1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Once simmering, add the flour all at once. Cook while stirring constantly until a soft, sticky dough ball forms and a starchy film is visible on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking for an additional minute, scraping up the film with the spoon as you stir. Although the pan bottom won’t come completely clean, the dough will absorb some of the film.

2. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, add in the vanilla extract. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly with a spatula after each addition. Be patient; the mixture will initially look separated but will eventually come together, forming a smooth, sticky dough.

3. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. Transfer the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (ideally number 356 tip). Pipe 3 to 4-inch ropes of dough onto the prepared sheets, leaving a few inches of space between each churro. Use the back of a knife to neatly cut the dough at the end of each pipe.

4. Lightly spray the tops of the piped churros with vegetable oil spray. Generously mist the entire pan with water. Bake in the preheated oven until the churros are puffed and the edges are golden brown, typically 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door briefly to release some heat, then close it, leaving it slightly ajar (8 to 12 inches). Let the churros rest in the warm oven for 10 minutes.

5. Remove the churros from the oven. Working with 6 churros at a time, brush each lightly with melted butter. Place them into a bag filled with cinnamon sugar and gently toss to coat evenly. Repeat this step until all churros are coated with the delightful cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious homemade churros.