There’s something undeniably magical about the crisp, golden exterior paired with the warm, soft inside of these sweet treats. This Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe brings that magic right to your kitchen, making a snack that’s irresistible and perfect for any occasion.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve made churros from scratch several times now, and each batch is a little celebration. What makes this particular Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe stand out is how simple it is to get professional-level results at home—without weird ingredients or complicated steps.
- Authentic Flavor: It nails that classic cinnamon-sugar crispness paired with a luscious chocolate dip.
- Easy to Make: The dough comes together quickly, and frying isn’t as intimidating as it seems.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust cinnamon levels or switch up dipping sauces to suit your taste.
- Perfect for Sharing: These churros are a hit at parties, family dinners, or cozy nights in.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each component here plays a crucial role in getting that perfect churro texture and flavor. You'll also find it’s quite straightforward to pick these ingredients up at any grocery store.
- Water: Creates steam in the dough for a light, airy texture on the inside.
- Granulated Sugar: Used both in the dough and the coating to add sweetness and balance flavors.
- Salt: Enhances the overall taste by balancing the sweetness and enriching the dough.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps achieve that tender crumb inside the churros.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the dough providing structure and chewiness.
- Eggs: Bind the dough and contribute to that classic churro chew and shine.
- Vegetable Oil: Ideal for frying because of its high smoke point, ensuring a golden crisp finish.
- Ground Cinnamon: Combined with sugar for that iconic churro coating—warm and fragrant.
- Heavy Cream: Essential for a silky chocolate dipping sauce that feels decadent without being overly sweet.
- Dark Chocolate: The star of the dipping sauce; its richness perfectly balances the crunchy cinnamon sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and a subtle sweetness to the chocolate sauce.
Make It Your Way
One of my favorite things about this Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe is how easy it is to tweak depending on your mood—or what you have in the cabinet. You’ll enjoy making it truly your own.
- Variation: Sometimes I like swapping dark chocolate for milk chocolate in the dipping sauce for a sweeter, creamier touch. It’s delicious and kid-friendly.
- Dietary Swap: For gluten-free friends, using a gluten-free flour blend works well, though texture might be a tiny bit different.
- Spice Kick: Adding a pinch of cayenne to the cinnamon sugar mix gives a surprising little kick that I love for serving at parties.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
Step 1: Whip Up the Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Start by gently heating heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer—don’t let it boil! Then, off the heat, stir in chopped dark chocolate and let it sit a minute before mixing until silky smooth. Finish with a splash of vanilla extract. This sauce is everything—rich, warm, and perfectly luscious for dipping.
Step 2: Make the Churro Dough
In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat until the butter melts. Lower heat, add your flour all at once, and stir vigorously—this is when the dough starts coming together as a smooth ball. Let it cool for a few minutes before adding eggs one at a time. Don’t worry if it looks strange or separates at first; keep mixing, and it’ll bind beautifully.
Step 3: Get Ready to Fry
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or deep fryer to 375°F (190°C). Meanwhile, mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish for coating. Patience here is key: don’t crowd the pan or your churros might get soggy instead of crisp.
Step 4: Pipe and Fry Those Churros
Transfer churro dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Carefully pipe 3-4 inch strips into the hot oil and fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Use scissors to snip the dough as you go. Drain on paper towels, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar while they’re warm—this step is where all the magic happens.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Serve your churros warm with that incredible chocolate dipping sauce on the side. Trust me, dunking warm churros into that sauce brings it all together in the best way.
Top Tip
Through a few batches of trial and error, I’ve found some little tricks that really make your Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe shine every single time.
- Don’t Crowd the Pan: Giving each churro plenty of space means they puff up nicely and stay crisp—not oily or soggy.
- Use a Star Tip: It’s not just for looks—those ridges help the churros hold onto cinnamon sugar and cook evenly.
- Keep the Oil Hot: Use a thermometer to maintain 375°F; oil that’s too cold will soak into the dough, too hot burns them fast.
