Churros with chocolate sauce are the most perfect treat! Deliciously crispy on the outside while soft and chewy inside, these cinnamon-sugar dusted homemade churros can be served with creamy chocolate... or something else. Discover how to serve them at a party! 🙂
Raise your hand if you are crazy about churros? Both of mine are up in the air. 🙂
But did you know how you can serve them at a birthday party or at any other fun celebration? Keep reading and watch our video!
You will have an AHA moment!
Churros with Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Have you always wanted to make churros at home? Now you can! It’s a really fun cooking project and not nearly as complex as you might think.
I’ll walk you step-by-step through my favorite classic churro recipe so you’ll be making them in your own kitchen with confidence.
What are Churros?
Churros are originally from Spain and became a hit in Mexico and South America, including Brazil. You’ll usually find churros in cafés, in the mall, and sold by vendors on street corners.
In the U.S., you can enjoy churros at Mexican and South American restaurants and they are also a very popular Disney World and Disneyland treat. This is a beloved and nostalgic snack!
They might be best known as a long stick shape with ridges, but they can also be made into a loop shape, small bite-sized nuggets, or even shaped into hearts.
Churros are also made into so many fun variations, like OREO churros, and there is even a churro inspired breakfast cereal.
Make them gluten-free by using GF flour. Moreover, they can be vegan too!
In fact, this easy churros recipe itself is vegan—you’ll just want to leave out the chocolate filling. I’ll also show you below how to bake or air fry churros for a lightened-up version. Let's have a churro party, shall we?
Are Churros Like a Donut?
Churros are often compared to donuts because they are a fried pastry. However, they are closer to a cream puff than a donut because they are made with a choux dough, just like cream puffs.
The thing that makes churros unique is that they are typically piped from a bag into hot oil to deep fry, then coated in sugar and cinnamon and often special fillings are added.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make our churros with chocolate sauce:
- Water – water is the main moisture in the churro dough.
- Granulated sugar – a small amount of the sugar will be added to the dough for a mild sweetness. The rest of the sugar will be mixed with the cinnamon to coat the fried churros.
- Salt – salt actually brings out the sweetness and balances the flavors.
- Oil – you’ll need just 2 tablespoons in the actual dough and the rest will be used for deep frying the churros.
- All-purpose flour – very basic all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. But you can use a gluten-free one.
- Ground cinnamon – the cinnamon adds that familiar warm spice to the churros.
- Ground nutmeg – we love a pinch of nutmeg added to the traditional cinnamon-sugar mixture for an extra special hint of flavor.
- Heavy cream – the heavy cream will be heated and become the base for the rich and smooth chocolate dipping sauce.
- Semisweet chocolate chips – for the chocolate sauce, I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate. It has just the right blend of sweetness and strong chocolate flavor to create a balanced sauce.
How to Make Churros with Chocolate Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, salt, and oil. Bring to a boil, stir, and remove from heat. Mix in the flour for about 30 seconds until it forms a ball of dough.
- In a fryer, heat oil to 375° F (190° C). Put the dough in a churrero or a piping bag with a LARGE star tip attached. Twist and close the bag.
- Hold the bag or the churrero upright and straight over the hot oil fryer (so the churros come out straight), then squeeze out an appropriate length of dough (about 7 inches or 18 cm each ).
- After it is squeezed out, separate each churro from the piping bag using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors and let drop straight into the hot oil.
- Fry them until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per batch), turning occasionally to achieve a uniform color on all sides (do not fry more than 4 or 5 churros at a time because the temperature of the fryer will decrease and this will affect the final product).
- Remove the churros from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on a shallow baking pan lined with paper towels to drain. If you have used a piping bag, the churros won't have a hole.
- Optionally, let them cool a bit and hold the churros upright; then, make a central hole lengthwise from the top almost through to the bottom using a wood skewer (DO NOT MAKE A HOLE IN THE CENTER because we won't fill in our churros).
- In another baking sheet, pass the churros in the cinnamon-nutmeg-sugar mixture to coat while they are still warm. Reserve!
- Serve dipped with chocolate sauce (see how to make below). Or serve pipped on top with store-bought chocolate frosting and dulce de leche using a star nozzle. Then sprinkle with colorful sprinkles.
- If you want to, place a couple of mini Oreos or mini candy bars on top as seen in one of the images. Enjoy!!!
To prepare the chocolate sauce:
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat or heat in the microwave. Pour cream over chocolate in a glass bowl.
Let stand for about 30-40 seconds. Whisk the mixture well until smooth. For a dairy-free version, use vegan chocolate and plant-based milk.
How to Bake Churros in the Oven
- While deep-fried churros are yummy, it’s OK that some may prefer to bake them. To do this, simply follow all of the steps to make the churros except for the deep frying.
- Instead, pipe the churro dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Bake them at 400° F for about 20 minutes until they’re golden brown.
- Let them cool slightly before filling with the chocolate sauce and rolling in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
How to Air Fry Churros
- Of course, you can make churros in the air fryer! For this method, you’ll need to add 4 eggs to the dough. To do this, transfer the hot dough to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add one egg and beat the dough right away with an electric or stand mixer until the egg has been incorporated into the dough.
