churro

American  

[choor-oh, choor-raw] / ˈtʃʊər oʊ, ˈtʃur rɔ /

noun

Mexican Cooking.

plural

churros

1. a long, slender, deep-fried pastry resembling a cruller.

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Etymology

Origin of churro

First recorded in 1925–30; from Spanish, perhaps after dialect churro (a kind of coarse-wooled sheep), the name for the inhabitants of the mountainous parts of Valencia, the approximate area where the pastry originated

Explanation

A churro is a sweet fried dough treat that's common in Spain, Portugal, and many Latin American countries. In many places, churros are served at breakfast, along with hot coffee. Churros are made by piping choux pastry into extremely hot oil, then rolling them in sugar and cinnamon. They're similar to doughnuts or really good fried dough — crispy and light on the outside, tender inside. No one's totally sure how the churro originated, but one theory says Portuguese explorers brought the recipe back from China during the Ming Dynasty. The word churro is onomatopoeic, resembling the sound of dough sizzling in oil.

Example Sentences

Save room for dessert—the house-made churro cheesecake isn’t overly sweet and is a great way to end the meal.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Upon entering the festival, attendees can fuel up at the Terrace with Irv’s Burgers, a seafood boil from the Boiling Crab or a warm churro from Churrería El Moro.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

While alcohol was an option at the event, most people opted for a curated menu of coffee with homemade horchata, churro or matcha flavors by La Chula Café.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025

Similarly, another user wrote, “I love Costco, but their churro is genuinely one of the worst I've ever had. There's basically zero flavor and I feel like I'm eating tasteless dough.”

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2024

The dog’s name was Churro because his fur was cinnamon colored, like a churro, and his black snout made it look like he’d been dipped in chocolate.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz