The Chinese Origins: YouTiao's Influence

YouTiao, also known as the “Chinese cruller,” is a savoury, lightly salted fried dough stick traditionally eaten for breakfast in China, often paired with soy milk or rice congee.

The story goes that Portuguese sailors, who were prolific explorers, came across YouTiao during their travels to China in the early 16th century.

Enamoured with the simplicity and deliciousness of the fried dough, they adopted the concept but transformed it by adding sugar, making it a sweet treat instead of a savoury snack.

Upon returning to Portugal, the sailors modified the basic recipe, making it from choux-like dough instead of yeast-risen dough, resulting in a crispier and more substantial texture.

As the idea spread t

o Spain, the Spanish further transformed the pastry by using a star-shaped piping tip, giving churros their distinctive ridges.

This adaptation not only set churros apart visually but also enhanced their texture, creating more surface area for a golden, crispy exterior.

The Spanish Shepherd Legend

Another popular and endearing theory credits Spanish shepherds with the invention of churros. Living in remote mountains, shepherds often spent extended periods away from villages, bakeries, and supplies. With limited ingredients on hand, they created a simple dough made from flour, water, and a pinch of salt, then fried it over an open flame. Churros were ideal for these nomads—easy to prepare and satisfying, especially on chilly mornings.

As the story goes, the shepherds took inspiration from the unique appearance of the Churra sheep, a breed native to Spain.

The sheep's horns are spiralled, resembling the twisted shape of traditional churros. While this might be a poetic coincidence rather than an actual source of inspiration, it adds a charming cultural layer to the narrative.

The Spanish Conquest and the Spread to the New World
Regardless of the

exact origin, churros gained popularity in Spain, and their fame spread beyond the Iberian Peninsula with the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century.

During this time, Spanish explorers embarked on journeys to the Americas, bringing along their culinary traditions, including churros.

The introduction of churros to the New World marked the beginning of their transformation as various cultures embraced and modified the treat to suit local palates.

In Mexico, for example, churros are commonly coated with cinnamon sugar, a practice likely influenced by the widespread availability of cinnamon in the region.

In many Latin American countries, churros are filled with delectable ingredients like dulce de leche, chocolate, or even guava paste, adding a unique twist to the classic recipe.

Today, countries like Argentina, Peru, and Brazil all have their own beloved variations.

Churros Meet Chocolate: A Sweet Partnership
One of the most significant cultural adaptations occurred when churros were paired with hot chocolate. When Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez returned from the Americas with cacao, he introduced the concept of hot chocolate to Europe. Initially, chocolate was consumed as a bitter beverage by the Aztecs, but in Spain, it evolved into a sweet, thickened drink—perfect for dunking churros. This custom, known as *chocolate con churros*, soon became a Spanish staple.

In Spain, the chocolate served with churros is often so thick that it’s almost pudding-like.

The Spanish typically enjoy it as a breakfast treat or an indulgent snack, especially on cold mornings or as a late-night treat. Madrid’s historic churros cafés, or churrerías, have been serving up this classic pairing for centuries, offering a cosy spo

t to dip piping hot churros into warm, velvety chocolate.

The Modern Churro: Global Variations and Innovations
Churros have since become a globally recognised snack, found in places as diverse as the streets of Paris, the markets of Mexico City, and the food stalls of Disneyland.

They are often associated with street fairs, carnivals, and theme parks, where they’re served hot and freshly fried, coated in cinnamon sugar, and eaten straight from a paper bag.

The versatile nature of churros has allowed for countless variations. In Latin America, churros can be long and thin or short and filled with decadent fillings like *dulce de leche*, chocolate, or cream. In the Philippines, a former Spanish colony, churros are commonly enjoyed with a side of *tsokolate*, a thick, rich hot chocolate made from local cocoa. In the United States, churros are a staple at many cultural festivals and carnivals, where they’re typically larger and often served with caramel or chocolate dipping sauces.

Some chefs have even experimented with savoury versions, filling churros with cheese or spicing them up with chilli.

Churros also make their way into creative desserts—think churro ice cream sandwiches, churro waffles, or churro bites dusted in matcha sugar.

A Timeless Treat with a Rich Legacy
Today, churros continue to bridge cultures and generations, enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

Their accessibility, simple ingredients, and delightful taste make them an enduring favourite.

And though we may never fully unravel the mystery of their origin, churros carry with them the stories of sailors, shepherds, explorers, and artisans, connecting us to a shared culinary past.

Whether enjoyed at a Spanish café with thick hot chocolate or from a bustling street vendor in Mexico, churros remain a delicious testament to the power of cultural exchange and culinary evolution.

Straight or spiral-shaped, with or without a dusting of cinnamon and sugar, dipped in chocolate or straight out of a greasy paper bag on the street, churros, in all their creative variations, will continue to be one of my summertime favourites – and with a recipe in hand, maybe a breakfast hit in wintertime favourite, too.