These churros are my personal take on the classic Spanish fried dough. Instead of the traditional water–flour–salt dough, I use a pâte-à-choux style base with butter, eggs, and vanilla for an extra rich, custardy interior and a crispy, golden shell. It’s based on my YouTube video, but I’ve adjusted the proportions and steps here after making several batches at home to make the recipe easier and more consistent for you.

If you prefer the classic version made only with water, flour and salt, you’ll also find a traditional churros recipe on my blog. This one is “Churros My Way” – perfect for a weekend dessert, a cozy movie night, or a fun homemade fair-style treat in your Canadian or American kitchen.

Why You’ll Love These “My Way” Churros

Rich and custardy inside thanks to the eggs and butter.
Crispy outside with a generous cinnamon sugar coating.
No special machine needed – just a piping bag with a star tip and a pot of oil.
Perfect for dipping in chocolate sauce, caramel, or with a scoop of no-churn ice cream.
Great addition to a homemade dessert spread with recipes like my authentic Belgian fries as a salty side or a slice of lemon meringue pie for citrus lovers.

Ingredients Overview

Dough (Pâte à Choux Style)

For these churros, I moved away from the very soft dough of the original video. I increased the flour slightly, reduced the butter, and limit the eggs to three. This gives you:

A dough that holds its shape when piped.
Less oil absorption.
A crunchy exterior that stays crisp longer.

You’ll need:

Water and salted butter: heated together to create the base.
All-purpose flour: added all at once and cooked to form a panade.
Eggs: beaten in one by one until the dough is glossy and pipeable.
Vanilla: for aroma and a warm, bakery-style flavour.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

A simple mixture of cane sugar and cinnamon for rolling the hot churros as soon as they come out of the oil. You can also use this same coating on recipes like my homemade waffles or easy pancakes if you enjoy that warm cinnamon flavor at breakfast.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Panade

Heat the water and butter together until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to simmer. This hot liquid hydrates the flour and helps gelatinize the starches.

Off the heat, add the flour all at once and stir vigorously. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a smooth ball and leaves a film on the bottom of the pan. This step is essential to dry the dough slightly so it can accept the eggs without becoming too runny.

2. Incorporate the Eggs

Transfer the hot dough to a bowl and let it cool a few minutes. Then add the vanilla and whisk in the eggs one by one. The dough will look broken at first, then smooth out. After the third egg, you should have a thick, glossy paste that slowly falls from the spatula in a V shape. This texture is what makes these churros puff slightly in the oil while still holding their ridged shape.

3. Pipe the Churros

Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a medium or large star tip. This star shape is what gives churros their classic ridges and extra crunch. If you’ve made my Nutella-stuffed beignets or fried Brie, you’ll already be comfortable with piping or shaping doughs for frying.

4. Fry to Golden Perfection

Heat neutral frying oil to about 185–190°C (365–375°F). Pipe strips of dough directly over the hot oil and cut them with scissors. Fry in batches until deeply golden, turning occasionally for even color.

Drain the churros briefly on paper towels, then roll them immediately in cinnamon sugar so it sticks perfectly to the hot surface.

5. Serve

Serve warm with chocolate sauce, caramel, or alongside a bowl of no-churn dark chocolate ice cream or a creamy dessert like my rice pudding.

Tips for Perfect Churros at Home

Check the dough consistency: after the third egg, the dough should be thick but pipeable. If it’s so soft that it flows out of the bag on its own, it’s too loose.
Don’t skip drying the panade: cooking the flour in the pot before adding eggs is what prevents greasy churros.
Use a star tip: it enlarges the surface area, creating more crisp edges and helping the center cook through.
Keep the oil hot but not smoking: if the oil is too cool, churros soak oil; too hot, they brown outside while staying doughy inside. An instant-read thermometer is very helpful.
Work in small batches: overcrowding drops the oil temperature and makes the texture heavy.

If you enjoy deep-fried comfort food, you might also like my homemade Korean fried chicken, crispy General Tso’s chicken, or classic fish and chips.

Substitutions and Variations

Butter: you can use unsalted butter and add 3–4 g (½ tsp) fine salt to the water.
Sugar: regular granulated sugar works if you don’t have cane sugar. Brown sugar gives a slightly deeper caramel note.
Spices: replace some of the cinnamon with cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or a pinch of nutmeg.
Vanilla: swap for a bit of orange zest or a splash of rum for a different twist.
For a lighter meal: serve churros as dessert after a simple pasta dish like spaghetti with meat sauce or lemon garlic creamy pasta.

FAQ

Can I bake these churros instead of frying?

You can pipe the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 200°C (400°F) until golden, but the texture will be closer to éclairs than classic churros. For the true churro crunch, frying is best.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

You can make the dough a few hours in advance and keep it covered at room temperature. For longer storage, it’s better to pipe the churros onto a tray, freeze them, then fry from frozen, just like I sometimes do with homemade chicken nuggets.

Why are my churros soggy?

The oil temperature was likely too low or the dough too wet. Make sure to cook the panade well, add the eggs gradually, and keep the oil around 185–190°C (365–375°F).

Why did my churros burst in the oil?

If the dough is very thick in the center or the oil is extremely hot, steam can build up and split the churro. A ridged piping tip, proper oil temperature, and even thickness help prevent this.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Churros are best eaten fresh, but you can freeze already-fried churros and reheat them in a hot oven to crisp them again. They won’t be quite as perfect but still very enjoyable.

What to Serve with Churros My Way

Churros pair beautifully with:

A small bowl of ultra-rich chocolate mousse.
A slice of French fruit tart with fresh berries.
Classic pouding chômeur for a full Québec-style dessert table.
Bakery-style double chocolate muffins for serious chocolate lovers.
A scoop of creamy pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup as a cozy starter before dessert.

How to Make Churros at Home My Way – Easy Cinnamon Sugar Churros for North American Kitchens

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Prep Time 10

Cooking Time 15

Category Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Portions 4 Portions

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

Churro Dough

200 g 7 fl oz water
80 g 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed
190 g 1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs about 150 g, at room temperature
5 ml 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

150 g ¾ cup cane sugar
5 g 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For Frying

1000 ml 4 cups neutral oil for frying (canola, peanut, or vegetable oil)

Instructions

In a medium pot, bring the 200 g water and 80 g butter just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted.
Remove from the heat, add the 190 g flour all at once, and stir vigorously. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a smooth ball and leaves a thin film on the bottom of the pot.
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool 5–10 minutes. Mix in the 5 ml vanilla extract.
Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and slowly falls from the spatula in a V shape.
Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
In a deep pot, heat the neutral oil to 185–190°C (365–375°F).
Pipe strips of dough directly over the hot oil, cutting them with scissors to the desired length. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown.
Drain briefly on paper towels.
In a shallow dish, mix the 150 g cane sugar and 5 g cinnamon. Roll the hot churros in the cinnamon sugar until well coated.
Serve warm with your favorite sauce or alongside other homemade desserts.

Video

Notes