About two months ago I was lucky enough to get to travel with a group of friends to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. It was an amazing trip for many reasons, but one was some surprise churros we ate one day.
What’s a surprise churro? Just a churro you weren’t expecting. Basically we drove back to the local airport (about 45 minutes from where we were staying) to pick up Laura’s husband, Todd. He had to come a few days later because he’s a rock star (no, really, that’s his actual job). And on our way back from the airport we saw a small county fair-looking event off to the side of the road. And they had churros! So of course we pulled over.
Spoiler: They were amazing, with a light corn flavor. I’ve been itching to make my own ever since.
Cornmeal Churros, makes 15-18 churros.
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
3 eggs
1 tablespoon cream (I used half and half)
oil to fry (I used canola)
cinnamon and sugar to coat the churros after they are fried
In a small pot, combine the butter, water, and brown sugar. Melt over medium/high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Just before the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and add in the vanilla extract, salt, flour, and cornmeal. Stir until a thick paste begins to form. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. Then stir in the cream. If your mixture feels too thick (won’t be easy to pipe out of a bag), you can add another tablespoon of cream. I only needed one, but you can add more if needed. Place the dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. I used a Wilton tip #1M.
Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large pot to 350°F. Pipe the churros into the hot oil, using kitchen shears to cut the batter off when you’re done piping. Cook on each side for 30-45 seconds. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
For the cinnamon sugar mixture, I’ll go ahead and level with you here, I didn’t measure how much I used. (Gasp!) I just filled a loaf pan with a 1/2″ or so of sugar, sprinkled in a generous amount of cinnamon, and gave it good stir. Then I dipped my still-warm churros in the mixture to coat them.
I’m sorry for not having exact measurements here, but honestly you really don’t need them. This is just to coat the churros. So if you don’t make enough, you can always add more to pan if needed. If you make too much, save it and use it in something that you don’t mind a little cinnamon sugar on (maybe coffee?).
We passed these around the office and they were a big hit! They have a subtle, grainy/corn texture due to the addition of the cornmeal. You’ll like it. Try it. Enjoy! xo. Emma
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon cream (I used half and half)
- oil to fry (I used canola)
- cinnamon and sugar to coat the churros after they are fried
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the butter, water, and brown sugar. Melt over medium/high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Just before the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and add in the vanilla extract, salt, flour, and cornmeal. Stir until a thick paste begins to form. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. Then stir in the cream. If your mixture feels too thick (won't be easy to pipe out of a bag), you can add another tablespoon of cream. I only needed one, but you can add more if needed. Place the dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. I used a Wilton tip #1M.
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large pot to 350°F. Pipe the churros into the hot oil, using kitchen shears to cut the batter off when you're done piping. Cook on each side for 30-45 seconds. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- For the cinnamon sugar mixture, I'll go ahead and level with you here, I didn't measure how much I used. (Gasp!) I just filled a loaf pan with a 1/2" or so of sugar, sprinkled in a generous amount of cinnamon, and gave it good stir. Then I dipped my still-warm churros in the mixture to coat them.
- I'm sorry for not having exact measurements here, but honestly you really don't need them. This is just to coat the churros. So if you don't make enough, you can always add more to pan if needed. If you make too much, save it and use it in something that you don't mind a little cinnamon sugar on (maybe coffee?).
Delicious! I totally love mine with tonnes of cinnamon sugar!
Hello, I’m from Portugal and we eat loads of churros mostly in summer when we have little romaries going on & everyone loves them! We also have it stuffed with chocolate, caramel and it’s so delicious! Have you tried those?
how do you measure the heat of the oil? is there some kind of specific thermometer..?
I love churros! My cousin had churros at her wedding instead of a cake and it was amazing! A guy was making them fresh the whole night and there was a bar of toppings and fruit and dips for them. SO good.
Churros are my fav, yum!
http://thebluerevolt.blogspot.co.uk
http://thebluerevolt.blogspot.co.uk
http://thebluerevolt.blogspot.co.uk
Oh my goodness these look so yummy!! I had some in Spain this year and I never thought it would be possible to make them! xxx
http://www.annadorabel.com
These look amazing!! I can’t wait to try them out. Churros taste so beautiful! Now to find the perfect dipping sauce! x
http://eliphi.blogspot.co.uk
Hello! i’m going to travel to Costa Rica next week! can you tell me some tips for the trip???Regards from Spain
Lucky you! I’ve always wanted to visit Coasta Rica!! Maybe one day.. there is a churros shop in Athens, greece, amazing huh?
✿
Kisses
debsbug.blogspot.com
These churros need a CHOCOLATE ABUELITA dip which is a mexican chocolate sauce that has cinnamon! Delicious:)
They look super yummy! And Laura I know you husband’s music! I had never heard of the band but looked up their music and know all the words to a few of the songs. I think I’ve heard them on a Christian radio station here in NZ. You’re right, he is a rockstar! 🙂
man i love churros. these look so good. yumm
Julianne
http://reallifesurreallife.blogspot.com
Mmmm I so want to make these!
My two littles love churros and I was going to do a google search to make them for dessert tonight when up popped your post! Thank you! (Also wanted to say what an inspiration you are, Emma – you’ve come such a long way from your first food blog days. You can see the confidence pouring out of you through your experimentations with food and your wonderful photos…every time I see a post from you it makes my heart sing a little!).
These look SO good! What a great recipe! I’d love to try to make churros for a dessert one night!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
This looks so amazing and I can see why it was a hit. I’ll definitely love to try this out x
splasheswithfabulosity.blogspot.com.au
These look amazing! I wonder if you can bake them….
http://www.audacityoffood.co.uk/
Those look delicious! I’ll have to try to make my own, they look super easy and I’m always disappointed with how greasy they are when I eat them out. Bet that the office were impressed 🙂
This looks yummy! I live in Spain so churros are pretty easy to find here, but i’ve never tried to do them at home, but this looks like a fun thing to do
love,
http://fashionarababy.blogspot.com.es/
i’ve never thought of making my own churros — these look incredible!