There is something magical about biting into a hot churro: crisp on the outside, tender inside, and still warm enough to melt into sugar and cinnamon. This recipe is my authentic Spanish-style churros, made the way you’ll find them in Madrid: just flour, water, salt and oil, fried until golden, then rolled in sugar.

On my blog you will also find my “churros my way” recipe, a richer version inspired by pâte à choux with butter and eggs. This post is for the classic Spanish churro. It is based on my video, but I made a few changes and clarifications here to make the method easier to reproduce at home for readers in Canada and the USA.

What Makes These Churros Authentic?

Traditional Spanish churros are surprisingly simple:

No eggs
No butter
No milk

The dough is a thick paste of hot water, flour and salt, sometimes with a splash of oil. The texture comes from how you mix the dough and how you fry it, not from extra fat or baking powder.

This makes them:

Naturally dairy-free
Easy to make with pantry ingredients
Perfect for frying quickly when you’re craving a street-style dessert at home

If you prefer a softer, richer churro with a slightly different crumb, you can still visit my “churros my way” recipe on the blog. Here we stay as close as possible to the Spanish classic.

Why You’ll Love This Authentic Churro Recipe

Short ingredient list – Flour, water, salt, oil, sugar and cinnamon. That’s it.
Perfect for sharing – A big plate of churros in the middle of the table disappears fast.
Easy to fry at home – If you already make authentic Belgian fries or crispy homemade fried chicken, you’re ready to fry churros.
Works with many desserts on the blog – They pair wonderfully with chocolate, fruit and ice cream, like my no-churn dark chocolate ice cream, French fruit tart or ultra-rich chocolate mousse.

Ingredients for Authentic Spanish Churros

For about 25–30 small churros (4–6 servings):

Churro dough

250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
250 g (250 ml / 1 cup) boiling water
4 g (¾ tsp) fine salt
15 g (1 tbsp) neutral oil (sunflower, canola, peanut)

For frying:

1–1.5 L (4–6 cups) neutral frying oil (enough for a pot with at least 5 cm / 2 inches of oil)

Sugar coating

100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
5 g (2 tsp) ground cinnamon (optional but highly recommended)

Optional thick hot chocolate for dipping

250 g (1 cup) whole milk
125 g (½ cup) heavy cream (35 %)
150 g (5.3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
25 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
10 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the sugar coating

In a shallow dish, mix together the 100 g sugar and 5 g cinnamon.
Reserve near your frying area. You’ll roll the hot churros in this mixture.

2. Make the churro dough (authentic Spanish method)

This dough is simple, but a few details are important:

Heat the water
- Bring 250 g (250 ml) water to a full boil in a saucepan.
- When it boils, add the 4 g (¾ tsp) salt and 15 g (1 tbsp) oil, stir, then remove from heat.
Add the flour all at once
- Place 250 g flour in a heat-resistant bowl.
- Pour the boiling water mixture over the flour in one go.
- Immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula.
Work the dough until smooth
- At first, the dough will look rough and thick. Keep mixing.
- Press and fold the dough against the sides of the bowl until it becomes smooth and forms a soft, slightly sticky ball.
- There should be no dry flour pockets. The dough must be thick enough to hold shape when piped.
Cool slightly before piping
- Let the dough rest 5–10 minutes. It should still be warm but not burning hot when transferred to the piping bag.
- Do not add extra water at this stage; adding cold water later can cause dangerous splattering when frying.

3. Prepare the piping bag

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (8–12 mm). The star tip gives churros their classic ridges.
Spoon the warm dough into the bag, pressing it down to avoid air pockets.
Twist the top of the bag to keep it tight.

If you enjoy working with choux-style doughs, you’ll probably also like recipes like my homemade crispy waffles, easy homemade crepes or bakery-style double chocolate muffins.

4. Heat the frying oil

Pour 1–1.5 L oil into a deep, heavy pot. The oil depth should be at least 5 cm / 2 inches.
Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 180–185 °C (355–365 °F).
If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of dough into the oil:
- It should bubble actively and float to the surface within a few seconds, without burning too quickly.

5. Pipe and fry the churros

Hold the piping bag over the hot oil.
Pipe a strip of dough (about 10–12 cm / 4–5 inches long) and cut it with scissors or a knife so it falls gently into the oil.
Fry 5–6 churros at a time, depending on the size of your pot. Avoid overcrowding.

Frying time:

Fry each batch 2–4 minutes, turning once or twice, until the churros are deeply golden and crisp.
Adjust the heat to keep the temperature stable. If they darken too fast while staying pale inside, lower the heat slightly.

Remove churros with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain for a few seconds.

6. Coat in cinnamon sugar

While the churros are still hot but no longer dripping with oil, roll them generously in the sugar–cinnamon mixture.
Arrange on a serving plate.
Serve immediately, ideally with a warm dipping chocolate.

7. Make the optional thick hot chocolate

In a saucepan, whisk together 250 g milk, 125 g cream, 25 g sugar and 10 g cornstarch until smooth.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add the 150 g dark chocolate.
Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is thick and glossy.

