Prepare the Dough

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Boil the Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the Flour: Once the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling, remove the saucepan from heat. Immediately add the flour, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Cool the Dough: Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes before adding the eggs.
5. Incorporate the Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each egg in thoroughly before adding the next. The dough will look a bit loose at first, but it will firm up as you continue mixing. Once all eggs are incorporated, stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon, if using.

Shape the Churros Poppers

1. Prepare a Piping Bag: Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (this helps create the signature churro ridges). If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top bag and cut off one corner to pipe the dough.
2. Pipe the Dough: Pipe small churro “poppers” onto the prepared baking sheet. Aim for about 2 inches long for each popper. You can make them slightly smaller or larger depending on your preference.
3. Bake: Bake the churro poppers in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and puffed up.

Coat the Churros in Cinnamon-Sugar

1. Mix the Cinnamon-Sugar: While the churros bake, combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
2. Coat the Poppers: Once the churros are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly, just enough to handle. Roll each popper in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure they are completely coated.

Optional Fillings

If you want to make your churros even more indulgent, you can add a surprise filling inside. After baking, use a piping bag to inject melted chocolate, dulce de leche, or caramel sauce into the center of each churro popper. This adds a fun twist and makes each bite extra special!