The Allure of Strawberry-Filled Churros

Churros are a beloved Spanish delicacy, celebrated for their unique texture: a wonderfully crisp outside and a tender, airy inside. Traditionally, these golden-fried dough pastries are dusted with a simple mixture of sugar and cinnamon, often enjoyed with a cup of rich, thick hot chocolate for dipping. However, in various cultures and modern culinary twists, churros have evolved to include an array of delightful fillings and toppings.

Today, we’re elevating this classic with a luscious strawberry jam filling. This ingenious addition introduces a vibrant, fruity sweetness that perfectly complements the warm, slightly savory notes of the churro dough. The soft, gooey jam creates an irresistible contrast to the churro’s signature crunch, making each bite an unforgettable journey of flavor and texture. It’s a simple yet brilliant twist that combines the comfort of a traditional churro with the fresh taste of summer berries, creating a dessert that feels both familiar and excitingly new.

What’s even better is how surprisingly simple this gourmet-level treat is to prepare right in your own home. Forget elaborate patisserie skills; with a few basic ingredients and straightforward steps, you can craft these delectable churros, making them perfect for a weekend project, a special occasion, or simply to satisfy a sweet craving. The satisfaction of creating such a delicious dessert from scratch is truly unmatched.

While churros are a staple in Spain, they are also incredibly popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries, often adapted with local flavors. Our strawberry-filled version brings together the best of both worlds: the beloved Spanish pastry tradition paired with a burst of summery fruit. It’s a light, airy, and utterly delicious dessert that’s easy to make and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Crafting Your Homemade Strawberry Stuffed Churros: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these delightful strawberry-filled churros begins with a classic churro dough, known as choux pastry. This versatile dough is the foundation for many beloved pastries, and once mastered, it opens up a world of possibilities. For our churros, we’ll start by preparing this basic dough, then pipe it into elegant shapes before frying them to golden perfection.

The Churro Base: Crispy and Golden

The process is quite straightforward:

1. First, you’ll prepare a simple choux pastry dough by combining water, butter, and salt in a pan, bringing it to a boil, and then quickly incorporating flour to form a thick, cohesive dough. This step creates the characteristic sturdy yet soft base of the churro.
2. Once the dough has cooled slightly, eggs are vigorously mixed in, adding richness and helping to create that wonderfully airy interior texture once fried.
3. The dough is then piped onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper – this clever trick prevents sticking and makes transferring the delicate raw churros into the hot oil much easier and safer.
4. Next, the churros are fried until they achieve that irresistible golden-brown hue and perfectly crispy exterior.
5. A final roll in fine sugar adds an extra layer of sweetness and a satisfying crunch that makes churros so appealing.

The Sweet Filling: Warm Strawberry Jam

The magic truly happens when these golden tubes are transformed into filled delicacies. Once the churros are fried and still warm, a small hole is carefully made in each one using a skewer or a thin knife. This creates the perfect cavity for our star filling: warm strawberry jam. The jam, ideally warmed and strained for a smooth consistency, is then piped directly into the center of each churro. The warmth of the jam complements the fresh-from-the-fryer churro, creating a gooey, fruity surprise with every single bite.

The key to maximum enjoyment is to serve these churros immediately. The contrast between the warm, crispy exterior and the soft, sweet, fruit-filled interior is at its peak right after preparation. Trust us, you won’t have any trouble getting these delicious treats devoured within minutes!

Expert Tips for Churro Success

• Cool the Dough Slightly: After removing the dough from the heat and before adding the eggs, let it cool for about 5 minutes. If the dough is too hot, the eggs will cook instantly upon contact, resulting in a scrambled egg texture instead of a smooth, emulsified batter. This slight cooling ensures the eggs incorporate properly, leading to a light and fluffy churro interior.
• Use Parchment Paper for Piping: Always pipe your churro dough onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. This prevents the raw dough from sticking to the surface. When it’s time to fry, you can easily slide the paper and dough directly into the hot oil, then carefully remove the paper once the churros begin to firm up. This minimizes handling and helps maintain their shape.
• Fresh Frying Oil is Key: For the best flavor, always use fresh frying oil when making churros. Old oil can impart undesirable flavors from previous frying sessions, affecting the pure taste of your churros. Ensure the oil is heated to the correct temperature (around 355°F / 180°C) and use a thermometer for accuracy, as consistent temperature is crucial for even cooking and a crispy finish. Be cautious of oil splashes and use long tongs or a slotted spoon for handling.
• Warm and Strain the Jam: To ensure a smooth and easy filling process, gently warm your strawberry jam before piping. If your jam contains large fruit chunks, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. This makes the jam more fluid, allowing it to pipe smoothly and fill the churros evenly without clogging the pipette or pastry bag nozzle. A smooth filling guarantees a delightful burst of flavor in every bite.
• Invest in a Sturdy Piping Bag and Nozzle: Churro dough is thick and requires significant pressure to pipe. A sturdy, reusable pastry bag is highly recommended over flimsy disposable ones, which might burst. Use a star-shaped nozzle (like Wilton 1M or 2D) to create the classic ridged churro shape, which also helps them cook more evenly and hold more sugar.

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

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Churros Filled with Strawberry Jam

Andréa

Explore More Fruity Desserts

If you love the sweet and fresh combination of fruit in your desserts, you’re in for a treat! Here are a few more delicious fruit-centric recipes to inspire your next baking adventure, bringing more delightful flavors to your table: