Sweet and not too sweet, crispy and not too crispy. These are the words that come to my mind when I think of this eggless churros recipe. A delectable treat with a crispy exterior dusted with sugar and cinnamon, and a soft, fluffy interior; pure joy is felt when you bite into these delicious fried pastry snacks.
Pssst Pssstt.. These are a batch of churros without eggs.. say what!!!
What are Churros?
For those unaware, Churros are a popular fried pastry snack that originated in Spain and is now enjoyed in many parts of the world. Traditional churros were made only using flour, salt, water, and oil; yes without eggs; but were then adapted into a choux pastry dough with the addition of eggs and butter; popularized by Mexico. The churro dough is then piped through a star-shaped nozzle and fried until golden brown.
They are typically long, thin, and straight, although they can also be formed into loops or spirals.
They have a crispy exterior and a soft, doughy interior, and are often eaten as a breakfast pastry or a dessert. But served throughout the day as a snack too.
Our version today is adapted from the original Spanish Churros, no eggs involved!!
My Failed Attempts:
I absolutely love this part of baking!!
Don't we all learn from making mistakes?
Only after 3 failed attempts I could nail the perfect texture of a churro - The crispy exterior, dusted with cinnamon sugar, and the soft, fluffy interior.
From our eggless sugar cookies post, I now know you guys enjoy it too. So here are all the mistakes I made so that you do not have to.
Attempt 1
My attempts at making eggless churros started off with using the Mexican churros version as the base.
- I simply replaced the eggs with baking powder thinking the role of eggs is just for the fluffy interior.
- And also followed the choux pastry dough technique (think of chocolate eclairs) with equal parts of all-purpose flour and water.
- Since choux pastry was on my mind, the quantity of the butter was also 113 gms in the batter.
Resultant: The dough was too thick that it was nearly impossible to pipe the dough and the piping bag literally tore in the process.
Learnings: So I understood that the purpose of eggs was to adjust the consistency apart from giving richness.
Attempt 2:
I added little extra hot water to the above batter and went ahead to fry them.
Resultant: My churro dough literally disintegrated into the hot oil.. boom.. exploded into oil
Since the ingredients were similar to the traditional murukku (south Indian fried snack) I called up my Mom to explain to her what happened and she straight away mentioned butter is the culprit.
How does mom know everything?
Learnings: Too much butter in the batter and hence the dough did not have a proper structure and disintegrated.
Attempt 3:
So for my next attempt, I went for volume measurements to adjust the consistency so I used 1 cup water (250 gms) and 1 cup flour (120 gms) instead of the 250 gms water to 250 gms flour that I originally started off with.
And also reduced the butter to half of what I started with so 56 gms
Resultant: The churros held their shape but were uneven (had also used a french tip nozzle to pipe) and super crispy even from the inside.
Learnings: It is still a lot of butter as that is what is making the churros so crispy even from withing that resembles the traditional south Indian murukku.
But this time the batter had the right consistency to pipe.
Attempt 4:
Finally, I reduced the butter a further and also increased the baking powder slightly to get those fluffy interiors.
I also stuck to the star nozzle for even shaping.
Results:
- The consistency of the batter was right enough to pipe without having the need to apply too much pressure that tears down the piping bag.
- The ridges on the churro dough were neat and even just like how a churro should be.
- Butter was just right which helped the dough hold its shape whilst frying and also gave a soft texture to the fried churros.
- They had a gorgeous golden brown coloration which means it was not over-fried.
So with all the mistakes and learning now let's get into the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 250 ml ( 1 cup) water
- 28 gms (2 tbsp) butter
- 120 gms (1 cup) flour
- 2 g baking powder
- Oil for frying
Ingredient Notes:
- Baking Powder: Helps in getting the fluffy interiors so do not miss it.
- Butter: I am using salted butter for this recipe. Also, cube down the butter so it melts quickly and there is minimal loss of moisture.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar works well for preparing the cinnamon sugar but if in India use caster sugar only.
- Oil - Any type of flavorless oil with a high smoking point works best like canola oil, vegetable oil, etc. Avoid using butter or olive oil, as they have a lower smoke point and will burn quickly.
The detailed recipe along with ingredients and notes are shared in the recipe card that can be printed off and saved for later. Please scroll down to the end of the post for the same.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 - Prepare Chocolate Sauce
There is nothing like a homemade chocolate sauce to go along with your homemade eggless churros.
It is basically chocolate ganache in a ratio of 1:1 so that it is thick enough to be able to coat the churros when dipped and not too thick that it sets like a frosting.
We heat the heavy cream (or fresh cream) until it begins to boil. Pour it over the chopped chocolate. I am using a combination of dark chocolate and milk chocolate. But you can choose your favourite.
Let it sit for a minute and then stir to dissolve the chocolate completely. If the chocolate is not melted fully, you can microwave it at the interval of 30 seconds to dissolve the chocolate.
