Churros are a simple cooked dough (like choux) piped into hot oil. The ridges from a star tip aren't just pretty — they create more crispy surface and keep the churro from bursting. Roll them in cinnamon sugar the second they come out so it sticks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water + 2 tbsp sugar + 2 tbsp butter or oil + pinch salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg + 1 tsp vanilla
- Oil for frying
- To coat: ½ cup sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon
Method
- Make the dough. Bring the water, sugar, butter and salt to a boil. Off the heat, dump in the flour all at once and stir hard until it forms a smooth ball.
- Add egg. Let it cool a few minutes, then beat in the egg and vanilla until glossy and smooth (it'll look split at first — keep stirring).
- Pipe & fry. Spoon into a piping bag with a large star tip. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Pipe 4–6 inch strips straight into the oil, snipping with scissors. Fry, turning, until deep golden, 2–3 minutes.
- Coat. Drain briefly on a rack, then roll in the cinnamon sugar while still hot.
- Serve with warm chocolate or dulce de leche for dipping.
🌡 Oil temp is everything
Too cool = greasy, dense churros; too hot = raw centers. Keep it at 350°F with a thermometer, and don't crowd the pot.