Spanish Churrera Fried Pastry Strips

Name: Spanish Churrera Fried Pastry Strips
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) water; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour; 2 quarts (1900 ml) vegetable oil or refined peanut oil; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon; thick hot chocolate, prepared, warm, about 1/2 cup (120 ml) per person (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy-outside, tender-inside fried pastry strips made from choux dough, the traditional Spanish way. These are dusted with cinnamon sugar and best served warm, often alongside thick hot chocolate for dunking. The key is proper dough consistency and oil temperature—too cool and they're greasy, too hot and they brown before cooking through.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 40 min
Makes: About 16 churros (4 per person)

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Steps

Before you start

Have a deep-fry thermometer ready or use an instant-read thermometer to monitor oil temperature.
Line a wire rack with paper towels and place it beside your frying station.
Mix your cinnamon sugar in a shallow dish before you start frying.

1
Make the choux dough
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1 cup (240 ml) water, 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is fully melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1.25 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour until a thick, smooth dough forms.
- The dough should pull away from the sides of the pot.
- Let it cool for 2–3 minutes—it should be warm but not piping hot when you pipe it.
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Ready when: Dough pulls away from pot sides and is thick and cohesive
Tip: Do not skip cooling—piping hot dough will splatter in the oil and is harder to handle.
2
Prepare piping bag
- While the dough cools slightly, fit a 12-inch (30 cm) piping bag with a large star tip (about 3/8-inch / 10 mm opening).
- Transfer the warm choux dough into the piping bag, filling it about two-thirds full.
- Twist the top to seal.
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Ready when: Piping bag is sealed and dough is ready to pipe
Tip: A large star tip creates the traditional ridged exterior. The dough will be stiff—squeeze firmly.
3
Heat oil to correct temperatureOven 375°F / 190°C
- Pour 2 quarts (1900 ml) of vegetable or refined peanut oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Heat over medium-high heat to 375°F (190°C), checked with a deep-fry thermometer.
- This takes about 8–10 minutes.
- Place a wire rack lined with paper towels next to your fryer, and have scissors or a sharp knife nearby.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 375°F (190°C); oil shimmers and moves easily
Tip: Use a thermometer—guessing temperature is the main reason churros turn out greasy or unevenly cooked.
4
Pipe first batch of churros
- Carefully hold the piping bag 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) above the hot oil at a 45-degree angle.
- Gently squeeze the piping bag, letting the dough flow into the oil.
- Pipe 4-inch (10 cm) long strips, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart—do not overcrowd the pot.
- Once the dough is released, use scissors to cut it from the bag.
- Fry no more than 4–5 churros at a time so the oil temperature stays stable.
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Ready when: Churros are piped and floating in the oil
Tip: Keep the piping bag moving smoothly and steady. If the dough breaks, it's too hot; if it sinks and doesn't rise, it's too cool.
5
First-side fry until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Fry the first batch for about 2–3 minutes until the bottom and sides are golden brown.
- Watch for even browning—adjust heat very slightly if needed to maintain 375°F (190°C).
- The churros should rise and float naturally.
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Ready when: Bottom and sides are deep golden brown; churro is starting to crisp
Tip: Do not flip too early. They need 2–3 minutes per side to develop color and texture.
6
Flip and fry second side
- Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, gently flip each churro.
- Fry for another 2–3 minutes until the second side is also deep golden brown and the exterior is crispy and dry-looking.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown and churro feels crispy to the touch
Tip: Flip gently to avoid splashing hot oil. The churro should be fully rigid and crispy when done.
7
Drain on paper towels
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the fried churros to the paper-towel-lined wire rack.
- Let them drain for 1–2 minutes to remove excess oil.
- They will continue to crisp as they cool.
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Ready when: Excess oil has dripped off; churros feel firm and crispy
Tip: Don't let them sit too long on paper towels—they can absorb moisture. 1–2 minutes is enough.
8
Coat with cinnamon sugar
- While the churros are still warm, mix 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1.5 teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- One or two at a time, roll or dredge each warm churro in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated on all sides.
- Transfer to a clean plate or serving platter.
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Ready when: All churros are evenly coated with cinnamon sugar
Tip: Coat while the churros are still warm so the sugar sticks. If they cool too much, it won't adhere as well.
9
Fry remaining batchesOven 375°F / 190°C
- Return the oil to 375°F (190°C) if needed.
- Repeat steps 4–8 with the remaining dough until all churros are fried and coated.
- Keep finished batches on the serving platter in a warm spot (near the stove, but not in a 200°F / 93°C oven if you want to preserve crispness).
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Ready when: All batches are fried, drained, and coated
Tip: Monitor oil temperature closely between batches. If it drops below 365°F (185°C), wait 2–3 minutes before frying again.
10
Serve warm
- Arrange the warm churros on a serving platter.
- Serve immediately alongside cups of warm, thick hot chocolate (about 1/2 cup / 120 ml per person) for dunking.
- The contrast of crispy, warm churro dipped in rich chocolate is the traditional Spanish experience.
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Ready when: Churros are on the table, steaming and ready to eat
Tip: Churros are best eaten within 15–20 minutes of frying while they're still warm and crispy.

Good to know

Tips

The dough must be piped into hot oil—if the oil is cool, the dough absorbs grease instead of frying. Use a thermometer every time.
Choux dough is forgiving, but the ratio of flour to water matters. If your dough is too dry, it won't pipe smoothly; if too wet, it will fall apart in oil. The batch should form a thick, paste-like dough that holds its shape.
A large star tip is essential for the traditional ridged churro look. Standard round piping tips produce plain fried tubes.
These churros are crispy outside and tender (not hollow) inside. If yours are hollow or tough, the oil was too hot or the frying time was too long.

Storage & reheating

Churros are best enjoyed immediately. Leftover churros (unlikely!) can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 hours, but they will soften. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes to re-crisp the outside, though texture will not be quite the same. Do not refrigerate or freeze—the texture becomes irreversibly soft.

Substitutions

vegetable oil or refined peanut oil → Refined sunflower oil or refined coconut oil. Use only refined oils with high smoke points (above 400°F / 204°C). Avoid olive oil or unrefined oils.
all-purpose flour → Pastry flour (slightly lower protein). Pastry flour creates a slightly more tender interior, but all-purpose flour works perfectly well.
ground cinnamon → Ground ginger, cardamom, or omit for plain sugar-coated churros. Ginger or cardamom adds a Spanish spice-market warmth. Some prefer churros without spice.
thick hot chocolate, prepared → Dulce de leche (for dipping) or Mexican chocolate with cinnamon and chiles. Dulce de leche is traditional in some Spanish regions. Mexican chocolate offers deeper, spicier notes.