Spanish Beach Churros
Honestly, churros on a Spanish beach is one of our favourite food memories ever, and this recipe brings all of that back every single time. Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, rolled in cinnamon sugar and dunked into the richest chocolate sauce you can imagine. We make these whenever we want to turn a regular evening into something that feels a bit special, and they never fail to deliver. Thirty minutes, one bowl of molten chocolate, and you're basically there. Make these tonight, trust us.
Before You Start
- Large saucepan for deep frying
- Small saucepan
- Medium saucepan
- Piping bag(s) with large nozzle
- Large plate
- Large baking tray lined with parchment
- Slotted spoon
- Kitchen paper
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 215g sugar
- 1 ½ litre vegetable oil - plus 2 tbsp, preferably flavourless - like sunflower oil
- 500ml water
- 240g plain flour
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 100g dark chocolate
- 185ml plant-based milk
- 40g sugar
Method
First, make the chocolate sauce
- Break up the chocolate and put it into the small saucepan with the plant-based milk, sugar and vanilla
- Stir to a smooth sauce
- Transfer to a serving bowl
- Set aside
Next, prepare the piping bags
- Sprinkle 115g sugar and the cinnamon over a large plate and set aside
- If you are using disposable piping bags, pile them up and roll them together to make one thick cone (a single bag is likely to split)
- Cut a small hole at the tip, insert the piping nozzle and push it all the way down to the bottom so that it sticks out of the hole
- Spray or brush the inside of the bag with a little oil
- If you are using a reusable bag, insert the nozzle and coat lightly with oil
Heat the oil
- Pour the 1 1⁄2 litres of oil into the large saucepan so that it comes a third of the way up the sides of the pan
- Heat the oil to about 180°C, or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil sizzles around the edges
Meanwhile, form the churro dough
- Put the water, the remaining 100g sugar, the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, salt and vanilla extract into the medium saucepan and place on a high heat
- Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar
- Remove from the heat, add the flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick, sticky dough (you’ll need to use a little elbow grease)
- Spoon the mixture into the piping bag
Cook the churros
- Pipe 6 churros on to the lined baking tray, each one about 10–15cm long
- Carefully transfer the churros to the hot oil (if you’re feeling brave you can pipe them straight into the oil)
- Fry for 8–10 minutes, until golden and cooked through
- Use a wooden spoon to move them around if they stick together
- Remove the churros with a slotted spoon and lay on the kitchen paper for 1 minute to drain
- While they’re still hot, transfer to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered
- Repeat with the remaining dough – you may need 3 or 4 batches
- Serve with chocolate sauce
Tips & Variations
- Piping bag hack: We always double or triple up disposable piping bags before adding the dough. A single bag just doesn't have the strength and will split on you at the worst moment.
- Nail the oil temperature: If the oil isn't hot enough the churros absorb it and go greasy. Drop a tiny bit of dough in first and if it sizzles and rises straight away, you're good to go.
- Cinnamon sugar timing: Roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar the second they come out of the oil while they're still hot and a little sticky. That's how it actually sticks and tastes amazing.
Why This Works
The trick here is getting the dough consistency right before it goes anywhere near the hot oil. Too loose and they fall apart, too stiff and they won't pipe properly. What really makes the whole thing sing though is that chocolate sauce. Good quality dark chocolate, a splash of plant milk, and a little vanilla makes something so silky and rich you'll want to drink it straight from the bowl.