- Repeat this with the remaining three eggs (one at a time), then scoop the dough into a piping bag with a large star tip.
- Instead of piping the dough into the hot oil, you’ll pipe it right onto the air fryer basket.
- Make as many churros at once as will fit in the fryer basket with a bit of space between each, then coat the tops with non-stick cooking spray.
- Close the air fryer and cook the churros until golden brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
- Allow the churros to cool slightly, then fill each with the chocolate sauce and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Can I Make the Dough in Advance?
Yes! You can make the dough the day before you plan to fry the churros. This saves time when you are ready to have churros since all you’ll need to do is fry (or bake or air fry) them and then add the filling and topping.
For this, make the churro dough as normal, then place it in a food storage container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring the dough to room temperature before cooking the churros.
Fillings
Although this chocolate-filled version of churros is super tasty, you may want to try some other delish fillings. Here are some ideas:
- Melted guava paste
- Dulce de leche
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
- Vanilla pastry cream
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Melted guava paste and cream cheese -- which is known as a Romeo and Juliet in Brazil.
Toppings
Here are some toppings to try:
- Whipped sweet cream
- Dulce de leche
- Chocolate frosting
- Sprinkles
- Ice cream
- Fresh berries
- Chopped nuts
- Buttercream frosting
How to Store Leftovers
While churros are always best when eaten fresh, you can store leftovers to eat later.
Place them in a zip-top bag or an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, bake on a cookie sheet in the oven at 375° F for 5-8 minutes until hot.
More Churro Inspired Recipes You Will Love
- Churro Trifle
- Churro Blondies
- Dulce de Leche Churro Truffles
- Churro Popcorn (Weight Watchers/7 Minutes)
- Mini Churro Donuts
- Easy Churro Cupcakes
PIN & ENJOY!
Churros with Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- pan
- knife or scissors
- plate
- bowl
- microwave
Ingredients
For the churros:
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour, for a GF version
- 2 quarters vegetable oil about 2 liters (to fry)
- ½ cup granulated sugar to roll the churros in
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg optional
For the chocolate sauce:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3-½ ounces semisweet chocolate chips 100 grams
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, salt, and oil. Bring to a boil, stir, and remove from heat. Mix in the flour for about 30 seconds until it forms a ball of dough.
- In a fryer, heat oil to 375° F (190° C). Put the dough in a churrero or a piping bag with a LARGE star tip attached. Twist and close the bag.
- Hold the bag or the churrero upright and straight over the hot oil fryer (so the churros come out straight), then squeeze out an appropriate length of dough (about 7 inches or 18 cm each).
- After it is squeezed out, separate each churro from the piping bag using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors and let drop straight into the hot oil.
- Fry them until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per batch), turning occasionally to achieve a uniform color on all sides (do not fry more than 4 or 5 churros at a time because the temperature of the fryer will decrease and this will affect the final product).
- Remove the churros from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on a shallow baking pan lined with paper towels to drain. If you have used a piping bag, the churros won't have a hole.
- Optionally, let them cool a bit and hold the churros upright; then, make a central hole lengthwise from the top almost through to the bottom using a wood skewer (DO NOT MAKE A HOLE IN THE CENTER because we won't fill in our churros).
- In another baking sheet, pass the churros in the cinnamon-nutmeg-sugar mixture to coat while they are still warm. Reserve!
- Serve dipped with chocolate sauce (see how to make below). Or serve pipped on top with store-bought chocolate frosting and dulce de leche using a star nozzle. Then sprinkle with colorful sprinkles.
- If you want to, place a couple of mini Oreos or mini candy bars on top as seen in one of the images. Enjoy!!!
- To prepare the chocolate sauce: Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat or heat in the microwave. Pour cream over chocolate in a glass bowl. Let stand for about 30-40 seconds. Whisk the mixture well until smooth. For a dairy-free version, use vegan chocolate and plant-based milk.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- While deep-fried churros are yummy, it’s OK that some may prefer to bake them. To do this, simply follow all of the steps to make the churros except for the deep frying.
- Instead, pipe the churro dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Bake them at 400° F for about 20 minutes until they’re golden brown.
- Let them cool slightly before filling with the chocolate sauce and rolling in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Yes, churros can be made in the air fryer! For this method, you’ll need to add 4 eggs to the dough. To do this, transfer the hot dough to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add one egg and beat the dough right away with an electric or stand mixer until the egg is completely incorporated into the dough.
- Repeat this with the remaining three eggs (one at a time), then scoop the dough into a piping bag with a large star tip.
- Instead of piping the dough into the hot oil, you’ll pipe it right onto the air fryer basket.
- Make as many churros at once as will fit in the fryer basket with a bit of space between each, then coat the tops with non-stick cooking spray.
- Close the air fryer and cook the churros until golden brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
- Allow the churros to cool slightly, then fill each with the chocolate sauce and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Melted guava paste
- Dulce de leche
- Peanut butter
- Nutella
- Vanilla pastry cream
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Melted guava paste and cream cheese -- which is known as a Romeo and Juliet in Brazil.
