After so many visits to Disneyland and craving their ever-popular treats in between trips, I figured out how to make Disney churros at home. With just a handful of pantry ingredients, they turn out light and tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and coated in cinnamon sugar. I have to say they are the absolute best little handheld goody!

Helpful Tips

• Cool the dough before adding the eggs. If you add the eggs to the hot dough, they could scramble. Transferring the hot dough from the pot to a bowl and beating for a couple of minutes with an electric mixer helps cool it down. It’s also best to use cold eggs, which will help cool the dough.
• Shaping the churros. Classic churros are made using a star piping tip, which helps achieve crisp edges. I use a large open star Ateco 829. If you don’t have a piping tip, use a plastic bag with one corner cut off. It won’t look the same, but it will still taste delicious. I prefer 3-inch churros, but if you want that real, authentic Disney park experience, cut the dough into much longer strips (but not too long or they won’t fit in your pan).
• Proper oil temperature. Keep the oil temperature at 360°F – lower than that and the churros might be soggy, but too much higher and you run the risk of them burning on the outside before the inside is cooked. I find a candy thermometer is the best way to control it. If you don’t have a thermometer, keep your stovetop burner set to medium-medium high heat and adjust if necessary.
• Pay attention to the color as they fry. Having the right oil temperature is important, but so are your eyes! Use the golden brown color as a guide to let you know when each side is done.
• Fry only a few at a time. Adding too many churros to the oil will lower the temperature of the oil, so only fry 4 to 5 at a time.
• Drain the churros on paper towels. Let the churros drain on paper towels for about 10-15 seconds before you add them to the cinnamon-sugar mixture. The sugar will clump if you add it while still wet and oily. On the other hand, if you let them dry completely on the paper towels, the sugar won’t stick very well.

How to Make Churros Step by Step

Gather the ingredients.

Make the coating: In a medium shallow bowl, whisk ½ cup sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon together, and set it aside.

Make the dough: In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup water, ½ cup whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 8 tbsp butter that’s been cut into cubes, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar, and ¼ tsp cinnamon over medium heat. Let the mixture melt and come to a rolling boil, stirring frequently. Then, reduce the heat to low.

Fry the churros: Hold the pastry tip close to the oil to prevent splashing, and carefully pipe 3-inch strips of dough over the skillet. I like to cut the end with kitchen scissors and drop it into the hot oil. Repeat until the churros fill the skillet without over-crowding. Fry churros until golden brown. This usually takes me about 1½ minutes per side. Use tongs to turn the churros, as necessary.

Serve: Serve right away while they’re warm and crispy. Enjoy!

What to Serve With Churros

I love eating the churros with just the cinnamon-sugar, but sometimes I’ll serve them with a few sauces to add even more flavor and fun. You can’t beat churros dipped in a quick and easy chocolate sauce, or this decadently rich and smooth caramel sauce. But a light and fruity raspberry sauce is also nice, and of course, nothing beats classic whipped cream as a garnish or dip.

More Mexican-Inspired Treats

• Tres Leches Cake is a light sponge cake soaked in three types of milk, making it sweet, ultra-moist, and utterly delicious. 
• This Sopapilla Cheesecake features sweetened cream cheese between layers of a cinnamon-sugar crust.
• These Mexican Chocolate Popsicles are rich, creamy, chocolatey, and have a little kick.

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!