Churros Recipe: The Most Irresistible Spanish Treat
We have all, at some time, at some place, been tempted by that sweet and sugary fried dough with a long, thin and starry shape. It's just a matter of picturing it for the craving to happen...
The Sunday movie is waiting for you to put on play, your couch has the blanket ready, you pour your freshly brewed coffee, the cup of hot chocolate is already steaming on the table and the freshly fried churros smell of sweet, enveloping happiness.
For those with a sweet tooth, for all those who just want to make their Sunday a cozy one, we bring you here the ultimate churros recipe to enjoy one of the world's most legendary and highly valued homemade treats whenever you want.
Origin of Churros, The Legend
Where do churros originate, do you ask? Well, like any deity, churros have their own origin myth. Even though it's not clear exactly where they come from, there are two distinct legends.
For some, it is believed that the history of the churro began in China during the Ming Dynasty, where Portuguese merchants learned about the "Youtiao", a fried dough strip served at breakfast, and then introduced it to the Iberian Peninsula upon returning from their travels. However, many agree that the original shape was not the star shape we know today.
Thus, a second theory, which is widely accepted among food historians and industry experts, attributes the origin of churros to Spanish nomadic shepherds who spent most of their time in the highlands of the Iberian Peninsula.
Unable to reach the cities to buy bread, they invented a similar dough that could be easily cooked in a frying pan. In support of this theory would be the existence of a breed of sheep, the "Navajo Churro", descendant of the "Churra" sheep, typical of the Iberian Peninsula, whose horns would be reminiscent in their shape to this fried dough.
In any case, when the Spaniards arrived in America, the churro met the cocoa, the source of hot chocolate, and well… the rest is history.
So, at the end of day, the churro may have come from China as well as from the depths of Spain, but today it’s a culinary masterpiece of the entire world. Whether you go to the Chocolateria San Gines in Madrid or to the beaches of Buenos Aires, you are guaranteed to find a long line to enjoy a tasty and legendary churro.
Step-by-Step Churros Recipe: A Homemade Spanish Treat
What is a churro, then? Basically, churros are fried sweets with a cylindrical and star-shaped form, whose dough is a simple yet beautiful mixture of flour, water, oil, salt and sugar. Luckily, we don't need too much to be happy.
But don't worry, you don't have to be in Madrid or Buenos Aires to search for the best churros near me. Not only are they a well-known treat that you can easily get in almost any corner of the world, but you can even find them in your own kitchen.
Here, we leave you the traditional churros recipe so you can enjoy some good homemade churros whenever you want.
- 50 grams of flour
- 250 grams of water
- About a tablespoon of salt
- Sugar for sprinkling
- Olive or sunflower oil
- Absorbent paper
- A churrera or, if you don't have one, a pastry bag with a star-shaped mouth (fine).
- Instructions
- First, put the flour in a bowl. In a saucepan, heat the water with the salt.
- When the water starts to boil, pour it over the flour. With a wooden spoon we integrate the flour with the water.
- We introduce the dough in a churrera or pastry bag. This step is essential for the churros to turn out well. The churrera compacts the dough and eliminates the air. If you don't have a churro maker, a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle is also useful.
- Now you have to make the portions of churros with the raw dough on a kitchen towel on the countertop. This way the dough cools down so that they do not burst when frying.
- We put to the fire a frying pan with olive or sunflower oil.
- When it is hot we introduce the portions of dough to fry. The temperature must oscillate between 195º and 200º. They should be cooked over medium heat or they will be raw inside.
- Fry until golden brown, turning them to ensure even cooking. Then remove them to a tray with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve sprinkled with sugar.
With this easy churro recipe, the craving is fulfilled. We recommend serving the homemade churros hot and crispy so that the sweet aroma and the crackling noise teleports you to the streets of Spain, crunch by crunch.
Churros Serving Ideas and Pairings: Dips, Toppings and Everything Nice
And of course, if you want to enjoy not only a delicious churro but the taste of new year's eve mornings every time you want, pairing the churro with a cup of hot chocolate is the winning option.
In Spain and everywhere, churros and hot chocolate are a perfect couple. They are the kings of the party for all sweet lovers, they are a whole section apart in Willy Wonka's factory, they are a match made in heaven for those who seek in their comfort food a warm and sweet pampering like the one offered by chocolate.
But for all those who want a delicious churro in a local Latin American edition, we recommend the other most classic option: churros con dulce de leche. These churros argentinos may not transport you to that warm new year feeling, but with the first bite you will surely feel the breeze of the atlantic coast of Buenos Aires on your cheeks. This is one of the best options for those with a real sweet tooth.
Other more global cross-cutting options are pairing your churro with ice cream for a refreshing touch or with caramel sauce for those who enjoy that velvety and enveloping texture. The more gourmet and sweet-toothed you are, the more gourmet and sweet-toothed you can make your churro experience.
And as for drinks, it goes without saying, don't forget to pair the sweet churros with coffee to cut the sweetness a little but not get out of that comforting feeling.
No Man Left Behind: Make Way for Savory Churros
And as the churro is a recipe that is kind to all palates, although the sweet churro is the traditional and most recognized, the savory churro has begun to attract attention in recent times.
Mainly in Argentina and Uruguay, stuffed churros with cheese (the ones filled with roquefort cheese are the most outstanding) may sound strange but, no doubt, very tempting. So relax, lovers of savory and sweet and sour, with this twist on a classic treat, there are churros for you too.
Conclusion: Reach for the Sweet Tooth Heaven with your Homemade Churros
Welcome then to this new happy life where churros are at the top of our comfort food list.
With this guide for making homemade churros, you can enjoy whenever you want the cozy taste of new year in the morning, that taste of snow falling outside as you watch steam rising from your cup of hot chocolate and your freshly fried churros.
Or, likewise, you can have a churro with dulce de leche and smell the sea, feel the sand on your feet and the Argentine summer breeze on your cheeks.
This sweet is, whenever and however, a break to sit back, relax and enjoy.