Mexican dessert

From Churros to Fried Ice Cream: El Chubby’s Sweet Treats

You’ve just finished a plate of carne asada tacos or maybe a perfectly smothered chimichanga. You’re full, satisfied, and ready to call it a day. But then you see it on the menu: churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, fried ice cream with that impossibly crispy shell, or a sopapilla sundae drizzled with honey. Suddenly, you find room you didn’t know you had.

At El Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, we believe dessert isn’t an afterthought. It’s the grand finale. Our sweet treats draw from authentic Mexican traditions while adding our own fresh, made-to-order touch. Whether you’re dining in our restaurant, swinging through the drive-thru, or ordering delivery through DoorDash or Uber Eats, we’ve got something sweet waiting for you.

Let’s talk about what makes El Chubby’s sweet treats worth saving room for.

Key Takeaways

  • El Chubby’s sweet treats are made fresh to order, ensuring churros stay crispy and fried ice cream maintains its perfect hot-cold contrast.
  • The dessert menu blends authentic Mexican traditions with creative twists, including churros, fried ice cream, sopapilla sundaes, and tres leches.
  • Churros at El Chubby’s are fried on demand and rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm for optimal flavor and texture.
  • Fried ice cream uses a flash-frying technique that creates a crunchy exterior while keeping the ice cream frozen inside.
  • Pairing desserts with drinks like horchata, Mexican hot chocolate, or coffee enhances the overall experience.
  • El Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant in Aurora offers dine-in, drive-thru, and delivery options through DoorDash and Uber Eats for convenient dessert access.

The Art of Authentic Churros

Churros have a fascinating history. Spanish conquistadors brought them to Mexico in the 16th century, along with the frying techniques that made them possible. Before that, fried desserts weren’t really part of the indigenous culinary tradition. The introduction of oil changed everything, and churros became a beloved street food across Mexico and eventually the world.

But here’s the thing about churros: they’re only as good as they are fresh. A stale churro from a freezer is a sad thing. A hot churro, just pulled from the fryer and rolled in sugar? That’s an entirely different experience.

Classic Cinnamon Sugar Churros

Our classic churros are exactly what you’d hope for. We fry them fresh, so they come out with that perfect combination of crispy exterior and soft, doughy inside. Then we roll them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm, so the coating sticks and melts just slightly into the surface.

It’s simple, but simple done right is hard to beat. The cinnamon we use has that warm, slightly sweet spice that complements the fried dough without overpowering it. These churros work great on their own, or you can dip them in chocolate sauce if you’re feeling indulgent.

Filled Churros and Creative Variations

For those who want something a little different, we also offer Oreo churros. Same fresh-fried base, but with crushed Oreo cookies worked into the coating. It’s a fun twist that kids especially love, though plenty of adults order them too.

The beauty of churros is their versatility. They can be breakfast, a snack, or the perfect ending to a big meal. And because we make them to order, you’re always getting them at their best.

Fried Ice Cream That Defies Expectations

Fried ice cream sounds like it shouldn’t work. Ice cream is frozen. Frying requires heat. How do you combine the two without ending up with a puddle?

The secret is in the coating and the timing. You take a scoop of ice cream, freeze it extra hard, coat it in a crunchy shell (usually crushed cornflakes or a similar cereal), and flash-fry it just long enough to crisp the outside without melting the inside. It’s a bit of kitchen magic, and when it’s done right, you get this incredible contrast: warm, crunchy exterior and cold, creamy center.

Our fried ice cream is one of those desserts that surprises people. First-timers often wonder how it’s even possible. Then they take a bite and stop questioning it.

We serve it with the traditional toppings: a drizzle of honey or chocolate, a puff of whipped cream, maybe a cherry on top. It’s indulgent, sure, but that’s kind of the point. You don’t order fried ice cream because you’re watching calories. You order it because life is short and some experiences are worth having.

This dessert has roots in Mexican-American restaurant culture, where creativity with sweet treats has always been part of the tradition. It’s become a signature item for a reason. Once you’ve had good fried ice cream, you understand the hype.

Traditional Mexican Desserts With a Twist

Mexican desserts tell a story of blending cultures. The Aztecs and Mayans used honey, cacao, and native fruits for their sweets. When Spanish colonizers arrived, they brought wheat flour, sugar cane, dairy, and European baking techniques. What emerged from that mixing is one of the richest dessert traditions in the world.

At El Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant, we honor that tradition while putting our own stamp on classic recipes.

Sopapillas and Bunuelos

Sopapillas are puffy, pillow-like fried pastries that practically demand honey. Our sopapillas come out light and airy, with that slight chewiness that makes them so satisfying. We offer them plain, drizzled with honey, or as part of our Sopapilla Sundae, which pairs them with ice cream for a hot-and-cold combination that works beautifully.

We also have stuffed sopapillas on our menu, though those lean more savory. But the sweet versions remain a customer favorite, especially for families with kids who want something fun and shareable.

Bunuelos share some DNA with sopapillas, both being fried dough treats with Spanish colonial origins. The key difference is usually in the shape and thickness. Both represent that beautiful fusion of European frying methods with ingredients and flavors that were already here.