This thick chocolate sauce also pairs beautifully with other desserts, like my Nutella-stuffed beignets, moist apple cake or raspberry clafoutis.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Authentic Churros

Use boiling water: The hot water partially gelatinizes the starch in the flour, helping the dough hold together and giving a slightly chewy interior.
Don’t thin the dough with cold water: This can cause steam explosions in the oil. Adjust consistency only at the beginning with hot water.
Pipe evenly: For even cooking, aim for churros of similar length and thickness.
Keep the oil hot but not smoking: Around 180 °C (355 °F) is ideal. Too cold, they absorb oil; too hot, they burn outside and stay doughy inside.
Serve immediately: Like fresh crispy Belgian fries or fried brie, churros are best eaten within minutes of frying.

Substitutions and Variations

Flour: Use standard all-purpose flour. Bread flour makes churros chewier; cake flour makes them more fragile.
No cinnamon: You can coat them only in sugar, like some churrerías in Spain.
Citrus sugar: Mix grated orange or lemon zest into the sugar for a fragrant twist.
Spiced sugar: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Vegan version: This recipe is already dairy-free. Use vegetable oil for frying and serve with a dark chocolate sauce made with plant-based milk.

If you love classic European desserts, you might also enjoy my French fruit tart, no-churn dark chocolate ice cream, ultra-rich chocolate mousse or the dessert collection here: desserts recipes.

What to Serve with Authentic Churros

Churros are perfect on their own, but they become a complete dessert table when served with:

Thick hot chocolate (recipe above)
A scoop of no-churn dark chocolate ice cream
A slice of moist apple cake for a warm–cold contrast
Individual French fruit tarts
A spoonful of ultra-rich chocolate mousse
Classic easy homemade crepes or homemade crispy waffles for a full brunch table
A dessert buffet built around bakery-style double chocolate muffins and other treats from my dessert collection

FAQ – Authentic Spanish Churros

Can I make the dough in advance?
You can prepare the dough up to 2 hours ahead. Keep it covered at room temperature. It will stiffen slightly as it cools but should still pipe. For best texture, fry the churros the same day.

Can I bake churros instead of frying?
Authentic Spanish churros are fried. You can pipe the dough onto a baking sheet and bake at 200 °C / 400 °F until golden, but the texture will be different and less crisp.

Why did my churros burst in the oil?
Possible reasons: dough too thin, added extra cold water, or trapped air pockets in the dough. Make sure the dough is thick, mixed thoroughly, and piped without large bubbles.

Can I freeze churros?
You can pipe raw churros onto a tray, freeze them solid, then fry from frozen. They will take a bit longer to cook. Fried churros are best eaten fresh, but you can reheat them in a hot oven for a few minutes to refresh the texture.

What’s the difference between this recipe and your “churros my way” recipe?
This version is the traditional Spanish churro: no eggs, no butter, no milk. My “churros my way” recipe on the blog uses a richer dough inspired by pâte à choux, with a slightly softer interior and a different flavour profile.

Authentic Spanish Churros (No Eggs, No Butter) – Traditional Street-Style Recipe

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Prep Time 10

Cooking Time 10

Category Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Portions 6 Portions

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

Churros

250 g 2 cups all-purpose flour
250 g 250 ml / 1 cup boiling water
4 g ¾ tsp fine salt
15 g 1 tbsp neutral oil

For frying

1 –1.5 L 4–6 cups neutral frying oil
Sugar coating
100 g ½ cup granulated sugar
5 g 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Optional chocolate sauce

250 g 1 cup whole milk
125 g ½ cup heavy cream
150 g 5.3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
25 g 2 tbsp sugar
10 g 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Prepare sugar coating: Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Reserve.
Make dough: Bring water to a boil with salt and oil. Place flour in a bowl, pour boiling water mixture over it and stir vigorously until a thick, smooth dough forms with no dry spots. Let rest 5–10 minutes.
Fill piping bag: Transfer the warm dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Press down to remove air pockets.
Heat oil: Fill a deep pot with oil (at least 5 cm / 2 inches deep). Heat to 180–185 °C (355–365 °F).
Pipe churros: Pipe 10–12 cm (4–5 inch) strips of dough directly into the hot oil, cutting them with scissors or a knife. Fry in small batches.
Fry: Cook each batch 2–4 minutes, turning once or twice, until deeply golden and crisp. Adjust heat to keep temperature stable.
Drain and coat: Transfer churros to paper towels for a few seconds, then roll immediately in the sugar–cinnamon mixture. Serve hot.
Optional chocolate sauce: Whisk milk, cream, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring. Remove from heat, add chocolate, rest 1 minute, then whisk until smooth and thick. Serve warm with churros.

Video

Notes

Substitutions and Variations

Flour: Use standard all-purpose flour. Bread flour makes churros chewier; cake flour makes them more fragile.
No cinnamon: You can coat them only in sugar, like some churrerías in Spain.
Citrus sugar: Mix grated orange or lemon zest into the sugar for a fragrant twist.
Spiced sugar: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Vegan version: This recipe is already dairy-free. Use vegetable oil for frying and serve with a dark chocolate sauce made with plant-based milk.

If you love classic European desserts, you might also enjoy my French fruit tart, no-churn dark chocolate ice cream, ultra-rich chocolate mousse or the dessert collection here: desserts recipes.

FAQ – Authentic Spanish Churros

Keywords Desserts

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