needs to be completely absorbed into the dough before you add the next one. Once the batter is smooth and glossy you are done with the hardest part!
Chill the dough
Let the dough rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. This will help it hold together well when frying.
Get Ready to Fry the Dough!
While the dough is chilling, set up your fry station. You need a deep fryer, large pot, or deep skillet with at least 3″ of oil. Bring the oil to 350 degrees, which is about medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, in a bowl with a lid combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Time to Pipe Those Churros!
Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
We got a new disposable large piping bag from Wilton and these worked amazingly. Everything comes together all in one and when you are done, you throw the bag and the tip away with no mess to clean up. These bags will help you make the perfect churro.
Now, pipe strips of the choux pastry into the hot frying oil. We found it best to start at the pot away from you and come towards you. Pipe the strips about 5-6″ long using a paring knife to cut the strip off into the oil as it comes out of the bag.
If your dough is sticking to the knife, dip the knife in the hot oil and it will cut right through the dough.
Fry Those Homemade Churros
Use the tongs or a flat-wired spatula to gently move the hot churros around in the oil making sure they fry well on both sides. Fry until they are a golden brown color — about 3-4 minutes. Continue deep frying until you have used all the dough.
Transfer the churros to paper towels to drain and then toss them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. If you use a bowl that has a lid, you can simply add your churros and flip the bowl upside down and back and the churros will be completely covered. This method makes the best churros in my opinion.
Make That Chocolate Dipping Sauce for Homemade Churros
For the chocolate sauce, we mixed with the following —
- 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 TBSP butter
- 1/2 cup of half-and-half
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
Put all of this together in a saucepan on the stove and let it heat until all the butter has melted and the hot chocolate sauce combiner. Set aside and finish cooking your churros.
Serve the churros hot or at room temperature. If you want to keep them warm, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and keep them in a 200-degree F oven while you finish cooking the rest of them.
Store them in an airtight container on the counter. These are best eaten within a day or two of making them. I like serving fried churros on top of ice cream with spicy chocolate sauce.
Other sauce options that would go great with this recipe are my homemade salted caramel, or you can even make a dulce de leche sauce.
Looking for some Other Great Dough Recipes? Check these out
- How to Make Cinnamon Dough Ornaments
- Homemade Pizza Dough – Quick and Easy From Scratch
- Southern Style Breakfast Biscuits – The Secret to Fluffy Flaky Layers
Perfect Pastry Recipes
- Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers from That Recipe
- Creamy Pepper Jelly Bites from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Spanakopita Roll from Palatable Pastime
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Homemade Churros with Spicy Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Churros can be served as either an appetizer or a dessert. There are tons of ways to dress them up! They are so delicious and easy to make right at home.
Ingredients
For the choux dough
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 stick of butter, cut into pieces
- 3 tbsp sugar
- large pinch of Kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- oil for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mix
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 TBSP cinnamon
For the spicy chocolate dipping sauce
- 1/2 cup of cocoa
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 4 TBSP butter
- 1/2 cup of half and half
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
Instructions
!Make the Choux Dough
In a sauce pot on the stove, over medium heat -- heat the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla together. Once the mixture is boiling, take it off the heat and pour all of the flour into the pot at once.
With a wooden spoon, stir it quickly until the mixture comes together into a big ball of dough.
Now, flatten the mixture to the bottom of the pan you are using. Return it to the medium heat and then listen for the mixture to begin making a crackling sound.
Once you hear it crackling, pull the mixture to the side of the pot and see if there is a thin film on the bottom. If it is, your dough is dried enough to remove from the heat. If not put it back on the mixture until that film forms.
Now that you have removed the mixture from the heat, stir with the wooden spoon again until you do not see anymore steam.
Once the steam is gone, add in the eggs one at a time and stir until it is combined. Each egg needs to be completely absorbed into the dough before you add the next one. Once the batter is smooth and glossy you are done with the hardest part!
!Chill the dough
Take the dough and place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill the dough. This will help it hold together well when frying.
!Get Ready to Fry the Dough
While the dough is chilling, set up your fry station. You need a deep fryer, pot, or deep skillet with at least 3" of oil. Bring the oil to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, in a bowl with a lid combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Time to Pipe Those Churros!
Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. We got in these new disposable bags from Wilton and they worked amazing. Everything comes together all in one and when you are done, you throw the bag and the tip away with no mess to clean up.
Now, pipe strips of the choux pasty into the hot frying oil. We found it best to start at the pot away from you and come towards you. Pipe the strips about 5-6" long using a paring knife to cut the strip off into the oil as it comes out of the bag.
If your dough is sticking to the knife, dip the knife in the hot oil and it will cut right through the dough.
!Fry Those Churros
Use the tongs or a flat wired spatula to gently move the churros around in the oil making sure they fry well on both sides. Fry until they are golden brown -- about 3-4 minutes.
Transfer the churros to paper towels to drain and then toss them into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. If you use a bowl that has a lid, you can simply add your churros and flip the bowl upside down and back and the churros will be completely covered.
!Make That Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove and let it heat until all the butter has melted and everything combines together. Set aside and finish cooking your churros.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 282mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 34gProtein: 6g
Christie
Sunday 10th of December 2023
I've never made churros. They look so delicious and easy to make. I might just have to try these soon!
Ruth I
Monday 1st of July 2019
Churros has been one of my most favorites. It's perfect pair for a hot choco. I never thought it was just this easy.
Annie
Wednesday 26th of June 2019
This looks amazing! Love your photos and style!
Jennifer Sikora
Thursday 27th of June 2019
Thank you!
Ceci Rey
Wednesday 26th of June 2019
I love this recipe...your pictures are great...thanks for sharing!
Heather
Wednesday 26th of June 2019
This is one dessert that I could see myself making over and over again. love it.