- Roll While Warm: Cinnamon sugar sticks best when churros are still hot from frying, so don’t wait too long!
How to Serve Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep it simple with just cinnamon sugar, but for a special touch, sprinkling powdered sugar or drizzling a bit of caramel on top complements the chocolate sauce wonderfully, adding that extra wow factor without fuss.
Side Dishes
These churros pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh berries for a refreshing contrast. On the savory side, a spicy hot chocolate or café con leche rounds out the experience perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
I’ve served them up in paper cones lined with parchment for parties, which makes sharing fun and easy. For a cozy night in, a rustic wooden board with dipping bowls and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on the side sets the perfect indulgent vibe.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you happen to have leftovers (which is rare in my house!), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. They tend to lose their crispness quickly, so try to enjoy them fresh if you can.
Freezing
I love piping the dough onto a baking sheet, freezing the raw churros individually, then storing them in a freezer bag. When churro cravings hit, just fry them straight from frozen—just add a couple extra minutes to the frying time. It’s a game-changer for ready-to-go treats!
Reheating
If you’ve got cooked churros, reheating in a hot oven or air fryer for a few minutes helps bring back the crispness. Microwaving makes them chewy, so try to avoid that if you want them as close to fresh as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While you can bake churros for a slightly lighter option, frying gives them that classic golden crispiness and texture that baking often can’t replicate. If you want to bake, use a high oven temperature and brush them with butter for a better crust.
Vegetable oil is ideal due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor, which helps the churros cook evenly and stay crispy without any off taste. Canola or sunflower oil will work well, too.
Absolutely! The chocolate sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it gently in a microwave or over a double boiler before serving for that perfect dipping consistency.
It’s totally normal for the dough to look a bit curdled or separated when you first add the eggs. Keep mixing vigorously—the dough will come back together smoothly once the eggs are fully incorporated.
Final Thoughts
This Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe is one of those recipes I go back to again and again because it delivers exactly what I—and I bet you, too—am craving: warm, crunchy, sweet little bites of happiness with a rich sauce to dip. It’s approachable enough for a casual weekend treat and special enough to impress friends. Give it a try—you’ll love having this crowd-pleaser in your dessert rotation!
Print
Homemade Churros with Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Dipping Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Spanish
Description
This homemade churros recipe delivers crispy, golden Spanish-style fried dough sticks rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with a rich, velvety chocolate dipping sauce. Perfect for dessert or an indulgent snack, these churros have a delightfully tender interior and a crunchy exterior, made fresh with simple ingredients and fried to perfection.
Ingredients
For Churros
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- vegetable oil (for frying)
For The Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For The Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Chocolate Dipping Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Let it sit for one minute, then stir until the chocolate melts completely and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside.
- Prepare the Churro Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine water, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, salt, and unsalted butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the butter melts, reduce heat to low and add the all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool for a few minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs: When the dough has cooled slightly but is still warm, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and cohesive. The dough may appear separated at first, but keep mixing until fully combined.
- Heat the Oil: In a large deep skillet or deep fryer, heat vegetable oil to 375°F (190°C). Use a thermometer to maintain a consistent temperature for even frying.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: While the oil is heating, mix ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a shallow dish and set aside.
- Pipe and Fry the Churros: Transfer the churro dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Carefully pipe 3-4 inch long strips of dough directly into the hot oil, snipping with scissors to release each piece. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook the churros for about 2-3 minutes per side, turning once until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain and Coat: Using a slotted spoon, remove churros and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. While still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Serve: Serve churros warm with the prepared chocolate dipping sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Fry churros in small batches to prevent overcrowding, which can cause sogginess.
- Use a large star piping tip for the classic churro shape and even cooking.
- The dough will separate or look strange when adding eggs, but continue to mix until it comes together smoothly.
- You can freeze raw piped churros on a baking sheet and fry directly from frozen when desired.
- Serve churros with the rich chocolate sauce for the best experience; it complements their crispy texture perfectly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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