In Spain, we eat these Spanish churros for a special breakfast or snack anytime of day. The whole family will love this authentic churros recipe--especially if you serve these hot, crispy treats with a cup of hot chocolate!
Love fried desserts? Make sure to try these recipes for Spanish buñuelos and fried donuts (roscos fritos).
Introduction
You might have heard of churros, but do you know what they are? These tubes of fried dough are made from flour, water, and salt, and are a favorite Spanish snack or special breakfast. Although churros originated in Spain, they've spread throughout the world and have many variations in Latin American countries and the US.
Fortunately, these treats are surprisingly easy to make, which means you can enjoy these crispy delights at home if you don't have a churrería nearby. If you're in Spain, make sure to visit a churrería for the best churros ever!
Ingredients
The ingredients for churros couldn't be simpler! You only need 6 basic pantry staples to make this mouthwatering Spanish dessert. Let's talk about them.
- Flour: My Spanish friend Sensi used pastry flour to make churros, but all other recipes call for all-purpose. Feel free to try using pastry flour if you'd like!
- Baking Powder: This technically is an optional ingredient, but I like to add some to make the churros lighter and crispier.
- Spices: Salt seasons the dough, and a touch of cinnamon sprinkled on the churros after frying gives them a wonderful flavor (although it's not traditional in Spain).
- Olive Oil: You can fry the churros in vegetable oil, but everyone in Andalusia uses good-quality olive oil. The churros taste better cooked in olive oil!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Spanish Churros
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Sift the flour to remove lumps and incorporate air into the mixture. (image 1)
- Whisk in the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. (image 2)
- Boil the water, then pour it into the flour and stir until the dough is smooth and free from lumps. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute if you don't want to do it by hand. (image 3)
- Let the dough rest and cool for about 5 minutes. (image 4)
- Grab a churro maker or piping bag fitted with a star tip and fill it with the churro mixture. (image 5)
- Heat the oil to 350°F (177°C), then pipe a spiral of the churro dough into the hot oil. (image 6)
- Cook until golden. Separate the spirals so they don't stick, and flip the spiral if necessary to brown it on the other side. (image 7)
- Drain the churro on paper towels and repeat the frying process with the remaining dough. (image 8)
- Cut the spirals into small sticks for easier eating. (image 9)
- Serve with hot chocolate or sprinkled with sugar and enjoy while they're hot and fresh! (image 10)
Recipe FAQs
Porras are the fat cousin of churros. They're another popular type of fried dough that has baking soda in the recipe, and they're fatter and chewier than traditional churros. Everyone has their preference between the two, although I love both!
The history of churros goes back centuries, but is disputed. Some say Spanish shepherds invented them as an alternative to baked goods since the dough is easy to make and fry. Others say the Portuguese sampled them in China and brought them back to the Iberian Peninsula.
Regardless of their origin, churros became a cheap and popular snack food in Spain. Spanish immigrants spread the recipe to Latin America, where they are often stuffed with chocolate or dulce de leche or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
In Spain, churros are served for a special breakfast treat once or twice a week, but they're also loved as a mid-morning snack or afternoon snack (merienda). If you're out late after going to bars or clubs or at a wedding, churros are a popular 3 am snack!
In Spain, churros are traditionally only sprinkled with sugar after frying, and are often served with a cup of thick drinking chocolate on the side.
In Mexico, churros are usually sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar after frying, and can be served with chocolate or dulce de leche.
Serve
In Spain, churros are served plain, and may come with a packet of sugar on the side. You can order a mug of hot chocolate for dipping and drinking, but they aren't stuffed with chocolate, cheese, or anything else (unless you're at a carnival). Often, adults will opt for coffee and leave the rich chocolate for the kids, though!
Churros with chocolate are never dessert in Spain! Traditionally, churros are strictly a breakfast food or a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to sift the flour before mixing the dough to prevent lumps and to have a lighter dough.
- Beat the churro dough with an electric mixer for 1 minute, or until it's smooth, instead of by hand.
- Finding it tricky to use a piping bag to make the churros? Use a churros maker instead!
Homemade Churros Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- good quality olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Sift the flour, then add the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and whisk until well combined.
- Boil the water, then add it to the dry ingredients and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Use an electric mixer here if you prefer; beat for 1 minute or so on medium speed.
- Let the dough rest and cool for about 5 minutes.
- Prepare a churrera (churro maker) or a piping bag fitted with a star tip, then fill it with the churro dough.
- Pour the oil into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C).
- Once the oil is hot enough, pipe a spiral of churro dough into the oil and cook until browned. Separate the spirals so that they don't stick, and flip the spiral to brown it on the other side.
- Once the churro is golden brown, take it out and let it drain on paper towels.
- Repeat the process until all the churros have been made.
- Cut the spirals into sticks of churros. Serve with hot chocolate or sprinkle with sugar and enjoy them hot and fresh.
Notes
- Be sure to sift the flour before mixing the dough to prevent lumps and to have a lighter dough.
- Beat the churro dough with an electric mixer for 1 minute, or until it's smooth, instead of by hand.
- Finding it tricky to use a piping bag to make the churros? Use a churros maker instead!
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Camille
Hi friend, thank you so much for this! We are watching La Vuelta every morning through 17 September and I have been making Spanish foods for us (traditional tapas for the evening stage, and tarta de Santiago and café con leche for the morning stages so far). I am excited to make your authentic hot chocolate and churros later this week. My mom is celiac so I use gluten free flour in all baked goods. Do you think I could use that in this recipe? Thanks!
Joni
Thank you for the recipe! We have a foreign exchange student from Madrid living with us. I made this for her for breakfast this morning, and she said they taste just like home. Thank you!