Sarah's Kitchen / Spain/Mexico / Desserts

Churros con Chocolate

Fried Dough with Hot Chocolate Dipping Sauce

"Crispy outside. Soft inside. Covered in cinnamon sugar. Dipped in chocolate. Perfect."

45Minutes
20-24Churros
2/5Difficulty

The Origin

From Spain to Mexico to your kitchen — the perfect fried dough.

The Sweet Journey

The origin of churros is disputed. Some say Spanish shepherds invented them in the mountains, a simple dough fried over campfires when bread wasn't available. Others trace them to China via Portuguese traders.

What's certain is that Spain embraced churros as their own. In Madrid, churrerías have served them for breakfast since the 1800s — dunked in thick, almost pudding-like hot chocolate. The tradition of chocolate con churros after a late night out is sacred.

When churros crossed to Mexico and Latin America, they evolved. Filled with dulce de leche. Coated in cinnamon sugar. Made longer, thicker, sometimes stuffed with cajeta or Bavarian cream. The Mexican churro became its own art form.

"A churro without chocolate is like a heart without love — still functional, but missing the point."

The Ingredients

La Masa — The Dough

Simple Magic
  • 1 cupWater
  • ½ cupButter (1 stick)
  • 2 tbspSugar
  • ¼ tspSalt
  • 1 cupAll-purpose flour
  • 1Large egg
  • 1 tspVanilla extract

Para Freír — For Frying

  • 4+ cupsVegetable oilFor deep frying

El Coating — Cinnamon Sugar

  • ½ cupSugar
  • 1 tbspGround cinnamon

El Chocolate — Spanish-Style Dipping Sauce

NON-NEGOTIABLE
  • 4 ozDark chocolate (70%)Chopped
  • 1 cupWhole milk
  • ½ cupHeavy cream
  • 2 tbspSugar
  • 1 tbspCornstarch
  • PinchSalt
  • ½ tspVanilla extract

The Method

01

Make the Dough (10 min)

1

Combine water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

2

Remove from heat. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until a ball forms and pulls away from the sides.

Critical

The dough should be smooth, not lumpy. Keep stirring until completely combined.

3

Let cool 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth and pipeable.

4

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or a sturdy plastic bag with corner cut).

02

Make the Chocolate Sauce

5

Whisk cornstarch into ¼ cup of the milk until dissolved.

6

Heat remaining milk, cream, and sugar in a saucepan until steaming.

7

Add chocolate and stir until melted. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.

8

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt. Keep warm.

Spanish Style

This should be thick — almost pudding-like. Thin it with more milk if you prefer it pourable.

03

Fry the Churros

9

Heat oil to 360°F in a deep pot or Dutch oven. Use a thermometer — temperature matters.

10

Pipe 4-6 inch strips of dough directly into the oil, cutting with scissors or a knife. Fry 3-4 at a time.

11

Fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden brown. They should be crispy outside but cooked through.

12

Drain on paper towels for 30 seconds, then immediately roll in cinnamon sugar.

Critical

Roll while hot! The sugar sticks to warm churros. Cold churros = naked churros.

04

Serve

13

Pile churros on a plate. Serve immediately with warm chocolate sauce for dipping.

Variations

Ways to gild the lily.

Churros Rellenos

Pipe dulce de leche, Nutella, or pastry cream into cooled churros using a long tip.

Churro Ice Cream Sandwich

Slice a churro lengthwise, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate.

Churro Bites

Pipe 1-inch rounds instead of strips. Perfect for parties.