Spanish churros use margarine instead of butter because 16th-century convents couldn't afford dairy during Lent fasting periods.
Spanish Churros
Indulge in the irresistible charm of homemade Spanish churros, where each golden stick boasts a perfectly crispy exterior that gives way to a fluffy interior. These delectable treats are a breeze to whip up and are best enjoyed dipped in rich, velvety chocolate. Grab your flour and cinnamon, and get ready to impress your taste buds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
These crispy Spanish batons actually descend from Chinese youtiao—deep-fried dough sticks that Portuguese traders smuggled back from Macau in the 16th century, then Spanish shepherds perfected in the mountains using sheep's milk and primitive star-shaped nozzles carved from wood, creating the ridged exterior that maximizes surface area for that legendary crunch-to-chew ratio.
Regional Twist
In Madrid's Malasaña district, they double the vanilla and add orange zest to the dough, then dust with cinnamon-sugar instead of serving plain chocolate dipping sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 150 grams flour
- margarine (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
- vanilla (to taste)
- 250 ml water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a saucepan, heat the margarine with water, sugar, salt, and vanilla until boiling.
- 2
Remove from heat and stir in the flour until well combined.
- 3
Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 4
Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe churros onto parchment paper.
- 5
Chill the churros in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- 6
Heat oil in a pan until hot, then fry the churros until golden brown on all sides.
- 7
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with chocolate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your frying oil to exactly 375°F because churros need high heat to create steam that puffs the choux pastry while forming a crispy exterior before the inside overcooks.technique375°F
- ✓Beat the choux pastry for 2-3 minutes after adding eggs to develop gluten strands that create the signature ridged texture when piped through a star tip.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Cool the flour mixture to 140°F before adding eggs to prevent them from scrambling while still maintaining enough heat for proper emulsification.timing140°F
- ✓Freeze churros for exactly 20 minutes before frying so they hold their shape during the initial oil contact while the exterior sets, preventing collapse.timing20 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of water to flour by weight for proper choux consistency that pipes smoothly but holds defined ridges from your star tip.ingredient1:1 ratio by weight
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Spanish churros use margarine instead of butter because 16th-century convents couldn't afford dairy during Lent fasting periods.
Spanish Churros
Indulge in the irresistible charm of homemade Spanish churros, where each golden stick boasts a perfectly crispy exterior that gives way to a fluffy interior. These delectable treats are a breeze to whip up and are best enjoyed dipped in rich, velvety chocolate. Grab your flour and cinnamon, and get ready to impress your taste buds!
The Story
These crispy Spanish batons actually descend from Chinese youtiao—deep-fried dough sticks that Portuguese traders smuggled back from Macau in the 16th century, then Spanish shepherds perfected in the mountains using sheep's milk and primitive star-shaped nozzles carved from wood, creating the ridged exterior that maximizes surface area for that legendary crunch-to-chew ratio.
Regional Twist
In Madrid's Malasaña district, they double the vanilla and add orange zest to the dough, then dust with cinnamon-sugar instead of serving plain chocolate dipping sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 150 grams flour
- margarine (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
- vanilla (to taste)
- 250 ml water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a saucepan, heat the margarine with water, sugar, salt, and vanilla until boiling.
- 2
Remove from heat and stir in the flour until well combined.
- 3
Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 4
Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe churros onto parchment paper.
- 5
Chill the churros in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- 6
Heat oil in a pan until hot, then fry the churros until golden brown on all sides.
- 7
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with chocolate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat your frying oil to exactly 375°F because churros need high heat to create steam that puffs the choux pastry while forming a crispy exterior before the inside overcooks.technique375°F
- ✓Beat the choux pastry for 2-3 minutes after adding eggs to develop gluten strands that create the signature ridged texture when piped through a star tip.technique2-3 minutes
- ✓Cool the flour mixture to 140°F before adding eggs to prevent them from scrambling while still maintaining enough heat for proper emulsification.timing140°F
- ✓Freeze churros for exactly 20 minutes before frying so they hold their shape during the initial oil contact while the exterior sets, preventing collapse.timing20 minutes
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of water to flour by weight for proper choux consistency that pipes smoothly but holds defined ridges from your star tip.ingredient1:1 ratio by weight