Cinnamon Sugar Churros with Dark Chocolate Sauce

Name: Cinnamon Sugar Churros with Dark Chocolate Sauce
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 1 h 1 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped; ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream; ⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine sea salt; 1 cup (240 ml) water; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, then sifted or whisked to remove lumps; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten together in a small bowl; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 6 cups (1400 ml) neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola or sunflower), enough for a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm) in the pot; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, ridged churros with a tender, custardy centre, rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with a glossy dark chocolate dipping sauce. The dough is a simple cooked paste, so you can have them at the table in about an hour and a half.

Prep: 29 min
Cook: 32 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 21 min
Makes: About 14 churros (5 inches / 12 cm long) with 1 cup chocolate sauce

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chocolate sauce
6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine sea salt
For the churros
1 cup (240 ml) water
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, then sifted or whisked to remove lumps
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten together in a small bowl
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
6 cups (1400 ml) neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola or sunflower), enough for a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm) in the pot
For the cinnamon sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon

Equipment (13)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed deep pot
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Medium saucepan (2–3 quart / 2–3 L)
Sturdy piping bag, 14–16 inch (35–40 cm)
Large open star piping tip, ½ inch (12 mm) opening
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Wooden spoon or stiff spatula
Electric hand mixer (optional, for the eggs)
Kitchen scissors
Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
Wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels
Shallow dish or 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan for the cinnamon sugar
Small saucepan and heatproof bowl for the sauce

Steps

Before you start

Read the whole recipe first: the frying goes quickly, so have the cinnamon sugar, a wire rack set over paper towels, and the warm sauce ready before the oil goes on.
Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer. Oil that is too cool makes greasy churros, and oil that is too hot browns the outside before the centre cooks.
Use a sturdy piping bag (or a reusable canvas one) and a large open star tip, about ½ inch (12 mm) wide. A thin or closed star tip can burst under the pressure of the stiff dough.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and have kitchen scissors ready.

1
Make chocolate sauce
- Put the chopped dark chocolate and the sauce salt in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it steams and tiny bubbles form around the edge, about 3 minutes.
- Do not let it boil hard.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the centre outward until completely smooth and glossy.
- Cover to keep warm.
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Ready when: The sauce is smooth, glossy and pourable with no visible chocolate flecks.
Tip: If the sauce has small lumps, set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water for 1 minute and stir again.
2
Mix cinnamon sugar
- Stir the ½ cup (100 g) sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon together in a shallow dish or 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan until evenly tan in colour.
- Set it next to the wire rack so you can coat the churros the moment they come out of the oil.
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Ready when: No streaks of white sugar remain.
3
Cook the dough paste
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, 1 tbsp sugar and ¼ tsp salt.
- Heat over medium-high heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.
- Immediately remove from the heat and add all the flour at once.
- Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains.
- Return to medium-low heat and keep stirring and smearing the dough against the pot for 1–2 minutes to dry it out.
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Ready when: The dough forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides, and a thin film coats the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Add the flour as soon as the water boils. Boiling too long evaporates water and makes the dough stiff.
4
Cool the paste
- Scrape the hot dough into a mixing bowl and spread it up the sides to release steam.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: The dough is warm, not hot, about 140°F (60°C), and you can hold a finger against it for a couple of seconds.
Tip: Skipping this step cooks the eggs and leaves the dough lumpy.
5
Beat in eggs
- Add the beaten eggs in 3 additions, beating hard with the wooden spoon or a hand mixer on medium speed after each, until the dough absorbs the egg and becomes smooth again before adding the next (about 1 minute each).
- Stir in the vanilla.
- The dough should be thick, glossy and very stiff.
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Ready when: When you lift the spoon, the dough holds a soft peak that slowly bends over and forms a V-shape on the spoon.
Tip: If the dough is too stiff to pipe, beat in 1 tsp of water. If it is runny, the churros will spread and fry flat, so rest it 5 minutes and add no more egg.
6
Pipe the churros
- Fit a piping bag with the large ½-inch (12 mm) open star tip.
- Fill the bag with the dough, twisting the top closed, and push the dough down to the tip.
- Pipe 5-inch (12 cm) strips onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them, and snip each end with scissors.
- You should have about 14 churros.
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Ready when: Each strip has deep, even ridges and holds its shape without slumping.
Tip: Deep ridges matter. They let steam escape so the churros don't burst in the hot oil.
7
Chill the churros
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes so the piped dough firms up and is easier to lift into the oil.
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Ready when: The strips feel firm when gently touched and release easily from the parchment.
Tip: Don't freeze longer than 30 minutes, or ice will form and cause spattering.
8
Heat the oil
- While the churros chill, pour oil into a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm), at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) below the rim.
- Clip on a thermometer and heat over medium heat to 360°F (182°C), about 10 minutes.
- Adjust the heat to hold that temperature throughout frying.
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Ready when: The thermometer reads 360°F (182°C) and a small piece of leftover dough sizzles steadily within a few seconds.
Tip: Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep a pot lid nearby in case of a flare-up.
9
Fry in batches
- Fry 4 or 5 churros at a time.
- Lift each strip off the parchment and lower it into the oil, moving it away from you.
- Fry for 5–6 minutes total, turning every 2 minutes with tongs or a spider so they colour evenly.
- Transfer to the paper-towel-lined rack.
- Let the oil return to 360°F (182°C) before starting the next batch.
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Ready when: The churros are a deep golden brown, feel crisp and firm, and the ridges are crunchy. Break one open to check that the centre is cooked and not doughy.
Tip: Do not crowd the pot. Too many churros at once drops the oil temperature and makes them greasy.
10
Coat and serve
- Let the churros drain for about 30 seconds, then roll each one in the cinnamon sugar until generously coated.
- Serve right away while warm and crisp, with the warm chocolate sauce for dipping.
- Rewarm the sauce over a pan of hot water or in the microwave in 10-second bursts if it has thickened.
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Ready when: The cinnamon sugar clings to the whole surface in an even coating.
Tip: Coat while they are still hot and slightly oily on the surface, or the sugar will not stick.

Good to know

Tips

Fry a test churro first. If it bursts or splits, pipe the rest with deeper ridges or make sure the dough isn't too wet.
Check the oil temperature between batches. It drops when churros go in, so wait for it to come back to 360°F (182°C).
For a Spanish café-style sauce, use less cream (½ cup / 120 ml) for a thicker, pudding-like dip.
Pipe onto parchment squares and lower the paper and churro together into the oil, then pull the paper out with tongs after 20 seconds, if you find piping straight into the pot difficult.

Make ahead

Pipe the churros onto a parchment-lined sheet, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Fry straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the frying time and watching for spattering. The chocolate sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Storage & reheating

Churros are best eaten within 1 hour of frying. Leftovers keep in a loosely covered container at room temperature for up to 1 day. To re-crisp, bake on a rack at 375°F (190°C) for 5–7 minutes. Refrigerating makes them soggy, so it is not recommended. Chocolate sauce keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, adding a splash of cream if it is too thick.

Substitutions

dark chocolate (60–70% cacao) → semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate. Semisweet gives a sweeter, milder sauce; chips may set slightly firmer, so add 1 tbsp more cream if needed.
heavy cream → full-fat coconut milk. Gives a dairy-free sauce with a light coconut flavour; use the same amount.
neutral frying oil (vegetable, canola or sunflower) → refined peanut oil or sunflower oil. Any neutral oil with a smoke point above 400°F (205°C) works well.
all-purpose flour → bread flour. Makes slightly chewier, sturdier churros; use the same weight.