Spanish Churros & Chocolate Sauce
Fry crisp, ridged churros and dust them in cinnamon sugar for dipping in rich chocolate sauce — a festive, hands-on treat that brings the joy of a Spanish café right to your kitchen.
Few treats are as joyful as a plate of fresh churros — crisp and ridged on the outside, tender within, dusted in cinnamon sugar and made for dunking in thick, rich chocolate sauce. This is the stuff of Spanish cafés and festival stalls, and making them at home is easier than you might think. Fry a batch, set out a bowl of warm chocolate, and you have a hands-on, celebratory dessert that gathers everyone happily around the plate.
The Churro Dough and Fry
Make the choux-style dough, pipe it into ridged lengths, and fry until deep golden and crisp. Piping through a star tip gives churros their signature ridges, which crisp beautifully in the oil — keep the frying temperature steady so they cook through and turn golden without absorbing too much oil.
Cinnamon Sugar and Chocolate Sauce
Roll the hot churros in cinnamon sugar and serve them with a bowl of thick, rich chocolate sauce for dipping. Toss them in the sugar while still warm so it clings, and make the chocolate sauce thick enough to coat — that warm churro dragged through rich chocolate is the whole glorious point.

Spanish Churros & Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- In a deep saucepot, combine the 2 cups of water, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until the butter is completely melted and the liquid reaches a gentle boil, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the pot entirely from the heat and add the all-purpose flour all at once.
- Use a sturdy wooden spoon to vigorously mix the flour into the wet ingredients until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and forms a cohesive dough ball.
- Let the dough rest in the pot to cool to room temperature, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once cooled slightly, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the eggs seamlessly into the dough until smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the finished dough, working in batches if necessary, into a strong pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe the dough into 4 to 6-inch long straight pieces directly onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Place the baking sheets into the refrigerator to chill the piped dough until you are ready to fry.
- In a small, wide bowl, thoroughly mix together the ½ cup of granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon for the coating. (Transfer to a sugar shaker if you prefer).
- To make the chocolate sauce, place the heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave on high in 1-minute intervals, stirring well between each interval, until the chocolate is entirely melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring the oil comes no higher than one-third up the side of the pot.
- Heat the oil to exactly 375°F using a clip-on candy thermometer.
- Carefully drop the chilled, piped dough lengths into the hot oil, working in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
- Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to gently move and turn the churros in the oil until they are puffed and a deep golden brown.
- Transfer the fried churros to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to briefly drain excess oil.
- While still piping hot, generously sprinkle or toss the churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to thoroughly coat them.
- Serve the hot churros immediately alongside the warm chocolate sauce for dipping.
The Heart of the Table
A plate of churros with chocolate is festive, hands-on joy to share — it turns dessert into a happy, communal moment. There is a warm, celebratory generosity in setting out something meant to be dipped and devoured together, the kind of treat that brings people close and turns an evening into a party.
The Art of the Host
Keep the frying oil at a steady temperature so the churros crisp without burning, and toss them in cinnamon sugar while hot so it sticks. Serve them fresh and warm with the chocolate sauce alongside — they are at their very best straight from the fryer.
Neighborly Grace
- The Preparation: Churros are best fried fresh, but you can make the chocolate dipping sauce ahead and warm it before serving. Have everything prepped so the frying is the only last-minute step, and serve them hot for the ideal experience.
- The Pour: A cup of strong coffee or a glass of Spanish cava suits the festive spirit; for a non-alcoholic pairing, a rich hot chocolate to drink alongside the dipping sauce doubles the indulgence.
- The Vibe: Serve them fresh and warm with the chocolate sauce for dipping at a party or a festive dessert. These are joyful, hands-on treats — crisp and cinnamon-dusted, made to bring the fun of a Spanish café right to your table.