Have you ever wanted to make something sweet and satisfying that’s also super fun to eat? Well, I have the perfect recipe for you: Cinnamon Sugar Churros with Chocolate Sauce! They’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and coated in a delicious cinnamon-sugar mixture. And that chocolate sauce? It takes them to a whole new level of yum! Let’s get started on this tasty adventure.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This recipe for homemade churros is a real winner because it’s surprisingly simple, even if you’re not a super experienced baker. I’ve broken down all the steps to make it easy to follow along. What’s really great is that you probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen. Plus, the combination of crispy, warm churros with that sweet cinnamon-sugar coating and rich, decadent chocolate sauce is just irresistible. It’s the kind of treat that makes everyone smile, whether it’s for a special occasion or just a cozy night in.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to gather to make these wonderful treats:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Chocolate Sauce:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s get to the fun part! Just follow these steps, and you’ll be enjoying your homemade churros in no time.
- Make the Churro Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. You’ll see the butter melt and everything start bubbling.
- Add the Flour: Once boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until a smooth dough forms. It’ll look like a thick paste and pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool Slightly and Add Eggs: Let the dough cool for about 5-7 minutes. It should still be warm, but not piping hot. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will seem a bit separated at first, but keep stirring until it becomes smooth and glossy.
- Prepare for Frying: Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. You’ll want the oil to reach about 350°F (175°C). A candy thermometer is helpful here, but if you don’t have one, you can test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough in – it should sizzle and turn golden brown in about a minute.
- Pipe the Churros: Transfer the churro dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (like an Ateco 846 or 847). Carefully pipe strips of dough, about 4-6 inches long, directly into the hot oil. Use scissors or a knife to cut the dough at the end of each churro. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot; fry in batches.
- Fry Until Golden Brown: Fry the churros for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to turn them as needed.
- Drain and Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: Remove the cooked churros from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. While they are still warm, toss them in a shallow dish containing the cinnamon-sugar mixture (1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon) until evenly coated.
- Make the Chocolate Sauce: In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between), melt the chopped chocolate, heavy cream, and butter together. Stir until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the warm cinnamon sugar churros immediately with the chocolate sauce for dipping.
Serving Suggestions
These churros are fantastic on their own, but they also pair wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For a truly decadent treat, try them with a side of fresh berries.
To make them look extra special, you can arrange the churros on a platter and drizzle a little extra chocolate sauce over them. A dusting of powdered sugar adds a nice touch, too.
Cinnamon Sugar Churros with Chocolate Sauce are perfect for parties, holidays, or any time you want to make something a little bit special. They’re always a crowd-pleaser!
Storage and Reheating
If you happen to have any leftover churros (which is rare!), you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To reheat, I recommend using the oven or an air fryer. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the churros for about 5-7 minutes, or until they’re warm and crispy again. In an air fryer, heat them at 350°F (175°C) for 2-3 minutes. The chocolate sauce can be reheated gently in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat.
Key Details
Here’s a quick summary of the important details:
- Total Time: About 1 hour (30 minutes prep time, 30 minutes cooking time)
- Servings: Makes about 12-15 churros
- Equipment: Medium saucepan, wooden spoon or spatula, piping bag with a large star tip, large pot or Dutch oven, slotted spoon or tongs, shallow dish.
Cinnamon Sugar Churros with Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar for cinnamon sugar coating
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for cinnamon sugar coating
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped (for chocolate sauce)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream for chocolate sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter for chocolate sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for chocolate sauce
Instructions
- Make the Churro Dough: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the Flour: Once boiling, remove from heat. Immediately add the flour all at once and stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms.
- Cool Slightly and Add Eggs: Let the dough cool for 5-7 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until smooth and glossy.
- Prepare for Frying: Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a large pot.
- Pipe the Churros: Transfer dough to a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe 4-6 inch strips into hot oil, cutting with scissors. Fry in batches.
- Fry Until Golden Brown: Fry churros for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain and Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: Drain churros on paper towels. While warm, toss in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Make the Chocolate Sauce: Melt chocolate, heavy cream, and butter together until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve warm churros immediately with chocolate sauce for dipping.