Fry

Hanukkah Churros

by:
December 17, 2009
4.4
5 Ratings
  • Makes 20-25 churros
Author Notes

I decided to consider these as fried cookies, since I thought that Hanukkah also deserves some representation. Why churros? Because traditionally we make doughnuts for Hanukkah and I fell in love with churros when I went to Mexico. Also,though it messy I like to play with pastry piping bags. So why not churros? The home made ones are so fluffy. I don't try to fill them with jam like traditional Hanukkah doughnuts, but I do make even tastier sauces on the side. But watch it, they are really impossible to stop eating. And yes, you have to fry them right before serving. - Cordelia —Cordelia

Test Kitchen Notes

We first fell in love with the concept of churros for Hanukkah -- a spicy-sweet twist on the traditional doughnuts, or sufganiyot. Then we tasted Cordelia's version and decided we needed this recipe around for the other 357 days of the year. A light, golden shell and eggy sponge-like interior, swabbed in any of Cordelia's festive trio of sauces, will make you forget every leaden state fair churro you've ever met. Note: Our Nutella seized in the microwave, but heating slowly on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, worked like a charm. - A&M —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • Churros
  • 1 cup of all purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 1/2 cup of sugar for dusting the churros
  • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for dusting
  • Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)
  • Sauces
  • 3/4 cup of Nutella
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup of frozen strawberries (or fresh)
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Juice from half a lemon
  • Small can of sweet condensed milk
Directions
  1. Churros
  2. Put the water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the butter in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the flour and mix quickly and firmly with a whisk until ball is formed.
  3. Take of the heat and mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  4. Let the dough cool down a bit and then transfer to a pastry piping bag with a big star tip. Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan (oil should be about 2 inch deep) until very hot, but not smoking. Squeeze the dough into the hot oil in sections of about 4 inches. Fry the churros for 2-3 minutes on each side until they puff up and deep golden brown on the outside. Fry 4-5 doughnuts at the time, do not crowd the pan too much.
  5. Spread the 1/2 cup of sugar (and the cinnamon if you want) in a shallow dish. Take the churros out of the oil, let them drip the excess oil for a little bit on a plate with a paper-towel and then transfer to the sugar and roll the churros in it until cover well. Serve immediately with the sauces on the side.
  1. Sauces
  2. Nutella sauce: Warm the Nutella and the heavy cream in a microwave for 2 minutes until the Nutella is soft and melted. Mix well before serving.
  3. Strawberry sauce: put the strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. The sugar should caramelize a bit and the strawberries are soft and break down. Put in a food processor with vanilla and lemon juice and process until very smooth.
  4. You can serve the sweet condensed milk as is or cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes while mixing until reduced down and caramelize.
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19 Reviews

Nina December 6, 2018
I have been making these every Chanukah since I first read and saved the recipe in 2009. I always made the dough a few hours before dinner, and fried them, with teamwork, after dinner. Making the dough hours before worked just fine. Yesterday I made the dough 8 hours before frying, putting the dough in the pastry bags [2] and let it sit all day in the frig, because of my schedule. I also, for the first time, made them at home, then packed them up in 3 separate paper bags [lunch bag size] so they wouldn't get soggy, and brought them to a dinner party. To my delight they were still crisp and yummy! Certainly they are the best hot out of the fryer, rolled in cinnamon sugar, but it was nice to know I could bring them to an event if desired! Great recipe!
Stephanie G. July 19, 2012
Can these wait in the pastry bag while we eat dinner? I want them to be served immediately.
Cordelia July 27, 2012
Probably not a good idea, the dough will become to sticky and tough, it might not puff-up right. it is so quick to make the dough that it will add just few more minutes. Good luck and enjoy.
Brenzo November 13, 2011
I made these a couple weeks ago - delicious, especially when warm.
ChefJune December 10, 2010
Oh my goodness. What a great concept! These sound like a must'-try, especially when the "grands" are around. Congrats on the Wild-Card win.
gingerroot December 10, 2010
Congrats on the Wildcard win...I bet these are amazing and then even more so with your nutella-cream or strawberry sauce! Thanks for the recipe. I am going to make these soon!
iuzzini December 8, 2010
mmmmmmmmmmmm
Sagegreen December 8, 2010
Congratulations on the great wildcard win. And on the last night of Hanukkah, this is all the sweeter!
MrsWheelbarrow December 8, 2010
Must make these immediately. Congratulations!
lapadia December 8, 2010
Congratulations, Cordelia, I love this recipe and somehow missed it last year! Saved.
TheWimpyVegetarian December 8, 2010
I love churros and had totally missed this recipe from almost a year ago. It looks wonderful!! Congrats, Cordelia on a great winner recipe and a Wildcard pick!
hardlikearmour December 8, 2010
Congrats! These look delicious especially with the sauces on the side.
cheese1227 December 8, 2010
Would it be considered ecumenical to serve these on Christmas morning? My family will love them. Congrats!
Kitchen B. December 8, 2010
Congrats cordelia, I LOVE churros and have been making them most weekends since we came back from Barcelona!!!!!!!!!!
drbabs December 8, 2010
Congratulations on the Wildcard win!
anatshi December 21, 2009
this was really yummy!
NakedBeet December 20, 2009
What a great alternative to donuts! Next year, I'll be trying these.
theicp December 17, 2009
Fantastic idea!!! I just had my big Chanukah dinner last night - but I've bookmarked this for next year - thank you!
Cordelia December 17, 2009
Thank you! One small recommendation....you don't want to wait until next year, they are too good....you have two more days this year :)