Nutty Churro Bites with Nutella

Looking for a fun dessert that’ll make everyone smile without spending hours in the kitchen? We’ve all been there – trying to whip up something sweet after dinner or for unexpected guests, only to feel overwhelmed by complicated recipes and long ingredient lists. And let’s be honest, sometimes you just want something that feels a bit special without the fuss.

That’s where these churro bites with Nutella come in: they’re quick to make, impossible to mess up, and have that perfect combination of warm, cinnamon-sugar coating and rich chocolate hazelnut dip that everyone loves.

What Kind of Nutella Should I Use?

Regular store-bought Nutella is perfect for this recipe – there’s no need to hunt down any special varieties. The key is warming it up properly so it reaches the right consistency for dipping. You can find Nutella in pretty much any grocery store, and while there are other chocolate-hazelnut spreads out there, classic Nutella tends to have the best texture and flavor for these churro bites. Just pop your Nutella in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, stirring halfway through, until it’s nice and runny – but be careful not to overheat it or it might become grainy.

Options for Substitutions

Need to make some swaps? Here are some helpful substitutions for this churro recipe:

• Nutella: If you’re not a Nutella fan or don’t have any on hand, try melted chocolate, dulce de leche, or make a simple cinnamon-sugar dip by mixing 1/2 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• All-purpose flour: While all-purpose flour works best for churros, you can use bread flour in a pinch. Avoid cake flour as it won’t give you the right texture.
• Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, that’s fine – just reduce the added salt to 1/8 teaspoon. You can also use margarine, though butter gives better flavor.
• Vegetable oil: Any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point works well – try canola, peanut, or sunflower oil. Avoid olive oil as it will affect the taste.
• White sugar: For the coating, you can swap white sugar with raw sugar or even a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon for a different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Frying

The biggest challenge when making churro bites is getting the oil temperature just right – too hot and they’ll burn on the outside while staying raw inside, too cool and they’ll become greasy sponges. Keep your oil between 350-375°F using a candy thermometer, and fry only a few pieces at a time to maintain the temperature. A common error is overworking the dough after adding the eggs, which can make your churros dense and heavy – stop mixing as soon as the eggs are fully incorporated and the dough looks smooth. When piping the dough into the oil, cut the pieces with clean kitchen scissors about 1-inch long, and don’t forget to let them drain on paper towels for a minute before rolling in the cinnamon sugar – if you roll them while they’re too hot and oily, the sugar coating won’t stick properly.

What to Serve With Churro Bites?

These sweet and crispy churro bites are perfect for serving at parties or casual get-togethers with a few tasty additions. While they’re amazing on their own with the Nutella dip, try setting up a little dessert station with warm caramel sauce or vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence. A cup of hot coffee or Mexican hot chocolate makes an excellent beverage pairing, cutting through the sweetness and creating that perfect café experience at home. For a fun dessert spread, you could serve these alongside fresh fruit like strawberries or banana slices, which taste great dipped in the leftover Nutella too.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These churro bites are best enjoyed right after cooking while they’re still warm and crispy. If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just know they might lose some of their signature crunch over time.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance and keep it in the fridge in a covered bowl or piping bag. When you’re ready to cook, let the dough come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before frying. The cinnamon-sugar mixture can be made ahead too and stored in an airtight container.

Warm Up: To bring back some crispiness to leftover churro bites, pop them in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 3-5 minutes. Warm up the Nutella dip separately in the microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until it reaches your desired dipping consistency.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	15-20 minutes
Total Time	30-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

For the Nutella topping:

• 1/2 cup melted Nutella

For the churro dough:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil for frying (or canola oil)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature for better incorporation)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the cinnamon sugar:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

Step 1: Prepare the Nutella and Dough Ingredients

Begin by melting the Nutella until it is pourable, then set it aside for later use.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Step 2: Form the Dough

Once the mixture is boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in 1 cup of flour.

Stir until the mixture forms a smooth ball of dough.

Allow the dough to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

After cooling, add beaten eggs to the dough one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully mixed in before adding the next.

Your dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.

Step 3: Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

In a separate bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.

This will be used to coat the churros after frying.

Set this mixture aside for later.

Step 4: Heat the Oil

Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or a large, heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C).

It’s important to maintain this temperature for evenly cooked churros.

Step 5: Pipe and Fry the Churros

Transfer the prepared dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Carefully pipe 4-6 inch long strips of dough into the hot oil, cutting them with scissors to release each churro.

Fry the churros until they are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Step 6: Coat and Serve

Remove the churros from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

While still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.

Serve the churros with the melted Nutella for dipping and enjoy the delicious treat!

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