There’s something special about eating a churro while it’s still warm—the crispy outside, soft center, and cinnamon sugar sticking to every little ridge. It’s one of those simple desserts that doesn’t need anything fancy to be delicious. Churros have a long history connected to Spain and Portugal, although their exact origin is debated.

Over time, they became especially popular throughout Spain and Latin America, with different countries putting their own spin on them. Some are served plain with cinnamon sugar, while others are filled with chocolate, dulce de leche, or other sweet fillings. This recipe is my version of a simple, traditional-style churro made without eggs.

The dough comes together with just a handful of pantry ingredients, and that signature star shape isn’t just for looks. Those ridges become beautifully crispy when fried and give the cinnamon sugar plenty of places to stick. The trick is giving the dough time to rest and keeping your frying oil at the right temperature.

Once you get those two things right, you’ll have golden, crispy churros that are soft and tender on the inside. And trust me—these are best eaten fresh and warm!

Recipe

Traditional Churros

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Scale

Ingredients

For the Churro Dough

1 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Cinnamon Sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For Frying

Vegetable oil as needed

Instructions

Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar

In a shallow bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
Having this ready before frying is important because you’ll want to coat the churros while they’re still warm.

Make the Churro Dough

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.
Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour all at once.
Stir continuously until the flour absorbs the liquid and the mixture comes together into a smooth dough ball. A few tiny bits of flour are okay.
Cover the saucepan for about 1 minute, then remove it from the heat.

Rest the Dough

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
Transfer the dough onto a clean countertop or sheet of parchment paper. The dough will be very hot, so be careful.
You can use the parchment paper to gently fold and work the dough together rather than touching it directly.
Cover and allow the dough to rest for approximately 10 minutes, or until it’s cool enough to comfortably handle.

Shape the Churros

Cut parchment paper into long strips.
Transfer the dough to a sturdy piping bag fitted with a large star tip, such as a Wilton 1M, or another large open-star tip.
Pipe long strips of dough directly onto the parchment paper. Use clean kitchen scissors to cut the dough when you reach your desired length.
Allow the piped churros to rest at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes.

Fry the Churros

Add enough vegetable oil to a deep, heavy-bottomed pan for frying.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C).
Carefully lower the churros into the hot oil. If you’re using individual pieces of parchment underneath them, you can lower the churro into the oil with the parchment and carefully remove the paper once it releases.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.
Fry for approximately 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the churros are evenly golden brown and crispy.

Coat in Cinnamon Sugar

Carefully remove the churros from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
While they’re still warm, roll each churro generously in the prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Connie’s notes

Keep the oil around 350°F. This is probably the most important tip. Oil that’s too hot can brown the outside before the center cooks. Oil that’s too cool can make your churros greasy.
Use a thermometer if you have one. It takes the guessing out of frying and helps keep every batch consistent.
Use a sturdy piping bag. Churro dough is much thicker than frosting. A strong piping bag and large star tip make piping much easier.
Don’t make them too thick. Very thick churros can brown beautifully on the outside while remaining doughy in the center.
The star tip matters. Those classic ridges create more surface area, which means more crispy edges and more cinnamon sugar in every bite.
Let the dough rest. Don’t skip the resting time. It makes the dough easier to work with and helps the piped churros hold their shape.
Don’t overcrowd your frying pan. Adding too many churros at once causes the oil temperature to drop. Fry a few at a time and allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
Coat them while they’re warm. Let the excess oil drain briefly, then immediately roll the churros in cinnamon sugar so it sticks beautifully.
Serve them fresh. Churros are at their absolute best shortly after frying, when the outside is still crispy and the inside is warm and tender.
Make them extra special. Serve them with warm chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, or melted chocolate for dipping.