Churro

A churro is a fried dough pastry rooted in Spanish and Portuguese cooking. It is made by piping choux pastry through a large star-shaped nozzle into hot oil. This treat also appears in Latin American and Philippine cuisines, as well as in regions shaped by immigration from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, notably France and the Southwestern United States. In Spain, churros come in thin, sometimes knotted forms, or as long, thick versions called porras, jeringos, or tejeringos in certain areas. They are typically eaten for breakfast with coffee or as an afternoon snack dipped in hot chocolate. Portugal offers similar snacks called porra and fartura, which are filled with jelly rather than the doce de leite common in Brazilian churros.

The word “churro” is onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of frying, according to the Diccionario de la lengua española. The origin of churros is uncertain. Food historian Michael Krondl notes that the modern churro resembles a flour-and-water fritter recipe from a 1st-century Roman cookbook by Apicius, with similar recipes from Ancient Greece, and likely even older roots in the Mediterranean basin. Another theory suggests Spanish shepherds created churros as a substitute for fresh bread, though the nomadic lifestyle and need for large amounts of oil make this unlikely. A disputed theory claims the Portuguese brought the concept from China, adapting youtiao (a Chinese fried dough) and later introducing it to Spain, where the dough was extruded through a star-shaped nozzle instead of being pulled.

Churros are fried until crunchy and may be dusted with sugar. Their ridged surface comes from piping through a churrera, a syringe-like tool with a star-shaped nozzle. They are generally prism-shaped and can be straight, curled, or twisted into spirals. Street vendors often fry them fresh and sell them hot, much like pretzels. In Spain and much of Latin America, churros are available in cafes for breakfast or as snacks throughout the day. Specialized churrerías—shops or trailers—appear during holidays, and countries like Colombia, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela have them on many streets. In Portugal, churros are common at carnivals and fairs. The dough is a simple mix of flour, water, and salt, though some versions use potato dough. Depending on the recipe, churros may not be vegan, as they can contain butter, milk, or eggs.

In Seville, the thicker variant called porra is sometimes referred to as “calientes” or “calentitos de rueda,” often fried in a continuous spiral and cut into portions, with a softer center. The standard churro is also sold as “calentitos de papas,” referencing a mashed potato-like texture. In parts of eastern Andalusia, a thinner dough produces smooth-surfaced churros without ridges, which are never sprinkled with sugar. Filled straight churros appear in Cuba (with fruit like guava), Brazil (with chocolate or doce de leite), and across Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Mexico (with dulce de leche, cajeta, chocolate, or vanilla), as well as Colombia and Venezuela (with bocadillo, arequipe, or sweetened condensed milk). In Spain, a wider diameter accommodates the filling. Uruguay offers savory churros filled with melted cheese. In the Philippines, churros are straight or shaped into U-forms or circles, dusted with white sugar, and popular at Christmas. In Thailand, churros are often called Patonggo Spain, though the fried dough itself originates from Chinese youtiao, known locally as patonggo. At American theme parks and street fairs, churros are typically rolled in cinnamon sugar or other flavored sugars.

Similar dishes include Karabeej Halab from the Middle East, a churro-like sweet made with semolina flour, deep-fried, and dipped in sugar and rose water syrup, especially popular during Ramadan. Youtiao, a traditional Chinese fried dough, is well known in Thailand as patonggo. In popular culture, the Mexican sitcom *El Chavo del Ocho* featured a three-episode saga in 1978 titled *La Venta de Churros*, with churros as the central theme, leading to frequent associations between the treat and the series.