Authentic Churros with Spanish Hot Chocolate Recipe

CHURROS AND SPANISH HOT CHOCOLATE
(This recipe is part of “A Tapas Experience.”)

My Love for Churros and Spanish Hot Chocolate

I discovered my passion for churros and Spanish hot chocolate during a stay in Madrid in the fall of 2015. One early morning I sat down at the legendary Chocolatería San Ginés, which has been serving churros and thick hot chocolate since 1894. That first taste changed my view of chocolate forever. Before I share the recipes, here’s a little about my time in Madrid.

Love of Travel

After six weeks traveling the northern Spanish countryside with a friend, I reunited in Madrid with my husband. I love to travel and, if circumstances allowed, I could spend most of the year on the road. That trip was no exception: every day brought new discoveries, and Madrid became a memorable stop on our journey.

Madrid – A City That Rarely Sleeps

Madrid is vibrant and full of life. We stayed in an Airbnb in the heart of the city. Small details hinted at the city’s energy—two pairs of earplugs sat on our bed beside the freshly fluffed pillows. Nights in Madrid stretch late; the streets often fill with music and celebration well into the early morning hours. The daily rhythm of late-night festivities and daytime relaxation is part of Madrid’s charm.

Spaniards Love to Party

During our stay we were awakened more than once by drums and singing beneath our window. On one night it felt like a parade moved past the building at two in the morning. The revelry continued hour after hour throughout our visit. I learned to accept that Spaniards keep late hours and enjoy life in a big, communal way—something that makes evenings in Madrid special.

Fried, Doughy Pastries Plunged into Chocolate Pudding-like Sauce

One cool morning we craved something sweet and walked to Chocolatería San Ginés a few streets from our apartment. The place was buzzing with locals and tourists eager to dip fried, doughy churros into a thick, pudding-like chocolate sauce. The contrast of crispy, golden churros and rich, molten chocolate was an instant favorite and the perfect way to start a day in Madrid.

Churros and Spanish Hot Chocolate – A Beginner Cook Can Make Them

After that visit I decided to learn how to make churros and Spanish hot chocolate at home. The dough is straightforward: flour, water, salt, and a little olive oil. With the right technique, even a novice cook can produce satisfying churros at home that capture much of what makes the originals so enjoyable.

Churro Maker or Pastry Bag

Shaping churros requires either a churrera (churro maker) or a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip. The dough is relatively firm, so piping takes some force if you use a bag. Fry the churros in oil that’s hot but not smoking, and form them into rings or long fluted strips—both yield a crisp, golden exterior when cooked correctly. Fry a test churro first to check the oil temperature: if the outside browns too quickly while the inside remains doughy, lower the heat and try again.

A Perfect Blend of Sweet and Salty

The magic of this combination is the balance between the lightly salty churros and the semi-sweet chocolate sauce. Don’t skip the chocolate—known in Spanish as chocolate caliente—because it’s the silky, dark companion that completes the experience.

Smooth Creaminess of Spanish Hot Chocolate

Spanish hot chocolate is unlike the typical American hot cocoa with marshmallows. It’s dark, intensely chocolaty, and very thick—more like a pouring pudding or warm ganache. Its texture is silky and rich; you can actually eat it with a spoon. If you try to sip it slowly, let it linger on your tongue and enjoy how indulgent it feels.

Take Time to Relax

Whether you’re sitting in Chocolatería San Ginés enjoying authentic churros and hot chocolate or serving them at a tapas gathering, they encourage slowing down, sharing conversation, and savoring the moment. These treats invite connection and heighten appreciation for simple pleasures.

Both recipes below are adapted from a cookbook I purchased after returning from Spain. The book offers many regional Spanish recipes and is a helpful resource if you want to explore further.

TABLE TALK:

Ten Interesting Facts about Chocolate

1. Americans collectively eat large quantities of chocolate every second.
2. It takes hundreds of cacao beans to make a single pound of chocolate.
3. M&M’s were created in 1941 to give soldiers a way to enjoy chocolate without it melting.
4. Milton Hershey once canceled a transatlantic trip because of business matters.
5. Eating dark chocolate in moderation has been associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
6. Studies show that the color of a cup can influence perceived taste.
7. Chocolate melts just below human body temperature, which is why it melts in your mouth.
8. Food processing standards accept tiny, unavoidable natural contaminants in many products.
9. Extremely large amounts of chocolate would be harmful; moderation is important.
10. Some compounds in chocolate have antibacterial properties that can benefit oral health.

Churros

Origins of churros are debated. Some say Portuguese explorers brought frying techniques from Asia and the Spanish shaped them into the churros we know. Others attribute churros to Spanish shepherds who needed a simple, oven-free pastry made from basic ingredients—water, flour, salt, and sugar—that could be fried on open stoves. The name may even link to a sheep breed with curled horns resembling churros.