Step 2 - Prepare Churro Dough
Sieve together the dry ingredients - flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring water and butter to a rolling boil on medium-high heat.
Then reduce the flame to low and add the dry ingredients to it stirring continuously cook the flour using a wooden spoon until (what we say in culinary terms) the starch gelatinizes.
This would hardly take a minute. ( I usually count from 1 to 60 in my mind while stirring the flour continuously)
Then take it onto a plate and allow it to warm a bit so that it is easier to handle the dough while piping.
While that is warming up, place a frying pan with enough oil about 3-4 inches deep to fry the churro dough. The optimum temperature for frying is 190°C.
Step 3 - Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
In a separate wide-mouth bowl mix together the cinnamon powder and sugar to form the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Transfer a large star tip to a piping bag and keep it ready too.
Step 4 - Fry the Churros
Once the oil is hot enough and the dough is warm add it to the piping bag and then squeeze a 5-6 inch long dough into the hot oil. Just fry 3-4 strips at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Deep fry the churros till golden brown flipping them in between for even frying.
But as you squeeze the soft dough directly on top of the oil, I find that the oil splutters a lot and becomes a mess to clean later and moreover is risky too.
That is the reason I prefer the piping method.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then pipe the dough in strips of 5-6 inches on top. Pipe about 3-4 at a time.
Then lift the dough and carefully and slowly drop it into the hot oil. The frying process remains the same.
Using a slotted spoon take the churros out onto a colander to drain the excess oil.
When the churros cool down a bit but should still be warm; dip them into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat it well from all sides.
If by any chance you have some cinnamon sugar left out, consider making our eggless cinnamon rolls.. so yum!!
Serve warm churros with the prepared rich hot chocolate sauce. Yes, do heat up the sauce a bit if it has cooled down. Or serve it with caramel sauce or dulce de leche sauce or can also be enjoyed plain.
Now, who can resist the warm, crispy, and sugary goodness of a churro and that too made using such simple ingredients?
Storage Instructions:
Fried churros are not meant to be stored.
Just like any fried dish it has to be consumed immediately for the best results. And that is the reason if you the street vendors also prefer to fry the churros as and when the customer comes.
I have never seen pre-made churros kept at a counter.
But these homemade crispy churros can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature and not more than that. Never refrigerate them.
Even on the second day, the churros won't be as crispy as freshly fried.
I do not recommend freezing the churros.
Honestly, this is a small batch churros recipe so even if it is your first time making it, you won't have any leftovers because no matter how you make it these are going to turn out good.
Bakers Tips:
- Metric Measurements: If you can please stick to metric measurements for this recipe. Having a weighing scale eliminates half of the problem you face when it comes to making desserts or baked goodies.
- The flavor of choice: Add a little vanilla extract or vanilla essence to the dough to amp up the flavor.
- Use a piping bag with Star Nozzle only: This creates the beautiful ridges that you see on a churro. Apart from making it look pretty these ridges help even frying of the churros making them crispy on the exterior. If possible stick to a good quality piping bag or best use a cloth pastry bag.
- Warm the dough slightly before piping: This makes it easier to handle the dough and pipe beautifully.
- Add little hot water if the dough is too thick to pipe: This helps to adjust the consistency of the dough and will take less effort for you to pipe. About 1 tbsp at a time. Do not add too much hot water or else the dough would become liquidy and would be of no use then.
- Pipe the churros on parchment paper: This way all the churros are of the same size and also have no chance of spluttering of oil hence easier to clean the cooktop and also is less risky.
- Fry in small batches: At any given time do not fry more than 3-4 strips. Overcrowding the pan reduces the temperature of the oil and results in uneven frying.
- Do not roll the churros immediately into the cinnamon sugar mixture: Hot churros would melt the sugar causing the sugar to stick and clump like patches on the churros. Instead, roll the warm churros in the sugar mixture that way you could still see the grainy effect of the sugar on the churros.
- Do not drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Instead, use a colander to drain the excess oil. This ensures any fried dishes remain crispy for a long time.
- Serve immediately: Churros are best served when they are still warm and crispy. It is best to serve them immediately after frying. And it is also a better idea to serve it along with some chocolate dipping sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions:
A simple way to do so is using a ziplock bag. Just snip off from one edge and add the nozzle. If not ziplock bags you can also use those thick milk plastic packets. Even a thick muslin cloth like the ones used for making jalebi can be used.
Technically speaking you can. But I do not recommend it because it loses its crispiness and is not pleasant to taste once frozen and thawed.
This happened to me on my first attempt. The number one reason for this is using too much butter in the recipe. Try reducing that; use a weighing scale to measure accurately. Cube the butter before bringing it to a rolling boil so that there is less loss of moisture. Fix this and your churros would never explode or disintegrate in hot oil.
