What does churro mean?
A churro is a deep-fried pastry consisting of a ridged strip of dough piped through a star-shaped nozzle before cooking, which gives it its distinctive grooved surface and crisp exterior. Originating in Spain, churros are typically dusted with sugar or cinnamon sugar and served warm as a snack, breakfast food, or dessert; in Spain they are classically paired with a cup of thick hot chocolate used for dipping. The word entered English from Spanish and is used informally wherever Spanish or Latin American food culture is found, from street carts and fairs to cafés and theme parks. Its association with festive, indulgent eating makes it a familiar comfort-food term. The name is often linked to the 'churra' breed of Spanish sheep, whose horned, wrinkled appearance is said to have inspired the pastry's shape, though this origin story is traditional rather than firmly documented. Churros remain one of the most internationally recognized Spanish culinary exports.
nounA deep-fried pastry of Spanish origin, made from a ridged strip of dough that is piped through a star-shaped nozzle and typically dusted with sugar or cinnamon sugar.
- A ridged strip of sweet fried dough, of Spanish origin, usually coated in cinnamon sugar and eaten as a snack or dessert.
"We bought paper cones of hot churros and dipped them in thick chocolate."
"The street vendor handed me a warm churro straight from the fryer."
"At the fair, the longest line was for fresh churros rolled in cinnamon sugar."
Standard plural; the plural form is actually more common than the singular in everyday usage.
"The café sells fresh churros every weekend morning."
Legend says Spanish shepherds invented the churro as a portable fried snack high in the mountains — and it's named after the curly-horned 'churra' breed of sheep its shape resembles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of churro
The word 'churro' comes directly from Spanish, where it names both the pastry and, by folk association, the 'churra' sheep breed native to Spain — many accounts hold that Spanish shepherds created the fried dough and named it after the animal's resemblance. It was borrowed into English in the twentieth century as Spanish and Mexican cuisine spread internationally. Related terms such as 'churros con chocolate' reflect its continued use within Spanish-speaking culinary tradition.
How churro is actually used
The plural is commonly written 'churros'; the word is informal in register and strongly associated with fairs, street food, and Spanish or Latin American cuisine. In Spain it is traditionally eaten dipped in thick hot chocolate at breakfast.
Easily confused with churro
A donut is a sweet ring-shaped fried dough often glazed or filled, while a churro is a long, ridged, star-piped dough stick dusted with sugar.