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Recipe

Spanish-Inspired New Year Churros with Chocolate

Celebrate with Spanish-inspired churros and warm dark chocolate sauce. This New Year dessert includes piping, frying safety, serving tips and nutrition.

Spanish-Inspired New Year Churros with Chocolate
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil, for the dough
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for the dough
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • Neutral high-heat oil for frying, enough for 2 inches in a deep heavy pot; never fill more than one-third full
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, for coating
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Mix the coating sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Place chopped chocolate, milk and vanilla in a small heatproof bowl over barely simmering water without letting the bowl touch it. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
  2. In a saucepan bring the cup of water, 2 tablespoons dough oil, dough sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, add all the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. Return to low heat and stir for 1 minute to form a smooth firm ball.
  3. Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes, until safe to handle but still warm. Pack it firmly into a strong reusable piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star nozzle, avoiding air pockets. Pipe twelve 4-inch lengths onto lightly oiled parchment; do not use a sealed plastic food bag or smooth round nozzle.
  4. Add frying oil to a deep heavy pot, leaving abundant headroom and never exceeding one-third of the pot height. Heat to 350°F / 175°C using a frying thermometer. Keep children and water away, have a metal lid nearby and never leave hot oil unattended.
  5. Use a lightly oiled spatula to lower three or four churros gently into the oil, sliding them away from you without splashing. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning with long tongs, until evenly deep golden and cooked through. Maintain about 340–350°F and allow the oil to recover between batches.
  6. Lift onto a rack over a tray to drain. When safe to handle but still warm, roll lightly in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. If oil smokes, turn off the heat; never pour water onto hot oil or an oil fire.
  7. Divide the warm chocolate sauce among six small portions and serve two churros per person immediately. Let used oil cool completely before handling or disposal. Do not pour oil down the sink.

Crisp ridged churros and a small cup of warm chocolate make a shareable New Year dessert. A simple egg-free dough is cooked briefly in the saucepan before piping, then fried in small batches for an even golden exterior.

This original Spanish-inspired home version adds cinnamon sugar and a rich chocolate dip. Use a sturdy piping bag and an open star nozzle: the ridges are part of the texture, and forcing dense dough through a weak bag is frustrating and unsafe.

Equipment matters

Use a reliable frying thermometer, a deep stable pot and a sturdy open-star piping setup. Churros must have ridges and no large trapped air pockets. If the dough is too stiff to pipe safely, do not force it; this is not a recipe for a flimsy disposable bag.

Serving and storage

Churros are best immediately after frying. Refrigerate leftover milk-based sauce promptly and use within 3–4 days. Extra sauce, heavy coating and absorbed frying oil change the nutrition considerably.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bake this dough instead?

This specific egg-free dough and timing are designed for frying. Baking needs a separately developed recipe and will not produce the same result.

Why are they dark outside but raw inside?

The oil may be too hot or the churros too thick. Use the specified nozzle and thermometer, and check a cooled test piece before serving the batch.

Nutrition notes

Nutrition is an approximate editorial estimate per serving, not a laboratory analysis. Brands, substitutions and portion sizes change the values. These original recipe drafts have not been kitchen-tested; use the stated doneness checks as well as timing.

Rough estimate includes all sauce and coating plus about 30 g absorbed frying oil for the whole batch. Oil absorption and coating left in the dish vary, so actual nutrition may differ substantially.

Allergens: Wheat; Milk; Chocolate may contain soy and traces of nuts. Check all product labels.

Food storage and handling

Refrigerate perishable leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C. Keep at 40°F / 4°C or colder, use within 3–4 days and reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F / 74°C. Follow any shorter storage guidance given in the recipe.

Illustrative recipe image; presentation may vary. This is not a photograph of a kitchen test.

Per serving

Nutrition facts

Serving size: Two small churros with one-sixth of the chocolate sauce (estimated nutrition)

Calories
290
Total fat
14 g
Saturated fat
4 g
Cholesterol
4 mg
Sodium
115 mg
Total carbohydrate
38 g
Dietary fiber
2 g
Total sugars
18 g
Protein
4 g

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