Churros Recipe

Prep

Measure ingredients, place flour in a bowl and sift if lumpy; crack eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly; set a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (or a disposable bag with a corner cut) nearby.

In a medium saucepan combine water, milk, unsalted butter, granulated sugar (1 tsp) and salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring once or twice to melt the butter fully.

Remove the pan from heat. Immediately add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture forms a smooth, cohesive ball of dough and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan (about 30–45 seconds).

Return the pan to low heat and cook the dough, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to dry it slightly. This helps the dough hold shape when piped.

Transfer the hot dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for 3–5 minutes so it won't scramble the eggs when added.

Add the beaten eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract. The finished dough should be pipeable but thick enough to hold ridges.

Spoon the dough into the prepared piping bag, pressing out any air pockets and twisting the top to keep pressure.

Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or medium Dutch oven to a depth of about 2–2.5 inches (roughly 3 cups). Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Maintain this temperature — it may drop when you add dough.

Line a large tray with paper towels to drain finished churros and keep the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a shallow wide bowl nearby.

Holding the piping bag over the hot oil about 4–5 inches above the surface, pipe 4–6 inch strips of dough directly into the oil. Use clean kitchen scissors or a knife to cut the dough from the tip. Do not overcrowd the pot — fry in batches so pieces have room and the oil temperature recovers quickly. Aim for 3–4 churros per batch depending on pot size.

Fry, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown and crisp throughout, about 2.5–4 minutes per batch depending on size. If the outside browns too quickly while the inside remains undercooked, lower the heat by 10–15°F and fry a little longer.

Use tongs to transfer churros to the paper towel–lined tray to drain for 30–60 seconds, then immediately toss each churro in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place on a fresh rack or tray while you fry remaining batches.

Repeat piping, frying, draining, and coating until you have about a dozen churros (yield will vary slightly with length). Keep cooked churros warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) on a rack set over a sheet pan if needed while finishing.

While the first batch fries, whisk together 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl so the mixture is homogeneous and ready for tossing hot churros.

Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil).

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon corn syrup (if using) until glossy. Keep warm for serving; if it thickens too much, warm briefly and stir in a splash more cream.