These authentic Mexican churros are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, coated in cinnamon sugar and served warm with chocolate dipping sauce. This is a classic street-style dessert you can make right at home.
Why You'll Love This Authentic Mexican Churros Recipe
Simple ingredients and a quick stovetop dough give you the crisp, golden exterior and soft center you expect from traditional churros. The dough pipes easily into hot oil and fries up light and airy. Each batch is ready for a generous coating of cinnamon sugar.
- Crisp outside, soft center: Fries up golden with that classic churro texture you expect.
- Simple ingredients: Basic pantry staples, no specialty ingredients needed.
- Easy stovetop dough: Comes together quickly and pipes cleanly for consistent results.
Ingredients Overview
This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, and eggs to create a simple choux-style dough. The cinnamon sugar coating gives that signature churro finish, while the chocolate sauce adds a smooth, rich contrast.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Authentic Mexican Churros with Chocolate Sauce
The dough is cooked briefly on the stovetop, then mixed with egg and transferred to a pastry bag before being piped into hot oil. Each churro fries until golden, then is coated in cinnamon sugar and served warm.
Why I Use a Fry Daddy Instead of the Stovetop
When making churros, doughnuts, paczki, or beignets, I reach for an electric fryer like a Fry Daddy instead of using a saucepan on the stovetop. It holds a steady 350°F without constant adjusting, which is hard to maintain on the stovetop with a dough like this.
When the temperature swings, churros and other fried pastries can turn out greasy, undercooked in the center, or too dark on the outside. A steady oil temperature gives you a lighter texture, less oil absorption, and more consistent results every time.
The step-by-step photos below show the stovetop method, but you'll get more consistent results with an electric fryer.
- Heat oil to 350°F while preparing the dough.
- Bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
- Add the flour and stir until a smooth dough forms.
- Cool for 5 minutes before adding egg and vanilla.
- Mix until smooth and sticky.
- Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with an oversized star tip (such as a Wilton 1M or 2D) for traditional ridges.
- Pipe dough into hot oil, cutting into strips.
Pro Tip
Keep your oil steady at 350°F so the churros cook through without getting greasy. If the oil is too cool, they absorb oil. If it is too hot, they brown too quickly before the inside cooks.
- Fry until golden brown, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss the warm churros in the cinnamon sugar.
- Heat the cream and pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it sit to soften, then stir until smooth and thickened into a chocolate sauce. Serve in individual ramekins with the churros.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these churros warm for the best texture. They're perfect for celebrations like Cinco de Mayo or anytime you want a simple dessert to share. Pair them with coffee, Mexican hot chocolate, or refreshing drinks like agua de jamaica, watermelon agua fresca, or a tangy mangonada.
For a Mexican sweet bread or bakery-style spread, serve churros alongside mantecadas, sweet pumpkin empanadas, coyotas, or other pan dulce favorites.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful substitutions and variations when making this recipe:
- Butter swap: Margarine can be used, but butter gives better flavor.
- Chocolate sauce options: Use dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate, or switch to white chocolate ganache for a sweeter dipping option.
- No piping bag: A sturdy zip-top bag with the corner cut works in a pinch.
- Spiced sugar coating: Add a pinch of nutmeg or chili powder to the cinnamon sugar for a different flavor.
- Filled churros: Add chocolate or dulce de leche to the center of the piping bag so it gets encased as you pipe the dough into the oil.
Tips for Success
A few small details will help you get the best texture:
- Watch oil temperature: Keep it steady at 350°F for even cooking and the lightest churros. A Fry Daddy makes this much easier.
- Do not overcrowd: Fry in batches of 2 to 3 so they cook evenly and the oil temperature stays steady.
- Cool dough before adding egg: Let the dough cool for 5 minutes to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Use a star tip: Creates ridges that crisp up. A Wilton 1M or 2D work well.
- Coat while warm: Cinnamon sugar sticks best right after frying.
Storage Options
Churros are best enjoyed fresh, but here are your options:
- Short-term: If needed, store at room temperature for up to one day.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven or air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes to bring back some crispness.
- Avoid refrigeration: The texture softens and they lose that crisp exterior.
- Freezing: Not recommended, as the texture does not hold up well.
Related Recipes
- Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
- Shrimp Tostadas
- Birria Quesadillas
- Chicken Chimichangas
- Mexican Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest and most reliable way to fry churros is with an electric fryer like a Fry Daddy because it keeps the oil at a steady 350°F. This helps the churros stay light instead of absorbing excess oil when temperatures fluctuate on the stovetop.
A neutral oil with a high smoke point works best, such as vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. These let the flavor of the churros stand out without adding a heavy taste.
Churros usually turn out raw inside when the oil is too hot. The outside browns too quickly before the center cooks through. Keep the oil near 350°F and fry in small batches.
Churro dough is best used shortly after mixing. If it sits too long, it becomes harder to pipe and does not fry as well. For best results, pipe and fry right away.
A star tip gives churros their ridged shape, which helps them cook evenly and crisp up. It also reduces pressure buildup compared to smooth dough.
Serve churros right after frying for the best texture. Let them drain briefly, then coat in cinnamon sugar while still warm. If needed, reheat in the oven or air fryer.
Churros can be baked, but they will not have the same crisp exterior or classic texture. For traditional results, frying is the better method.
Spanish churros are often plain and served without cinnamon sugar. Mexican churros are coated in cinnamon sugar and usually served with chocolate or caramel dipping sauces.
Churro dough that will not pipe smoothly is usually too thick or not fully mixed after adding the egg. It should be thick but soft enough to pipe. If it is too stiff, it is best to start over.
Mexican Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Mexican Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Equipment
- 2½ - 3 quart saucepan for deep frying
- or Presto Fry Daddy
Ingredients
Churro Dough:
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying About 3 - 4 cups, but only about ½ cup of it will be absorbed.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Chocolate Sauce:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat the Oil: Place your frying oil in a deep pot or deep fryer and preheat to 350°F (175°C) while you make the churro dough.Vegetable oil for frying
- Make the Churros: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.1 cup water, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to low. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let the dough cool for a few minutes.1 cup all-purpose flour
- Cool the dough for 5 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla extract to the dough. Stir until the egg is fully incorporated, and the dough is smooth and sticky.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (Wilton 1M or 2D) for the traditional ridges. Pipe 4- to 5-inch (10-13 cm) strips of dough into the hot oil, using scissors to cut off each piece.
- Fry a few churros at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 3-4 minutes per churro.
- Remove churros with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Immediately toss the warm churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: In a shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside until ready to coat the churros.½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Make the Chocolate Dipping Sauce: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and fully melted.½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ¼ cup heavy cream
Notes
- Watch oil temperature: Keep it steady at 350°F for even cooking and the lightest churros. A Fry Daddy makes this much easier.
- Do not overcrowd: Fry in batches of 2 to 3 so they cook evenly and the oil temperature stays steady.
- Cool dough before adding egg: Let the dough cool for 5 minutes to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Use a star tip: Creates ridges that crisp up. A Wilton 1M or 2D both work well.
- Coat while warm: Cinnamon sugar sticks best right after frying.
- Chocolate sauce options: Use dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate, or switch to white chocolate ganache for a sweeter dipping option.
Nutrition
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Kelly Bloom says
Delicious, I'm making this again!