Whenever I think of an easy, fast, addicting snack, my mind goes to Best Ever Churro Bites. These bite-size churros coated in thick cinnamon sugar feel like pure comfort foods, especially during survival mode. For me, true comfort means comfy clothes, no bras, fave shows, trashy TV, and churros at the top of the list.
I’ve always believed cinnamon plus sugar is the ideal dessert and my number 1 fave dessert option. It easily beats a Cinnabon cinnamon roll, cheesecake, chocolate, candy, or ice cream on ANY day. Churros are my love language, and if Disneyland ever stopped selling churros, the best ones, I’d be heartbroken.
Mini Churros Recipe-The Short Answer
When everything shut down, this recipe became my solution, and I still believe these are the Best Churro Bites ever. The first time I made churros from scratch, it felt like a real treat. They’re simple to make, come together quickly, and start with dough made from 6 ingredients and basic pantry staples.
The cinnamon sugar coating feels traditional and quintessentially churro, without needing fancy tools. A handheld mixer or stand mixer helps, and a candy thermometer is recommended for best results when frying churros. Controlling the oil temperature at 360 degrees F gives optimal results.
If the oil too hot, churros cook too quickly; if the oil too cold, they not cook evenly. A deep fat frying thermometer is inexpensive and easy to find at stores like Target or Walmart. This small step removes most of the stress.
The process is calming: make the dough, squeeze, cut into shapes, and drop them into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes, drain churro bites, and dredge in the signature cinnamon sugar coating. Voila, they’re addicting and delicious.
If you landed on my website by mistake, you might think you land on someone else’s page. Making churros used to be the last thing I’d choose after complaining about extra steps in Chanukah recipes. Though I’m famous in my family for beignets, not fried foods, I begrudgingly admit this article helped me develop recipe ideas that turned out excellent.
On a rare occasion, when I go out to eat with friends, they order churros for dessert. Soft churros, toasty churros, hot cinnamony sugar, and sweet dipping sauces from a restaurant are amazing, but that’s not me cooking. At home, if you’re daring, you can make at home and turn it into a great afternoon activity with children during Chanukah vacation.
I keep batches on the smaller side, using batter in a small saucepan, but you can double it for cute mini churros. They’re served with three dipping sauces like homemade chocolate sauce, store-bought caramel, or store-bought vanilla custard, with the recipe included below. They’re just as good, fun, and prove you can skip the freezer aisle for a fresh, crowd-friendly recipe like Easy Churro Bites.
Ingredients You’ll Actually Use
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil or Oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1–2 tsps ground cinnamon
- ½ cup Cinnamon-Sugar mix (optional coating)
- 1½ Tablespoons sugar (for Batter balance)
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (can include Union Spice Blend Apple Crisp)
- Chocolate Sauce made with:
- 3 oz. chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream, about a cup plus more if desired
From experience, laying ingredients out like this keeps mistakes away and helps the Batter come together smoothly. Using proper cup, Tbsp, tsp, tsps, T, Tablespoons, teaspoon, and teaspoons measurements makes a real difference, especially when adjusting sweetness or spice. I’ve learned that keeping sugar divided, cinnamon well-measured, and oil hot enough for frying is what gives mini churros their crisp outside and soft center.
Churro Batter and Frying Method
I start this mini churros recipe by preparing the coating so the process stays smooth. In a small bowl, I whisk 1/2 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup sugar, sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, ground cinnamon, cinnamon, Apple Crisp Blend, and cinnamon-sugar. I keep the coating mixture aside and set aside in a shallow dish so hot bites can be coated quickly.
For the batter, I use a medium saucepan, small saucepan, or nonstick saucepan. I add butter, water, 1 cup water, oil, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, pinch of salt, salt, and ½ teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil and add flour. I quickly mix flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until soft dough forms, even if it looks lumpy.
At this stage, dough forms into a dough ball or ball forms, and flour not mixed is normal. I remove pan from heat, take the pot off heat, and let it cool off. The batter cools for about 5 minutes before mixing further.
Once cooled, I move the churro dough or churro batter to a bowl of stand mixer or large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer and working quickly, I add the egg and vanilla. I beat at medium-high speed for 30 seconds to incorporate dough and avoid scrambled egg.
For piping, I use a disposable piping bag, piping bag, or pastry bag with a large open star tip, star tip, or star-shaped tip (optional). I slowly piping dough and pipe lines about 3 inches long. Meanwhile, I heat vegetable oil in a large skillet, heavy bottomed sauce pot, pan, stockpot, or 5-6 quart pot.
