Crispy, crunchy, and festive, these homemade churros with chocolate dipping sauce are an irresistible treat. Strips of choux-style dough are fried until golden, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and served with a rich chocolate sauce for dipping.
Some of the most impressive foods—pizza, ice cream, stir-fries, and churros—are surprisingly simple to make at home. Instead of assuming they require special skills or equipment, try making them yourself. Churros are essentially lightly fried dough, and the process is straightforward.
The dough is a basic choux-style mixture (pronounced “shoo”) made from a few pantry staples. It doesn’t require yeast, kneading, or rising. For frying, you only need a few inches of oil in a medium pot—no specialty fryer required.
What Are Churros?
Churros are a beloved snack across Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, and they’re also popular in the U.S. They’re fried until crisp and golden, then tossed in cinnamon sugar. Street vendors and fair booths often sell them warm, sometimes alongside coffee, hot chocolate, or champurrado. Traditional churros are piped through a star tip so they have a long, ridged shape, though shapes can vary.
What You’ll Need
All the ingredients for these homemade churros are common pantry items you likely already have.
Churros Ingredients
- Flour: 2 cups all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons to keep the dough light.
- Salt: 1 teaspoon for seasoning.
- Oil in the dough: 3 tablespoons to condition the mixture. You’ll also need 2 inches of neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut) for frying.
- Boiling water: 2 cups—the hot water is what creates the choux-like texture.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- Sugar: 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon: 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
For the Chocolate Sauce
- Dark chocolate: 3/4 cup chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate.
- Heavy cream: 3/4 cup heavy cream to make a smooth ganache.
- Vanilla: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to finish the sauce.
How To Make This Churros Recipe
To ensure even frying, a deep-fry thermometer is helpful to monitor oil temperature. Aim for around 340°F (170°C).
- Make the dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the oil and boiling water, stirring until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Prepare to fry: Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1/3-inch star tip. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it reaches about 340°F.
- Fry the churros: Pipe 6-inch lengths of dough into the hot oil, cutting them with scissors. Fry 3–4 at a time to avoid overcrowding. Cook 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden.
- Drain and coat: Drain cooked churros briefly on paper towels or a wire rack to remove excess oil. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and roll each warm churro in the mixture until fully coated.
- Make the chocolate dipping sauce: Heat the cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate, or warm them together in a double boiler until smooth. You can also microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until fully melted. Stir in the vanilla and serve warm with churros.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make and fry churros ahead of time but wait to toss them in cinnamon sugar. When ready to serve, warm the churros in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, then roll them in the cinnamon sugar and prepare the chocolate sauce to serve fresh.
Recipe Tips
- Roll quickly: Drain churros for only about 20 seconds so they stay warm and slightly moist—this helps the cinnamon sugar adhere.
- Try extracts: Add a little vanilla or almond extract to the dough for a subtle flavor boost.
- Seasonal variation: Swap pumpkin pie spice for cinnamon for a fall twist, and enjoy with coffee or iced coffee for a cozy pairing.
Proper Storage
- To store: Churros are best warm. Keep leftovers in an airtight container lined with paper towels at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avoid refrigerating, which makes them soggy.
- To reheat: Rewarm churros on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until crisp and warmed through.
Homemade churros
Ingredients
For the Churros
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups boiling water
- Oil for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Chocolate Dipping Sauce
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Combine the ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add oil and boiling water and mix until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
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Fill the piping bag. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1/3-inch star tip.
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Heat the oil. In a heavy-bottomed pot, add 2 inches of oil and heat to about 340°F.
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Fry the churros. Pipe 6-inch lengths into the oil, cutting them with scissors. Fry 3–4 at a time for 3–5 minutes until golden, turning occasionally.
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Cool and drain. Place churros on paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil briefly.
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Coat in cinnamon sugar. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and roll each warm churro until coated.
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Make the chocolate sauce. Melt chocolate with cream using a double boiler or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
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Serve. Serve churros warm with the chocolate dipping sauce.
Equipment
- Deep fry thermometer (recommended)
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate. Values may vary with ingredients and preparation methods. Use a nutrition calculator for precise values.
More Desserts to Try
If you love sweets, try some of these other favorite dessert recipes next.
- Peach Dump Cake from Scratch
- No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- Red Velvet Cheesecake with Oreo Crust