So once again my finely tuned food antennae went into overdrive after I came home from my Mercado Olympic experience. I couldn’t stop thinking about the Churros and I thought you might also be a bit obsessed after watching the video. So here’s just about the easiest recipe for anything resembling a donut ever. From measuring to eating it’s just over 30 minutes. 40 maybe if you take your time.
The churros you eat from street vendors or at fairs in Mexico are very simple. The dough is made of just flour, water a bit of sugar, salt and a touch of oil. There is no egg. This makes a very crunchy dough. Adding an egg makes it a little richer and causes the churro to puff up a bit more in the hot oil. I like both versions. Both are creamy inside when warm as you bite through the crunchy exterior. The eggy one maybe a bit more so. But nothing beats the eggless version if you’re in a hurry to make something super fast.
Left: Eggless Right: with Egg
Top with eggs,
Bottom no eggs
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 3 minutes |
| Servings |
- 1 cup water
- 1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar (I used sorghum syrup because I had it)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 egg beaten, optional
- Vegetable Oil for deep frying
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon or to taste
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
| |
- Mix together the water, sugar, salt and oil. Bring to a boil.
- Turn off heat and put the cup of flour all at once into the very hot water. Beat vigorously with a sturdy wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed into the water and you see no more dry flour spots.
- If you want a richer, lighter churro add 1 beaten egg to the flour water mixture. You have to beat hard to incorporate all the egg.
- Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Do not refrigerate.
- Put the cooled dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or a cookie press with a star disk.
- Pour vegetable oil into the pan you like to use for deep frying. I use my wok. The oil should be at least 2" deep.
- Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Push out a 5" length of dough and pinch it off. Lay it carefully into the hot fat. Continue but do not crowd the pan. Fry the churros until golden brown. Remove from the fat with tongs or a slotted spoon and let them drain for a moment on paper towels.
- Mix a cup of sugar with cinnamon to taste. Roll the drained churros in the cinnamon-sugar and serve immediately. Keep making them until you have no more dough and everyone is happy.
thank you for sharing this recipe with us, I’m inspired to try churros at home –never thought I could handle tackling on this fried project, but you make it look possible! I wanted to share my link to El Moro as per our instagram conversation, it’s such an incredible, old school, busy restaurant in DF that only serves churros. It was heaven for churro y chocolate junkies like myself — next time you’re down there, it’s worth a visit!! love love love your show.
your fan,
leela
I am going to try these in a waffle iron today. Not a true churro but quick. I have been comparing recipes because so many call for eggs. Did not think that they contained eggs when I have eaten them in Mexico. What is not to like about dough and cinnamon and sugar?
Hi Sally! You’re right. I’m sure most Mexican churros are made without eggs. I love the idea of waffling the dough. That’s going to noodle around in my head until I do it myself.
shoot! forgot to leave the link, here it is:
http://www.teacuptea.com/2013/01/hot-chocolate-churros-at-el-moro.html
Thank you for the link Leela!
Hi Evan. Thank you so much for the comparison and great recipe. Now I can decide whether I want eggs or not. Off to make these in the oven. Trying that as I dislike deep frying.
PS: I believe you forgot the flour quantity in recipe ingredients.
Thank Paulette. Both for the nice words and pointing out that I left out the flour in the ingredients. All fixed now.
Hi Paulette
I am Balvinder from Malaysia. I tried making churros so for the first time yesterday. My recipe had eggs. I found it a bit eggy. Am certainly going to try this recipe without eggs and without frying. Just curious.. How did yours turn out – by using the baking method. Thanks.
Hi Balvinder. I’m not Paulette, but I’m curious to know how your baked version came out. I’ve only made them fried.
Hi Evan
Sorry about the mix up in names. I have not tried the baked version. However I tried making the eggless one. I found it extremely difficult in piping out. So, in the end, I had to add eggs to make the dough softer. This recipe had oil in it instead of butter. Personally the butter version is better.
Pipping was a challenge for me too so I decided to buy a churrera- it’s for pressing out churros easily. I’ve seen them on Amazon. From $12 to $30.
That’s great to know Eunice. I don’t think I have room for another kitchen tool but I might check this one out.
Hi , is it okay if i use margarine instead of oil? Will it changes the churros texture? Thanks 😊
Hi Shelly. It should be fine. I’ve never done it but I can’t imagine that it won’t work. Let me know how it turns out.
Any thoughts on exploding churros? Often when you fry this dough, I’ve found a few explode in the hot oil.
Hmm. That’s never happened to me. Are you using ice cold dough from the fridge or frying as soon as you finish making the dough. And does it happen with both egg and plain doughs?
Do u ever makes it and add milk? I curious the different with and without milk in churros 😅
I’ve never made it with milk. It would be more tender and a bit sweeter.
Hello, I made the churros and they were yummy. How is the texture suppose to be inside? Is it supposed to be moist and a little bit raw looking inside? Mine look a little raw. I’ve tried different temperatures and comes out the same. It’s not supposed to be fluffy is it? Also what size piper tip did you use?
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, the inside is moist, yet not fluffy, but it shouldn’t be raw looking. They are basically a pate au choux, the french cooked dough that is used for cream puffs or gougere or French crueller donuts. But churros don’t have the empty centers that those do. It’s a moist dough.
I couldn’t get brown sugar so I made use of white sugar instead, it was my first time trying or tasting but I think it was yummy, I also couldn’t get a piping bag so I improvised and used a regular nylon bag instead (I just cut a hole in it).
The outside was crunchy all all and the inside was moist. I’m happy with the result I got. I didn’t sprinkle too.
Please tell me, was did sugar aspect wrong?
I just couldn’t get brown sugar
Hi Jenny, it sounds like you had a fantastic result. I don’t think anything is “wrong”. There are just different flavors and textures. All that matters is if you like the finished product. Sometimes when I can’t find brown sugar I make my own by drizzling molasses into white sugar and mixing it very well. You can adjust how dark you want the sugar.
Hi Evan. In the first place, churros come from Spain where they are extremely popular and eaten dipped in chocolate or at any fair just by themselves. Spaniards brought the churros to the Americas. Just a little bit of History. I agree that authentic churros do not have eggs. And nothing beans the flavor of churros fried in olive oil, not evoo, just plain olive oil.. Now, please invest in a churro maker, baking bags are responsable for lots of explosions and really bad burns.
Thanks for your comment Maria. I appreciate it.
Can I use regular salt
Yes, you definitely can use whatever salt is your regular. Just adjust the amount to your taste. Typically you would use less of other salts. Kosher salt is light in weight so the volume tends to be more.