I add few inches oil, usually 1½ inches, 2 inches, or 4 inches vegetable oil. I monitor oil temperature using a candy thermometer, deep fat thermometer, or deep-fry thermometer. The oil is ready at 360 degrees F or 360°F.
When hot oil is ready and bubbles form around a wooden spoon, I snip dough using clean kitchen shears or scissors. I cut dough into 1 inch, 1½ inches, or 1/2-inch pieces to make dough bites. I fry, deep fry, or fry churro bites in groups of 6-8 churro bites.
While frying, I turn them occasionally with a slotted spoon. Each batch cooks for 90 seconds, 2 minutes, or fry 3 minutes. The result should be golden brown, light brown, and golden brown on all sides with a crisp texture.
Once done, I remove bites and remove from oil, then transfer them to a paper towel lined plate, paper towels, or baking sheet. I let them drain on paper towel and cool briefly. Then I roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture on a separate plate.
I repeat frying in batches using remaining dough and remaining churro bites. Between batches, I return oil 360°F. This keeps the texture consistent and prevents soggy results.
These churros are best served same day, but extras can go in a paper bag for a day later, knowing they become less crisp churro. I usually serve and serve warm with dipping sauces or choice of sauces. My favorite is chocolate dipping sauce made with heavy cream in the microwave, do not boil, then add chocolate, mix until fully melted and smooth.
Serving Style, Yield, and Nutrition Notes
I usually start this mini churros experience in a very plain jane way, focusing on soft churro bites that you can easily serve with caramel sauce, dulce de leche, or hot fudge, and I definitely recommend these for variety. From my kitchen trials, the yield is about 30 mini churros, but one key note is don’t overfill the piping bag. Always work in batches, or the bag will burst, which I learned during an early test run.
From a nutrition point of view, each portion has calories 182kcal, carbohydrates 33g, protein 2g, and fat 4g, including saturated fat 3g. It also contains sodium 194mg, potassium 22mg, and sugar 16g, along with calcium 10mg and iron 1mg. This makes the treat enjoyable while still easy to track when planning servings.
Serving Suggestions
If you love warm, cinnamon-coated desserts, this Mini Churros Recipe: Easy, Crispy Churro Bites will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen. The crisp exterior and soft inside pair perfectly with other cozy treats like Soft & Chewy Cookies Rolled in Cinnamon Sugar, making it ideal for anyone who enjoys simple, comforting bakes. This recipe is beginner-friendly, uses pantry staples, and delivers bakery-style results without complicated steps.
These mini churros are perfect for quick cravings, just like a 3 Ingredient Yogurt Cake You’ll Make on Repeat or Fast & Fluffy Banana Bread with Self Rising Flour when time is short. If you enjoy experimenting with lighter desserts, you may also love Making Cookies Without Butter That Melt in Your Mouth or trying aFail-Proof Waffle Recipe Without Milk for Beginners. Together, these recipes create an easy dessert collection that’s simple, budget-friendly, and guaranteed to satisfy sweet cravings.
FAQ’S
What is churro dough called?
From my own kitchen experience, I always start by understanding What, is, churro, dough, called, because that sets the quality at the end. Churros are made of Choux, pronounced SHOO, pastry, called in French pâte à choux, which is the same stuff that is used to make cruller donuts, cream puffs, and éclairs. Knowing How, to, Make, Churros, Temperatures, You, Need helps me keep the Dough is never too thick or thin, because Improper Consistency can affecting texture and overall results.
What are common mistakes when making churros?
I’ve learned to Avoid these issues the hard way when chasing perfect mini churros. If the dough is too dense, oily, or thin, the churros can end up being falling apart during frying, affecting the overall quality. Always follow this recipe, follow me for more easy recipes 😊, because small errors can have a big impact on texture.
How to make churros stay crispy?
Right After frying, I allow your churros to cool briefly on a metal cooling rack lined with paper towels. This method helps absorb excess oil while preventing the churros from becoming soggy. Remember, that churros are best enjoyed fresh, but with the right storage practices, you can keep them delicious for a short time, which really improves the overall eating experience.
Can you make churros without deep frying them?
Sometimes I prefer Making Homemade Baked Churros, because it is so much easier than you might think. No need to heat up a big pan of messy vegetable oil and bring it to a boil, because this churro dough comes together super easily in a small saucepot on the stove, and is then baked off like a sheet of cookies, giving you crispy mini churros without heavy frying.
