Churros Recipe (Spanish Churros con Chocolate with Thick Hot Chocolate)
Easy churros recipe from Spain: crisp, golden piped churros made with just flour, water and salt, served with thick Spanish hot chocolate for dipping.
This churros recipe makes the real Spanish version: long, ridged sticks of fried dough that are crisp outside and soft inside, dunked into a cup of thick, glossy hot chocolate. The dough needs only flour, boiling water, salt and a little olive oil, so the whole thing comes together faster than you would expect.
In Spain, churros con chocolate are an institution. Madrid's chocolaterías have served them since the late 1800s, and people eat them for breakfast, as an afternoon merienda, or at dawn after a long night out, especially on New Year's morning. Nobody is completely sure where the name comes from. One popular story links it to the curly horns of the Churra sheep raised by shepherds in the mountains, who could fry simple dough over a fire. Others point to the Portuguese, who may have brought a similar fried dough back from China. Whatever the origin, the star-shaped ridges are essential.
The technique is a simple cooked dough. Pouring boiling water over the flour gelatinises the starch, which makes a stiff, smooth paste that holds its shape when piped. Traditional Spanish churros have no eggs or butter, which is why they turn out so crisp and light rather than cakey. Piping through a large open star nozzle creates ridges that crisp up beautifully and also stop the churros bursting in the hot oil. The chocolate is thickened with a little cornstarch, giving the classic Spanish chocolate a la taza that coats a churro instead of running off it.
For swaps, use a mix of milk and water for a slightly richer dough, or add a spoon of sugar and some lemon zest to the water. Rolling the hot churros in cinnamon sugar is the Latin American style and kids love it; in Madrid they are often served plain with a sugar bowl on the side. Dark chocolate between 55 and 70 percent works best, and oat or almond milk makes a good dairy-free chocolate.
Serve churros the moment they are drained, with a cup of hot chocolate per person. They are a perfect weekend breakfast, a party dessert, or a cosy treat on a cold evening with coffee.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ew7hXlbWsf0
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 250 g plain all-purpose flour
- 300 ml water
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sugar for the dough (optional)
- 1000 ml sunflower or other neutral oil for fryingSubstitute: light olive oil
- 100 g sugar for coating
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 500 ml whole milkSubstitute: oat milk for dairy-free chocolate
- 150 g dark chocolate (55 to 70 percent), chopped
- 2 tbsp sugar for the chocolate
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Method
- Make the dough. Bring the water, salt, olive oil and optional sugar to a rolling boil. Pour it over the flour in a bowl and stir hard with a wooden spoon until there are no dry patches and you have a thick, smooth, sticky dough.
- Rest the dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough cool for 10 minutes so it is easy to handle and pipes neatly.
- Fill the piping bag. Spoon the dough into a sturdy piping bag or churrera fitted with a large open star nozzle, about 1 cm wide. The star shape gives crisp ridges and stops the churros bursting.
- Heat the oil. Heat the frying oil in a deep, wide pan to 180°C (355°F). A small piece of dough should rise and bubble steadily straight away.
- Make the hot chocolate. Whisk the cornstarch into 100 ml of the cold milk. Heat the rest of the milk with the sugar until steaming, add the chocolate and whisk until melted, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Keep warm.
- Pipe and fry. Pipe 12 to 15 cm lengths straight into the hot oil, snipping them off with scissors, or pipe one long spiral. Fry 3 or 4 at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp.
- Drain and coat. Lift the churros onto a rack or paper towels for a few seconds, then roll them while still hot in the sugar, mixed with cinnamon if you like.
- Serve hot. Pour the thick chocolate into cups and serve right away with the warm churros for dipping.
The dough must be stiff, so measure the water carefully; if it is too soft the churros spread and soak up oil. Use a strong piping bag, a cloth bag, or a churrera, because the dough is too thick for thin disposable bags. Keep the oil at 180°C and fry in small batches, and make sure there are no air bubbles in the bag, as trapped air can make the dough spit. Churros are best eaten within 15 minutes, but leftovers crisp up again in a 200°C oven for 5 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce churros?
Churros is pronounced CHOO-rohs, with a rolled r in Spanish. Churros con chocolate is CHOO-rohs kon cho-ko-LAH-teh.
Do Spanish churros have eggs?
Classic Spanish churros have no eggs or butter, only flour, boiling water, salt and sometimes a little oil. Recipes with eggs come from choux pastry and give a softer, cakier result.
Why do my churros explode in the oil?
Churros burst when the dough is piped without ridges or contains air pockets. Use an open star nozzle, press the air out of the piping bag, and make sure the oil is not too hot.
What chocolate is served with churros in Spain?
Spaniards dip churros in chocolate a la taza, a thick drinking chocolate made with milk, dark chocolate, sugar and a little cornstarch so it clings to the churro.
Can I make churros in an air fryer?
You can, but they will be less crisp. Pipe them onto baking paper, spray with oil, and air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway, then roll in sugar.
Can I make churro dough ahead of time?
Yes. Keep the dough covered in the fridge for up to a day, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before piping so it is soft enough to squeeze.
