Easy Spanish Churros

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Spain's equivalent of doughnuts, churros, are famous throughout the world. They are commonly enjoyed for breakfast or for the Spanish afternoon snack called the merienda, and are sold at cafes, churros bars, and from street vendor carts. Traditional Spanish churros come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most common being a loop or a stick.

Luckily, we don't need to travel to Spain to enjoy these delicious sticks of fried dough as they are easy to make at home. A simple batter is piped into hot oil and fried until golden. They can be eaten as is or sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with honey for a sweet finishing touch. Cinnamon is not a typical topping in Spain, but it is common with Mexican churros. Churros are also amazing when dipped in rich and creamy Spanish hot chocolate.

Easy Spanish Churros recipe

The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

Ingredients

For the Churros

  • Oil, for frying

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 1 cup white flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • Sugar or honey, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Spanish churros ingredients

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  2. Pour enough oil into a large heavy-bottomed frying pan to reach 2 inches. (There should be enough oil so that the churros float freely while frying.) Set the pan over medium-high heat. The optimal frying temperature is 350 F to 375 F.

    Gray pot with oil

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  3. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, vegetable oil, salt, and sugar.

    Combine water, vegetable oil, salt, and sugar.

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  4. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil.

  5. Add the flour and baking powder to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir to combine.

    Flour and baking powder in a white mixing bowl, metal whisk

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  6. Once the water mixture reaches a boil, slowly pour it into the flour mixture while stirring.

  7. Stir constantly with a fork until it is a smooth dough without lumps.

    Churros dough, flour and water combined in a white mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  8. Immediately spoon the dough into a churrera (a large cookie press) or a pastry bag.

    Churro dough in a pastry bag on a gray marble counter

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  9. Once the oil reaches 350 F or 375 F, carefully squeeze the dough into the hot oil.

  10. Fry until golden brown.

    Churro dough in boiling oil in a gray pot

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  11. Remove with a slotted spatula or long-handled fork.

    Churros on a slotted spoon above a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  12. Place on a paper towel to drain.

  13. Cut the churros into manageable lengths.

  14. Sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with honey, to taste.

    Churros covered in sugar and a small bowl of sugar on paper towels

    The Spruce / Kelly Ryan

  15. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Tips

  • The churro batter can be made one day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before frying.
  • Although churros are best served right after frying, they can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days.
  • Make a chocolate sauce and use it as a dip for these sweet treats. It's absolutely decadent.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
759 Calories
77g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 759
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 77g 99%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 22mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)