Cinnamon sugar churros are piped ridged sticks of choux style dough, fried until golden and crisp outside with a soft, custardy center, then rolled in warm cinnamon sugar for a dessert that tastes like a fair stand in your own kitchen.
The dough cooks in one saucepan, the eggs go in once it cools slightly, and the frying takes only a few minutes per batch. With a star tip and a bit of patience, you can make a dozen churros in about half an hour.
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Why This Cinnamon Sugar Churros Recipe Works
The cooked dough puffs and sets. Stirring flour into hot water and butter gelatinizes the starch, so the dough holds its ridges and expands in the oil into a light, hollow center.
A star tip creates the classic ridges. The grooves increase surface area, which gives more crisp edges and more places for the cinnamon sugar to cling.
Rolling them while warm makes the coating stick. The slight moisture and fat on the hot surface grab the sugar, so every churro gets an even, sparkling layer.
Ingredients for Cinnamon Sugar Churros
- For the dough you need one cup of water, half a cup of unsalted butter, two tablespoons of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of salt, one cup of flour, two eggs, and one teaspoon of vanilla.
- For frying and coating use about three cups of oil, one cup of sugar, and two tablespoons of ground cinnamon.
Butter: Use real unsalted butter, not margarine, because the flavor carries through the cooked dough.
Flour: Add it all at once and stir hard until the dough pulls away from the pan and forms a smooth ball.
Eggs: Let the dough cool for a few minutes first, or the heat will scramble them. Beat them in one at a time until smooth.
Frying oil: Choose vegetable or canola oil. Keep it steady at 350 F so the churros brown without absorbing too much oil.
Cinnamon sugar: Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish so you can roll each warm churro through it.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Churros
1. Cook the dough. Bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a saucepan until the butter melts, then add the flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms.
2. Add the eggs. Cool the dough for a few minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla until the dough is glossy and smooth.
3. Pipe the dough. Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
4. Fry the churros. Heat the oil to 350 F, pipe four inch lengths into the oil, cut them with scissors, and fry for two to three minutes until deep golden.
5. Coat and serve. Lift the churros out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and roll them in the cinnamon sugar while still warm.
How to Serve Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Serve the churros warm in a stack with a bowl of melted chocolate or caramel for dipping. Classic churned vanilla ice cream makes a cold partner, silky chocolate ganache and dark chocolate mousse suit dipping, and cinnamon donut bread adds another cinnamon treat.
How to Store and Reheat Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Churros are at their crispiest within an hour of frying. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for one day, and reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about five minutes to bring back the crunch. Do not refrigerate them, which makes them soggy.
Tips and Variations for Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Flag the allergens. These churros contain wheat, milk, and egg, so label them clearly for guests with allergies.
Do not taste raw dough. Do not taste the raw dough, because it contains raw egg and uncooked flour.
Hot oil safety. Never add water to hot oil, keep children away from the stove, and lower the churros in gently.
Use a thermometer. Keep the oil at 350 F, because oil that is too cool makes greasy churros and oil that is too hot browns them before the center cooks.
Pipe over the pot. Hold the bag close to the surface and cut the dough with scissors so it does not splash.
Fry in batches. Three or four churros at a time keep the oil temperature steady.
Use a strong bag. Choose a thick piping bag, because the dough is stiff and thin bags can split.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for safe kitchen practices.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Why are my cinnamon sugar churros greasy?
The oil was probably too cool. Keep it at 350 F and fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady.
Can I bake cinnamon sugar churros?
Yes. Bake piped dough at 400 degrees F for about twenty minutes, brush with butter, and roll in cinnamon sugar, though the texture is less crisp.
Can I make cinnamon sugar churros ahead of time?
Pipe the dough onto a tray and freeze it, then fry from frozen, adding a minute to the time.
Why did my churros split open?
Air pockets or dough that was too wet can cause splitting. Pipe firmly to remove air and keep the dough stiff.
Can I use a different tip?
A large round tip works, but the star tip gives the classic ridged shape and a crisper surface.
Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Equipment
- Saucepan
- piping bag with large star tip
- Deep pot
- Thermometer
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar for the dough
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cup vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup granulated sugar for coating
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Cooking
- Cook. Simmer the water, butter, sugar, and salt, then stir in the flour until a ball forms.
- Eggs. Cool a few minutes and beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Pipe. Fill a piping bag with a star tip.
- Fry. Pipe into oil at 350 F and fry two to three minutes until golden.
- Coat. Roll the warm churros in cinnamon sugar.
