As soon as the temperatures start to drop, the idea of indulging in Spanish desserts becomes more irresistible, and we are here to help you satisfy those cravings.
With the help of the churros with caramel sauce, you will get the perfect combination of crispy, golden dough and smooth, salted caramel that will warm you up on chilly days.
In this article, we will start by showing you how to make Spanish churros, while also providing helpful tips for storing, serving, and customizing this beloved Andalusian dish.
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Background of the Dish
The churros with salted caramel sauce is one of the newest versions of the traditional Spanish churros, as it was developed when the salted caramel gained global popularity in the early 2000s.
There is nothing better than giving a twist to an old favorite, and there are more Spanish churro recipes that take this route, like the breakfast churros or the churros cheesecake.
Still, the churros with caramel sauce stand out because they offer the perfect blend of a crispy pastry and a sweet caramel dip enhanced by a touch of sea salt that elevates the flavor profile.
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Things You’ll Need for Churros With Caramel Sauce
To make these delicious churros with caramel sauce you will need flour, water, sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt as the main ingredients.
Preparing the recipe will be easier if you have a piping bag or a churrera, yet a clean Ziploc bag will do the trick as well.
Ingredients
For the Spanish churros
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 2 cups (240gr) flour
- 1/4 cup (50gr) butter
- 1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the caramel sauce
- 1 cup (200gr) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100gr) butter
- 1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional, for salted caramel)
How to Make Churros With Caramel Sauce- Step by Step Guide
- For the first step in the best Spanish churros recipe, grab a medium-sized pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the water and sugar and bring it to a boil.
- Once the mixture boils, remove it from the heat and add the flour all at once. Mix it continuously with a wooden spoon until you get a sticky, homogenous dough that gets separated from the sides. Let the churros caramel dough rest and cool down in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After that, place the traditional Spanish churros dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (you can use a churrera or a clean Ziploc bag with a cut in the corner instead).
- Then, heat the oil to 180°C or 355°F. Pipe the dough directly into the hot oil using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut the end. They should be around 10cm long, but feel free to play with the shape and size.
- To continue with the churros with caramel recipe, cook them for around 3 minutes per side, or until they get golden brown on the outside. Be sure to add 2 or 3 at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove from the oil and drain them with paper towels.
- To prepare the caramel dipping sauce for churros, grab a saucepan and pour the granulated white sugar. Heat over medium heat until it melts, without mixing or it will crystalize, but swirl the pan until the sugar gets an even golden color.
- Once all of the sugar melts and gets that golden color, add the butter and strongly whisk until it melts and gets fully combined. Be careful because the caramel will bubble.
- As a key step, remove from the heat and add the heavy cream. Whisk until combined, be careful because the caramel will be hot and release a lot of steam. Then, add the pinch of sea salt if using, this will make for the perfect salted caramel.
- After that, let the caramel cool for a bit. Since it is a sauce, it won’t harden, and you will be able to store it in a heat-proof container first.
- For the final step in this original Spanish churros recipe, serve the churros with caramel sauce in a separate small bowl or drizzle some of the sauce on top of each.
Substitution of Ingredients
There are some replacements that you can make for the ingredients of these churros with caramel sauce to adapt them to your personal tastes and preferences.
You can turn this into gluten free churros by using your favorite blend of gluten-free flour and making sure that the cooking surface and every utensil is clean to avoid cross contamination.
If you don’t have the time to fully prepare the churros and caramel sauce from scratch then you can use store bought salted caramel sauce or another dip like melted chocolate or dulce de leche.
We also have healthy churros recipes that call for different cooking methods, like the churros air fryer recipe or the baked churros, and they can be a great alternative if you don’t have vegetable oil.
Do you want to try different Spanish dessert churros flavors? Then you must check our churros balls recipe, easy churros recipe, or classic homemade churros.
Tips on Serving Churros With Caramel Sauce
As soon as you make these churros with caramel sauce you will have the perfect dessert or afternoon snack, ready to be enjoyed all year round.