Tres Leches and Flan

Tres leches cake holds a special place in Mexican culinary tradition. The name means “three milks,” and that’s exactly what the cake gets soaked in: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. The result is incredibly moist, almost pudding-like, with a sweetness that’s rich but not cloying.

Mexico has the strongest claim to inventing tres leches, though there’s some friendly debate with Nicaragua about who did it first. Either way, it’s become a staple at celebrations, from quinceañeras to weddings to casual Tuesday dinners when you just want something special.

Flan, meanwhile, is that classic caramel custard that Spanish colonizers brought with them. It’s silky, wobbly, and topped with a layer of caramelized sugar that pools into a sauce when you flip it out of the mold. Good flan is simple but requires patience and technique. Rush it, and you get a rubbery mess. Take your time, and you get something elegant.

Pairing Sweet Treats With Drinks

Dessert is great on its own, but the right beverage pairing can take it to another level.

Our Horchata Bites are a perfect example of this. Horchata is that creamy, cinnamon-spiced rice drink that’s become a Mexican restaurant staple. We’ve taken those flavors and turned them into a bite-sized treat. Pair them with an actual glass of horchata, and you’ve got a theme going.

For churros, Mexican hot chocolate is the classic pairing. The chocolate’s warmth complements the cinnamon sugar, and you can dip the churro right in if you’re feeling bold. Coffee works too, especially if you want that contrast between bitter and sweet.

Fried ice cream goes well with something light, maybe a simple agua fresca to cut through the richness. Or lean into the indulgence and pair it with a coffee-based drink.

Tres leches and flan are often sweet enough on their own that a black coffee or espresso works best. The bitterness balances out the sugar and cleanses your palate between bites.

The point is, don’t just order dessert. Think about what you’re drinking with it. A little planning goes a long way.

What Makes These Desserts Stand Out

You can find Mexican desserts at plenty of restaurants in Aurora. So what makes ours different?

First, freshness. We make everything to order. Your churros aren’t sitting under a heat lamp waiting for someone to claim them. They’re fried when you order them. That matters more than you might think. Fried desserts in particular suffer when they sit around. The crispiness fades, the texture gets sad. We don’t do sad desserts.

Second, we use quality ingredients. Our recipes draw from authentic traditions, and we don’t cut corners to save a few cents. When you bite into one of our sopapillas or taste our flan, you’re getting the real thing.

Third, variety. We’re not a one-trick pony. Our dessert menu includes:

  • Churros (Cinnamon or Oreo)
  • Fried Ice Cream
  • Sopapilla Sundae
  • Sopapillas with honey
  • Horchata Bites
  • Mini Apple Empanadas
  • Doughnuts
  • Apple Flautas

That’s a lot of options. Whether you want something traditional or something with a creative twist, we’ve got you covered.

Finally, there’s the experience. At El Chubby’s, we treat every customer like family. Our passion is serving great Mexican food with speedy, quality service. That extends to dessert. We want you to finish your meal feeling satisfied and maybe a little spoiled.

Conclusion

Dessert is often treated as optional. Something you skip when you’re too full or in a hurry. But at El Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant, we think it’s worth making time for. Our sweet treats, from churros to fried ice cream to sopapilla sundaes, are made fresh and served with the same care we put into every dish.

Whether you’re celebrating something special or just craving something sweet after a long day, we’ve got you. Stop by our Aurora location, use the drive-thru if you’re on the go, or order delivery through DoorDash or Uber Eats. But you get here, save room for dessert.

We hope to see you soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sweet treats does El Chubby’s Mexican Restaurant offer?

El Chubby’s offers a wide variety of fresh-made desserts including classic cinnamon sugar churros, Oreo churros, fried ice cream, sopapilla sundaes, sopapillas with honey, horchata bites, mini apple empanadas, doughnuts, and apple flautas—all prepared to order for maximum freshness.

How is fried ice cream made without melting?

Fried ice cream is made by freezing ice cream extra hard, coating it in a crunchy shell of crushed cornflakes or cereal, then flash-frying it just long enough to crisp the outside without melting the inside. This creates a warm, crunchy exterior with a cold, creamy center.

What is the best drink to pair with churros?

Mexican hot chocolate is the classic pairing for churros. The chocolate’s warmth complements the cinnamon sugar coating perfectly, and you can even dip the churro directly into the drink. Coffee also works well if you prefer a bitter-sweet contrast.

What is tres leches cake and why is it so moist?

Tres leches means ‘three milks’ in Spanish. The cake is soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream, resulting in an incredibly moist, almost pudding-like texture. It’s a staple at Mexican celebrations from quinceañeras to weddings.

Are El Chubby’s churros made fresh or pre-made?

El Chubby’s churros are made fresh to order—never sitting under heat lamps. They’re fried when you order, then rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm so the coating sticks and slightly melts into the surface, ensuring perfect crispiness every time.

What is the difference between sopapillas and bunuelos?

Both sopapillas and bunuelos are fried dough treats with Spanish colonial origins. The key difference is usually in shape and thickness. Sopapillas are puffy, pillow-like pastries often served with honey, while bunuelos tend to vary in their specific preparation style.