Making Churros At Home: No Deep Fryer, No Problem!

Churros are a delicious treat, but deep-frying them can be a hassle. Luckily, there are ways to make them at home without a deep fryer! You can bake them in the oven or shallow-fry them in a pot. Here's a simple recipe to get you started. First, make the batter by combining water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Then, whisk in the flour until you have a thick dough. Add eggs and vanilla extract to the mixture and combine. Transfer the dough to a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the churros onto a baking sheet. If baking, brush the churros with melted butter and bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes. If shallow-frying, heat oil in a pot to 360°F and pipe the churros directly into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Finally, coat the churros in a cinnamon-sugar mixture and enjoy!

How to make the batter

To make the batter for churros, you will need the following ingredients:

• Water
• Butter
• Sugar (white/brown)
• Salt
• Flour (all-purpose/plain)
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder (optional)

Some recipes also include cinnamon in the batter, but this is not necessary as the coating and dipping sauce add enough sweetness.

Method:

First, add water, butter, sugar, and salt to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is simmering, whisk in the flour. Keep stirring the dough until it forms a ball and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Next, in a separate jug or bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla and whisk together. Then, using a wooden spoon, gradually add the egg mixture to the dough, stirring and mashing until it is fully incorporated and the mixture has a mashed potato-like consistency.

Tips:

• It may seem like the eggs aren't combining at first, but keep mixing until you have a smooth, thick dough.
• Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to enable them to incorporate more easily into the dough.
• For a "gummy" texture that will hold its form when piped, use boiling water in the batter.
• If you want to add a little extra richness to the batter, you can include an extra egg.

How to pipe the churros

Now that you've made your churro dough, it's time to pipe it into the hot oil. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Before you begin, ensure your oil is heating up to the right temperature—around 350-375°F (175-190°C).

Transfer your dough to a sturdy piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. A star nozzle will give your churros those classic ridges. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a large plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Simply snip off one corner of the bag, about 1/4-inch in size.

Carefully pipe strips of dough directly into the hot oil. Pipe the dough into strips of about 5-6 inches in length. Work in batches so you don't crowd the fryer. You can use scissors to cut the dough at the desired length, or simply pipe and cut with a spoon.

Fry 3-5 churros at a time, and be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden and crispy, which should take around 2-5 minutes. Use a spider, tongs, or a slotted spoon to remove the churros from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain.

Repeat this process with the remaining dough, and you're done! Now, you can roll your churros in cinnamon-sugar for that classic sweet coating, or try some other creative toppings.

Enjoy your freshly made churros!

How to fry the churros

Preparing the Oil

Heat up some vegetable oil in a deep pot or pan to 360-375°F. You can use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. It's important to get the oil to the right temperature before frying, so start heating it while you prepare the dough.

Frying the Churros

Once the oil is hot enough, carefully pipe strips of the churro dough directly into the oil. You can do this by applying pressure to the piping bag and moving your hand in a downward motion. Cut the dough with scissors when it's the desired length. Fry the churros for about 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown. Don't crowd the fryer, and work in batches if necessary.

Draining the Churros

Remove the fried churros from the oil using a slotted spoon or tongs, and place them on paper towels to drain. Let them sit for about 15 seconds, so they're not too oily, but not too dry (this will help the cinnamon-sugar coating stick).

Coating the Churros

Roll the drained churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until they are well coated. You can also place the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a Ziplock bag and toss the churros in the bag to coat them.

Serving the Churros

Churros are best served fresh and warm. You can serve them with a sweet dipping sauce, such as chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, or vanilla sauce.

How to make the cinnamon sugar coating

To make the cinnamon sugar coating for your churros, you'll need cinnamon and sugar. Some recipes suggest caster or superfine sugar, while others simply use granulated sugar. The choice is yours! Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl or dish and set aside.

Once your churros are cooked, you can coat them in the cinnamon sugar. Some recipes suggest dunking the churros in the cinnamon sugar, while others recommend sprinkling the mixture over the churros. You could also try tossing the churros in a ziplock bag filled with the cinnamon sugar.

If you want to get creative, you can add other spices to your cinnamon sugar coating. For example, one recipe suggests adding a pinch of salt to the mixture.

How to make a dipping sauce

Churros are traditionally served with a sweet dipping sauce. Here are some ideas for dipping sauces to go with your homemade churros:

Chocolate Sauce

This sauce is a quick fix and a classic pairing with churros. You can make a simple chocolate sauce by melting chocolate and whisking in heavy cream. For a thicker sauce, you can add butter. If you want to spice things up, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste.

Dulce de Leche Sauce

This "cheater's" version of dulce de leche sauce can be made in about 10 minutes. Simply combine heavy cream and dark brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a slow boil and reduces down to 1 cup. Then stir in sweetened condensed milk and whisk until well-mixed.

Mango Sauce

For a tangy and sweet option, try making a mango sauce. Combine mango puree, lime juice, and granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture reduces to 1 cup. This sauce is best served at room temperature or chilled.

Butterscotch Sauce

For a butterscotch dipping sauce, you can follow a similar process as for the chocolate sauce, melting butterscotch and whisking in heavy cream.

Raspberry Sauce

A raspberry sauce can be made by heating frozen or fresh raspberries with sugar and lemon juice until thickened. Strain the mixture to remove the seeds, and serve warm or chilled.

Vanilla Sauce

A vanilla sauce can be made by heating milk, sugar, and vanilla bean paste or extract until thickened.

Hot Chocolate

For a more indulgent dipping experience, you can also serve your churros with a thick and indulgent hot chocolate. Simply heat milk and add chopped chocolate, whisking until melted. For an even richer hot chocolate, you can add cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the mixture.

Feel free to experiment with different flavours and ingredients to create your own unique dipping sauces!

Frequently asked questions