Instructions

• In a shallow dish, whisk together ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; set aside.
• Pour 1½–2 inches of vegetable oil for frying into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-high until it reaches about 360°F (use a thermometer). Reduce heat as needed during frying to maintain about 350–365°F.
• In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, ½ cup unsalted butter (cut into pieces), ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low.
• Add 1¼ cups all-purpose flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon (or heatproof spatula) until the mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.
• Add 3 large eggs to the dough one at a time, stirring well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Fit a piping bag with a large star tip, spoon the dough into the bag, and twist the top to close.
• When the oil is at temperature, pipe 1–3 inch lengths of dough directly into the hot oil, cutting the dough with kitchen scissors or a knife as you pipe. Fry in batches, leaving space between churros so they don’t stick, and do not overcrowd the pot.
• Fry each churro about 2–3 minutes per side, turning as needed, until golden brown and cooked through. Adjust heat to keep the oil temperature steady.
• Remove churros with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a paper towel–lined plate.
• While still warm, roll each churro in the prepared sugar–cinnamon mixture to coat. Repeat frying and coating with the remaining dough. Serve warm.