Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil. Dump in 1 cup flour all at once and stir hard until a smooth dough ball forms and pulls from the pan, about 1 minute. Cool 5 minutes so the eggs don't scramble.

2. 2

   Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time until the dough looks glossy and pipeable — it should slowly fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix the coating: ½ cup sugar + 1½ teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow dish.

3. 3

   Pipe 4–5 inch sticks with a large star tip (or snip a corner of a zip bag for a simpler shape). Leave space between them. Bake 15–20 minutes until deep golden and dry-looking on the outside — pale churros stay soft and doughy.

4. 4

   While still hot, toss in the cinnamon sugar so it sticks. Serve right away with melted chocolate or chocolate sauce if you want. You want crisp, ridged oven churros with a soft interior and sticky cinnamon sugar — not pale soft sticks or dry hollow tubes.