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piled high with freshly fried Spanish porras

Spanish Porras Recipe

Spanish porras are thick, fluffy fried dough sticks often enjoyed for breakfast with a cup of thick hot chocolate. This easy recipe uses just a few pantry staples and brings the taste of Madrid’s street cafés right to your kitchen.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rest Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Spanish
Calories: 300

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder traditional recipes sometimes use yeast
  • Vegetable oil for frying
Optional: sugar for sprinkling

Method
 

Step 1: Mix the dough
  1. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Slowly pour in warm water while stirring until you have a thick, sticky batter.
Step 2: Rest the batter
  1. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This helps the dough relax and makes frying easier.
Step 3: Heat the oil
  1. Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep frying pan so the porras can float. Heat to around 350°F (175°C). Test with a small drop of batter—it should sizzle right away.
Step 4: Shape the porras
  1. Spoon the batter into a piping bag with a wide round tip. Pipe strips of dough directly into the hot oil. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a plastic freezer bag with the corner cut off.
Step 5: Fry until golden
  1. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Work in small batches so the oil stays hot.
Step 6: Drain and serve
  1. Lift porras out with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain. Serve warm. You can sprinkle with sugar and dip them into hot chocolate for the full Spanish experience.

Notes

  • Eat porras fresh. They lose their crispness if kept too long.
  • For a more traditional texture, you can replace the baking powder with 1 teaspoon of dry yeast and let the dough rise for an hour.
  • Best served with thick Spanish-style hot chocolate, but they’re also delicious with coffee or café con leche.