Churros con Natilla de Vainilla (Churros with Vanilla Custard)
Cinnamon churros with a bowl of silky vanilla custard (natilla) for dipping, simple and deeply comforting.
Made with Churro dough and Egg custard (creme anglaise). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.95 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
Warm your ready made egg custard (see the base recipe) gently in a small pan, stirring, until just steaming. Do not boil. Pour into small bowls and dust with a little cinnamon.
- 2
Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Line a tray with kitchen paper.
- 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, roll in the cinnamon sugar and serve straight away with the warm custard for dunking.
Tips
- Do not let the custard boil when reheating or it can scramble; stir over low heat.
- A strip of orange zest warmed in the custard gives a subtle citrus note.
- Serve the custard warm, not hot, so it does not run off the churros.
Storing and freezing
Eat the churros the day they are fried. Leftover custard keeps 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently until steaming hot.
Questions
What is natilla?
Natilla is a soft vanilla custard eaten across Latin America and Spain, thickened with eggs or cornflour. The pouring custard here is a close cousin.
Can I use cold custard?
Yes, cold custard makes a nice contrast with hot churros, though warm is more comforting.
Is the custard dairy free?
No. It is made with milk and eggs. This dish is vegetarian but not dairy or egg free.
More made with churro dough
Churros Rellenos de Cajeta (Cajeta-Filled Churros)
EFNFVChocolate Caliente Mexicano con Churros (Mexican Hot Chocolate with Churros)
EFVNOGChurros con Salsa de Café de Olla (Churros with Spiced Coffee Dip)
DFEFNFCopa de Helado con Churros y Cajeta (Churro Sundae)
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.