- Whipped sweet cream
- Dulce de leche
- Chocolate frosting
- Sprinkles
- Ice cream
- Fresh berries
- Chopped nuts
- Buttercream frosting
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
NOTE: The original post was published on February 11, 2013.
Natalie says
I love churros! Such an amazing dessert.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Natalie! I agree with you...I made 16 of them and they disappeared quickly.
Coffee and Crumpets says
These things are so good! I love your version stuffed with chocolate, who doesn't loved stuffed things especially with chocolate! Yum.
Nazneen xx
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nazneen!!!
My family and I love churros. These filled ones are very Brazilian-style...
Nydia says
Ummmm...churros...I like churros so much, as well as my son and my husband. Here in peru are very popular, and we have different sizes, the ones that are not filled are smaller so you can dip into hot chocolate, and big ones that are filled with chocolate souce, manjarblanco (dulce de leche) and "crema pastelera"..
Denise Browning says
Churros filled with chocolate, dulce de leche, guava sauce, or leche condensada, etc are the way that we eat in Brazil.
They are so delicious... Thanks for stopping by, Nydia! Have a happy Valentine's day! xx
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness says
Beautiful churros! I love them and I always get them while in Disneyland. Your chocolate sauce version is fantastic looking.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Lokness!
In Brazil, we eat churros filled with chocolate, guava sauce, dulce de leche, etc instead of plain or dipped in a sauce.
I have added vanilla bean to the original recipe making them tastier... 😉
Deb says
What a luscious treat for your family! I have not had the pleasure of tasting a homemade churro and am fixated on the chocolate sauce! A lovely post!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Deb!
Churro is one of my family's favorite treats. My children cannot have enough of it.
I have to confess that neither can I. 🙂
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
We love our churros here in southern Arizona too! 😉
You have an amazing collection of recipes! I'll be back often.
Nice to 'meet' you on Google+
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot for having welcomed me on Google and visiting me here, Gwen!!!
I do appreciate a lot. Anytime that you want to visit me here, you are very welcome.
Wishing you a happy V-day!
Juliana says
Oh Denise...I remeber the churros recheados from Brasil...and I could never find it here 🙁
Yours look awesome...I so wish I lived near you so I could steal some of this beauties.
Hope you are enjoying your week and have a Happy Valentine's Day!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Juliana! Your visits always make me happy.
I wish we live near each other b/c I'd love to invite you to eat churros accompanied by our cafezinho brasileiro.
Wishing you a very happy V-day!!! xx
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love the chocolate sauce, these churros look impossible to resist!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Laura! I am glad that you like the churros with chocolate sauce.
Your visits make me happy...
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
These churros are such cute little desserts! Love their shape.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Julia! My family is crazy for them...
Judit + Corina @WineDineDaily says
Oh Denise, just love your chocolate filled version. Here in Southern California we had only plain chrurros dusted with cinnamon sugar. Have to try your recipe soon!
Denise Browning says
Thanks both Judit and Corina! I do hope you try this recipe...This is the way that we eat churros in Brazil. We fill them with chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, guava sauce, or sweetened condensed milk, etc instead of having them plain or dipped in a sauce. I love churros so much that I enjoy eating them in any form. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by!!! Wishing you a great night.
Amy says
So excited to find your site! Kids and I are making churros and pastel tonight. I grew up in Brasil, but growing up there did not teach me how to cook their food. Bummer! And now I miss it, but do not have the knack for making things the same way they do. I will be checking out further recipes here. Today I am going to use your churro recipe. Thanks!!!
Denise Browning says
Hi, Amy! I am glad that you found my site. I hope you visit us again soon and also enjoy the churros recipe which is one of my family's favorite. I also have a pastel recipe here called pizza empanadas (pastel de presunto e queijo) but is baked instead of fried. I do prefer that way. If you'd like to try it one of these days, I think you'd enjoyed it too. If you have any question, please let me know. Have a great day!
Nik@ABrownTable says
Churros are such a great dessert and you have made it even more delicious with chocolate sauce!
Denise Browning says
Thanks so much, Nik! This is teh way that we eat churros in Brazil...
Letscurry says
Lovely churros. What a visual treat.
Denise Browning says
Thank you! Churros are one of my family's favorite treats.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Churros are terrific! Love their flavor and their shape. And with chocolate sauce? Yes!
Rosanna says
I’m looking for a dessert recipe and find this recipe. It looks so yummy, and it’s easy to make. I’ll make it tomorrow. Thank you for the recipe!
Denise Browning says
My pleasure Rosanna! I hope you make these churros and enjoy it. The big batch that I made disappeared in less than 24 hours.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
I would love that churro dipped in chocolate right now. These are one of my very favorite treats! And deep fried adds so much amazing flavor!!
Raymund says
Honestly that is the best looking churros I had ever seen in my life, I just want to dig in in that plate of goodness
Denise Browning says
Thanks Raymund! My family is crazy about these churros and they make a great treat for birthday parties too.