Once they are deep fried to a golden brown, you cannot reheat them in the hot oil as it will absorb too much oil. Instead, first, fry the churros until they are partially cooked from both sides in medium-high heat. Then just before serving, fry the churros one more time on high heat for about a minute and serve immediately. That way you can prepare some in advance and reheat them when needed.
Where did churros originate?
Churros are believed to have originated in Spain, although there are some who argue that they were actually brought to Spain by the Moors. Today, churros are popular throughout Latin America, as well as in the United States and other parts of the world.
Churros can be served plain, or they can be coated in sugar, cinnamon, or other sweet toppings. They are often served with dipping sauce, such as chocolate, dulce de leche, or caramel.
Related Recipes
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Eggless Churros Recipe
Ingredients
For Eggless Churros
- 120 gms (1 cup) All Purpose Flour / Plain Flour / Maida
- 2 gms Baking Powder
- 250 gms (1 cup) Water
- 28 gms (2 tbsp) Butter cubed
- Oil for deep frying
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- 45 gms (1/4 cup) Caster Sugar
- 4 gms Cinnamon Powder
Homemade Chocolate Sauce
- 100 gms Cream
- 100 gms Chocolate chopped
Instructions
Prepare Chocolate Sauce
- Heat the heavy cream (or fresh cream) until it begins to boil. Pour it over the chopped chocolate.
- Let it sit for a minute and then stir to dissolve the chocolate completely. If the chocolate is not melted fully, you can microwave it at the interval of 30 seconds to dissolve the chocolate.
To make the Churros
- Sieve together the dry ingredients - flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a saucepan bring water and butter to a rolling boil on medium-high heat.
- Then reduce the flame to low and add the dry ingredients to it stirring continuously cook the flour using a wooden spoon until (what we say in culinary terms) the starch gelatinizes. This would take about a minute.
- Then take it onto a plate and allow it to warm a bit so that it is easier to handle the dough while piping.
- While that is warming up, place a frying pan with enough oil about 3-4 inches deep to fry the churro dough. The optimum temperature for frying is 190°C.
- Once the oil is hot enough and the dough is warm add it to the piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and then squeeze a 5-6 inch long dough into the hot oil. Just fry 3-4 strips at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Deep fry the churros till golden brown flipping them in between for even frying.
- Alternatively you can also line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then pipe the dough in strips of 5-6 inches on top. Pipe about 3-4 at a time. Then lift the dough and carefully and slowly drop it into the hot oil. The frying process remains the same.
- Using a slotted spoon take the churros out onto a colander to drain the excess oil.
Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- In a separate wide-mouth bowl mix together the cinnamon powder and sugar to form the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- When the churros cool down a bit but should still be warm; dip them into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat it well from all sides.
- Serve warm churros with the prepared rich hot chocolate sauce. Yes, do heat up the sauce a bit if it has cooled down. Or serve it with caramel sauce or dulce de leche sauce or can also be enjoyed plain.
Video
Notes
- Please note the cooking time does not include the time needed to make the chocolate sauce. It just talks about the time needed to make the churros.
- The number of churros that you would get depends upon how long you pipe the churros and which nozzle you are using. I could make 10 churros from the above mentioned ingredients.
- Metric Measurements: If you can please stick to metric measurements for this recipe. Having a weighing scale eliminates half of the problem you face when it comes to making desserts or baked goodies.
- The flavor of choice: Add a little vanilla extract or vanilla essence to the dough to amp up the flavor.
- Use a piping bag with Star Nozzle only: This creates the beautiful ridges that you see on a churro. Apart from making it look pretty these ridges help even frying of the churros making them crispy on the exterior. If possible stick to a good quality piping bag or best use a cloth pastry bag.
- Warm the dough slightly before piping: This makes it easier to handle the dough and pipe beautifully.
- Add little hot water if the dough is too thick to pipe: This helps to adjust the consistency of the dough and will take less effort for you to pipe. About 1 tbsp at a time. Do not add too much hot water or else the dough would become liquidy and would be of no use then.
- Pipe the churros on parchment paper: This way all the churros are of the same size and also have no chance of spluttering of oil hence easier to clean the cooktop and also is less risky.
- Fry in small batches: At any given time do not fry more than 3-4 strips. Overcrowding the pan reduces the temperature of the oil and results in uneven frying.
- Do not roll the churros immediately into the cinnamon sugar mixture: Hot churros would melt the sugar causing the sugar to stick and clump like patches on the churros. Instead, roll the warm churros in the sugar mixture that way you could still see the grainy effect of the sugar on the churros.
- Do not drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Instead, use a colander to drain the excess oil. This ensures any fried dishes remain crispy for a long time.
- Serve immediately: Churros are best served when they are still warm and crispy. It is best to serve them immediately after frying. And it is also a better idea to serve it along with some chocolate dipping sauce.
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