A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. They are normally eaten for breakfast dipped in champurrado, hot chocolate, caramelized milk or café con leche (strong coffee mixed with scalded milk in approximately equal amounts). Cinnamon sugar is often sprinkled on top.

The origin of churros is unclear. One theory suggests the concept was brought to Europe from China by the Portuguese. Another theory is that the churro was made by Spanish shepherds to substitute for fresh baked goods. Churro paste was easy to make and fry in an open fire in the mountains, where shepherds spend most of their time.

According to food historian Michael Krondl, "today’s churro is not that different from a recipe for a flour and water fritter that you find in Apicius, a Roman cookbook dating from the 1st Century AD.

Churros are fried until they become crunchy, and may be sprinkled with sugar. The surface of a churro is ridged due to having been piped from a churrera, a syringe-like tool with a star-shaped nozzle. Churros are generally prisms in shape, and may be straight, curled or spirally twisted.

The dough is a mixture of flour, water and salt. Some versions are made of potato dough. Depending on the recipe, it may not be vegan, they can contain butter, milk or eggs.

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