Churros con Miel de Piloncillo (Churros with Piloncillo Syrup)
Crisp cinnamon churros drizzled with a warm, dark piloncillo syrup scented with orange and cinnamon.
Made with Churro dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.65 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the piloncillo, water, cinnamon stick and orange peel in a small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar melts, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until syrupy. Remove the peel and stick.
9 min - 2
Mix the caster sugar and ground cinnamon on a plate.
- 3
Spoon your ready made churro dough (see the base recipe) into a piping bag with a large star nozzle. Heat the oil in a deep pan, no more than one third full, to 180 degrees C.
- 4
Pipe 12 cm lengths into the oil, snipping with oiled scissors. Fry 3 or 4 at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden.
4 min - 5
Drain on kitchen paper, roll in the cinnamon sugar, and serve with the warm syrup for pouring or dipping.
Tips
- Piloncillo is unrefined cane sugar sold in cones; if you cannot find it, dark muscovado is the closest swap.
- Take the syrup off the heat while it still looks thin; it thickens a lot on cooling.
- Grate piloncillo with a box grater if the cone is hard so it melts evenly.
Storing and freezing
Syrup keeps 2 weeks in a jar in the fridge; warm it before serving. Eat churros the day they are fried.
Questions
What is piloncillo?
Piloncillo is raw cane sugar pressed into small cones, with a deep, molasses-like flavour. Dark muscovado sugar is a good UK substitute.
Is this vegan?
Yes. The churro dough, syrup and coating are all plant based.
Can I make the syrup in advance?
Yes. Make it up to 2 weeks ahead and warm it gently before serving.
More made with churro dough
Churros con Chile y Limón (Chilli Lime Churros with Mango)
DFEFNFChurros con Natilla de Vainilla (Churros with Vanilla Custard)
NFVNOGChocolate Caliente Mexicano con Churros (Mexican Hot Chocolate with Churros)
EFVNOGChurros Rellenos de Cajeta (Cajeta-Filled Churros)
EFNFVDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.