You can serve the churros with caramel at room temperature, or reheat them in the oven if they get too cold (in the case of the caramel, you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove).
Instead of a dipping sauce, you could serve them as churros with caramel filling, but you would have to make them wider so that it is easier to fill them up without breaking.
Since these Spanish-style churros are served with a caramel dipping sauce it doesn’t require for them to be covered with sugar, but if you have an extra sweet tooth you can do it.
Are you hosting a big party or holiday meal soon? Then we have the perfect Andalusian desserts for you, such as the Spanish flan recipe, the Spanish almond cake, and the Spanish rice pudding.
How to Store Churros With Caramel Sauce
Something that we love about this Spanish recipe for churros is that once you finish preparing it you can serve them right away or store them for later.
First, you can place the salted caramel sauce in a heatproof container and refrigerate it for up to one week, then stir it around and optionally reheat it before serving.
The churros with caramel sauce can be stored by themselves in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days, or in the fridge for 4 days, and reheat in the oven before serving.
You could also prepare this easy recipe for Spanish churros, stop before the cooking step, store the piped dough in the freezer for up to one month, and then fry them straight out of the freezer.
Other Spanish desserts that you can make and store for later are the apple empanada, churro cheesecake with strawberries, and the churros cheesecake.
Recipe Card: Churros With Caramel Sauce
Churros With Caramel Sauce Recipe
As soon as the temperatures start to drop, the idea of indulging in Spanish desserts becomes more irresistible, and we are here to help you satisfy those cravings.
With the help of the churros with caramel sauce, you will get the perfect combination of crispy, golden dough and smooth, salted caramel that will warm you up on chilly days.
In this article, we will start by showing you how to make Spanish churros, while also providing helpful tips for storing, serving, and customizing this beloved Andalusian dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) water
- 2 cups (240gr) flour
- 1/4 cup (50gr) butter
- 1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the caramel sauce
- 1 cup (200gr) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100gr) butter
- 1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional, for salted caramel)
Instructions
- To start making the authentic Spanish churros recipe, grab a medium-sized pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the water and sugar and bring it to a boil.
- When it boils, remove it from the heat and add the flour all at once. Mix it continuously with a wooden spoon until you get a sticky, homogenous dough that gets separated from the sides. Take the dough to the fridge to rest and cool down.
- After 30 minutes, place the easy Spanish churros dough in a piping bag fitted with a star tip (you can use a churrera or a clean ziplock bag with a cut in the corner instead).
- Heat the oil to 180°C or 355°F. Pipe the dough directly into the hot oil using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut the end. They should be around 10cm long, but feel free to play with the shape and size.
- Cook for around 3 minutes per side, or until they get golden brown on the outside. Be sure to add 2 or 3 at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove from the oil and drain them with paper towels.
- To make the churros caramel sauce, grab a saucepan and pour the granulated white sugar. Heat over medium heat until it melts, without mixing or it will crystalize, but swirl the pan until the sugar gets a golden color.
- When all of the sugar melts and gets that golden color, add the butter and strongly whisk until it melts and gets fully combined. Be careful because the caramel will bubble.
- Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream. Whisk until combined, be careful because the caramel will be hot and release a lot of steam. Then, add the pinch of sea salt if using, this will make for the perfect salted caramel.
- Let the caramel cool for a bit. Since it is a sauce, it won't harden, and you will be able to store it in a heat-proof container first.
- To finish the easy Spanish churros recipe, serve them with the caramel sauce in a small bowl.
Notes
Different from other authentic Spanish churros, this one doesn't call for a coat of cinnamon or white granulated sugar because the caramel already adds enough sweetness.
Making churros with salted caramel is the best way of enjoying sweet and salty all at once, but you could include other dipping sauces such as melted chocolate, strawberry jam, or dulce de leche.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 21Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 2mgSodium 133mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 10gProtein 0g
All information presented and written are intended for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of visitsouthernspain.com are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.
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