16th-century Spanish shepherds allegedly invented churros since fried dough needed no oven—just a pan over open fire.
Mini Churros
Indulge in these delightful mini churros that boast a crunchy outside and a tender, fluffy inside! Rolled in a heavenly mix of cinnamon and sugar, these bite-sized treats are perfect for sharing—or keeping all to yourself. With just a few simple ingredients like dough, warm oil, and a sprinkle of sweet spices, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing dessert ready in no time!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
20
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
Spanish friars dragged this fritter to Mexico in the 1520s, but it was Mexico City street vendors in the 19th century who perfected the cinnamon-sugar coating and paired it with Oaxacan chocolate for dipping—turning a simple Iberian pastry into the molten, sugar-crusted stick of joy that now makes grown adults fight over a Dutch oven full of hot oil like it's the last helicopter out of Saigon.
Regional Twist
Down in Puebla, cooks ditch plain granulated sugar for piloncillo-spiked cinnamon sugar and stuff the piped dough with a dulce de leche core before frying, turning your basic vegetable oil bath into a proper Pueblan carnival trick.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 20🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 cup Water (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (120 ml)optional
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (114 g)Substitute with vegan butter for a vegan option.
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (125 g)Use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option.
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (100 g)
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (240 ml)optional
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Enough for deep frying (about 2 inches deep)Use any neutral, high smoke-point oil.
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon (15 ml)Use fresh cinnamon for better flavor.
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (1.25 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 large EggsUse a reliable egg substitute for a vegan option.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
176
Protein
2g
Carbs
16g
Fat
13g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in flour until it forms a thick ball.
- 3
Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and add them one at a time to the dough, mixing until smooth.
- 4
Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish.
- 5
Pipe 2-inch lengths of dough into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- 6
Drain on a wire rack and toss in cinnamon sugar while still hot.
- 7
For the dipping sauce, heat cream until simmering, pour over chocolate chips, let sit, then whisk until smooth.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 375°F precisely using a candy/deep-fry thermometer because choux dough requires high heat to gelatinize starches and set the exterior before centers fully cook—oil below 365°F produces greasy churros with raw centers, while above 385°F burns exteriors before interiors cook through.equipment375°F ±10°F
- ✓Cool the choux dough to 140-160°F (about 5 minutes) before adding eggs because hot dough (above 160°F) will scramble egg proteins and prevent proper emulsification, reducing rise by up to 30% and creating a dense, heavy final product.timing140-160°F, ~5 minutes
- ✓Pipe churros into oil at 45-60 second intervals rather than all at once because each addition cools the oil by 15-20°F; spacing prevents temperature from dropping below 355°F where oil absorption exceeds crust formation.technique45-60 second intervals
- ✓Use a 2:1 chocolate-to-cream ratio (8 oz chocolate to 4 oz cream) for ganache because this hydration level (33% water content) creates a coating thick enough to cling to churros without pooling—too thin and it drips off, too thick and it cracks when churros cool.ingredient2:1 ratio | 33% water content
- ✓Toss churros in cinnamon sugar within 30 seconds of draining because the residual surface moisture (from frying oil emulsion) acts as an adhesive; waiting longer than 60 seconds allows the surface to cool and dry, reducing sugar coating adhesion by up to 40%.timing30 seconds optimal, max 60 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
20
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
16th-century Spanish shepherds allegedly invented churros since fried dough needed no oven—just a pan over open fire.
Mini Churros
Indulge in these delightful mini churros that boast a crunchy outside and a tender, fluffy inside! Rolled in a heavenly mix of cinnamon and sugar, these bite-sized treats are perfect for sharing—or keeping all to yourself. With just a few simple ingredients like dough, warm oil, and a sprinkle of sweet spices, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing dessert ready in no time!
The Story
Spanish friars dragged this fritter to Mexico in the 1520s, but it was Mexico City street vendors in the 19th century who perfected the cinnamon-sugar coating and paired it with Oaxacan chocolate for dipping—turning a simple Iberian pastry into the molten, sugar-crusted stick of joy that now makes grown adults fight over a Dutch oven full of hot oil like it's the last helicopter out of Saigon.
Regional Twist
Down in Puebla, cooks ditch plain granulated sugar for piloncillo-spiked cinnamon sugar and stuff the piped dough with a dulce de leche core before frying, turning your basic vegetable oil bath into a proper Pueblan carnival trick.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 20🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 1 cup Water (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (120 ml)optional
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (114 g)Substitute with vegan butter for a vegan option.
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (125 g)Use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option.
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (100 g)
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (240 ml)optional
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Enough for deep frying (about 2 inches deep)Use any neutral, high smoke-point oil.
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon (15 ml)Use fresh cinnamon for better flavor.
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (1.25 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 large EggsUse a reliable egg substitute for a vegan option.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
176
Protein
2g
Carbs
16g
Fat
13g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in flour until it forms a thick ball.
- 3
Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and add them one at a time to the dough, mixing until smooth.
- 4
Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow dish.
- 5
Pipe 2-inch lengths of dough into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- 6
Drain on a wire rack and toss in cinnamon sugar while still hot.
- 7
For the dipping sauce, heat cream until simmering, pour over chocolate chips, let sit, then whisk until smooth.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 375°F precisely using a candy/deep-fry thermometer because choux dough requires high heat to gelatinize starches and set the exterior before centers fully cook—oil below 365°F produces greasy churros with raw centers, while above 385°F burns exteriors before interiors cook through.equipment375°F ±10°F
- ✓Cool the choux dough to 140-160°F (about 5 minutes) before adding eggs because hot dough (above 160°F) will scramble egg proteins and prevent proper emulsification, reducing rise by up to 30% and creating a dense, heavy final product.timing140-160°F, ~5 minutes
- ✓Pipe churros into oil at 45-60 second intervals rather than all at once because each addition cools the oil by 15-20°F; spacing prevents temperature from dropping below 355°F where oil absorption exceeds crust formation.technique45-60 second intervals
- ✓Use a 2:1 chocolate-to-cream ratio (8 oz chocolate to 4 oz cream) for ganache because this hydration level (33% water content) creates a coating thick enough to cling to churros without pooling—too thin and it drips off, too thick and it cracks when churros cool.ingredient2:1 ratio | 33% water content
- ✓Toss churros in cinnamon sugar within 30 seconds of draining because the residual surface moisture (from frying oil emulsion) acts as an adhesive; waiting longer than 60 seconds allows the surface to cool and dry, reducing sugar coating adhesion by up to 40%.timing30 seconds optimal, max 60 seconds