Churro Recipe

Heat liquid

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring once or twice to dissolve sugar and salt.

Add flour

Remove the pan from heat. Immediately add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour all at once. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir vigorously until the mixture pulls together into a smooth ball and a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan (about 1–2 minutes). This cooks the flour briefly and removes raw taste.

Cool slightly

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl or leave in the pan and let it cool 3–5 minutes so it’s warm but not piping hot (you don’t want to cook the eggs when they’re added).

Incorporate eggs

Beat in the eggs one at a time: add the first egg and mix vigorously until fully incorporated and the dough becomes shiny. Add the second egg and mix until smooth and cohesive. The dough should be pipeable but thick enough to hold ridges. If dough seems too loose, refrigerate 10–15 minutes to firm slightly.

Add vanilla

Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until evenly distributed. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (about 1/2 inch–3/4 inch opening). If you don’t have a bag, use a large zip-top bag and snip a corner with a star-shaped nozzle if available; a plain corner works too but ridges will be less defined.

Prepare coating

In a shallow wide bowl or tray, combine 1 cup granulated sugar (for coating) and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Set aside near the frying station.

Heat oil

Pour enough neutral frying oil into a heavy, deep saucepan or deep-fryer to reach a depth of 2–3 inches (about 3–4 cups depending on pot size). Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of dough into the oil; it should sizzle and rise steadily to the surface within a few seconds.

Pipe and cut

Hold the pastry bag over the hot oil about 2–3 inches above the surface. Pipe 4–6 inch strips of dough directly into the oil, using scissors to cut the dough or using a knife to sever at the desired length. For small churros, pipe shorter 2–3 inch pieces. Do not overcrowd the pot—fry in batches so pieces have room to expand and brown evenly.

Fry until golden

Fry churros, turning occasionally with tongs, until they are deep golden and crisp on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side (4–6 minutes per batch depending on length and oil temperature). Maintain oil at 350°F; lower temperature will make them greasy, higher will brown too fast while raw inside.

Drain and coat

Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer fried churros to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly (10–20 seconds). While still warm, toss each churro in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated. Place coated churros on a wire rack to crisp for a few minutes before serving.

Warm coconut milk

Place 6 oz dairy-free dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Warm 1 tablespoon full-fat canned coconut milk gently in a small saucepan until it simmers (do not boil) or microwave in short bursts until hot.

Make ganache

Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate and let sit 1 minute to soften. Stir gently until smooth and glossy. If desired, stir in 1 teaspoon neutral oil for extra shine. Keep the ganache warm over a double boiler or in a thermos; if it thickens, warm gently and stir to loosen.