Mexican churros: what they are, how to make them and types

What is it?

The Mexican churro is a long, ridged strip of flour dough fried in oil or lard until golden and crisp on the outside, soft within. It is coated in cinnamon sugar and served freshly made, ideally accompanied by thick hot chocolate, clay-pot coffee or atole. Although its origin is Spanish, in Mexico the churro took on an identity of its own with fillings of cajeta, dulce de leche, chocolate or jam, and became one of the most popular street snacks. Legendary establishments such as El Moro in Mexico City, founded in 1935, keep this tradition alive and have elevated the churro into a symbol of Mexican urban culture.

Origin and history

The churro has an uncertain origin, attributed by some sources to Spanish shepherds of the Sierra de los Churros (hence its name) who fried dough of flour and water to accompany their coffee. Another theory links it with Arab-Andalusian frying and the long bunuelos of the Maghreb. Larousse Cocina notes that it arrived in New Spain with the Conquest and settled in as a street sweet in the squares. In Mexico the churro was transformed: it was no longer served alone but accompanied by hot chocolate made with cacao tablets, cinnamon and sugar, heirs to pre-Hispanic chocolate. Mexico Desconocido documents that the churreria El Moro, opened in central Mexico City in 1935 by Spanish immigrants, popularised the filled churro formula and consolidated urban churro culture. Today there are traditional churrerias in Guadalajara, Puebla and Monterrey with century-old recipes.

Characteristic ingredients

Mexican churro dough combines wheat flour, boiling water, salt and sometimes an egg or a little oil. A firm paste is formed and put into a churrera or piping bag with a star nozzle, producing the characteristic ridges that increase the crisp surface. It is fried in vegetable oil or lard at 180-190 degrees C, drained and immediately coated in sugar with ground cinnamon. The filling is injected after frying, with Celaya cajeta, dulce de leche, dark chocolate, condensed milk or strawberry jam. The accompanying chocolate is made with Mexican chocolate tablets (Abuelita, Ibarra or artisanal), milk and a touch of cinnamon; it is whisked with a molinillo until frothy. The quality of the oil and the temperature are crucial: if it is cold the churro absorbs grease, if it is too hot it burns outside and stays raw within.

Cultural significance

The churro is one of the most democratic snacks of Mexican culture: it is eaten at fairs, parish festivals, after the cinema, at the Christmas dinner and as a home-made afternoon snack. Mexico City has a genuine churro culture, with obligatory visits to El Moro, open 24 hours, and to neighbourhood churrerias in Coyoacan, Tlalpan and Roma. In Guadalajara churros are accompanied by tejuino or clay-pot coffee. In the north of the country, especially in Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, filled churros became popular as a street dessert. The churro-chocolate pairing evokes the memory of generations: trips to the theatre, road journeys, Sunday family breakfasts. The Mexican tradition of filling churros with cajeta is an original contribution that sets them apart from their Spanish relatives and connects them with the regional confectionery of Guanajuato.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican and Spanish churros?

Spanish churros tend to be thin, without added sugar and dipped in thick chocolate. Mexican ones are thicker, generously coated in cinnamon sugar and often filled with cajeta, dulce de leche or chocolate, an original contribution of Mexican confectionery absent from the Iberian tradition.

What do Mexican churros taste like?

They have a crisp exterior of toasted cinnamon sugar and a soft, buttery interior with the neutral flavour of the fried dough. The filling adds an intense note of caramel (cajeta), cacao (chocolate) or fruit. Accompanied by thick hot chocolate they offer a contrast of sweetness, the bitterness of the cacao and the spice of the cinnamon.

How are they traditionally served?

They are served freshly made, hot, in long strips of 15 to 20 cm cut with scissors, dusted with cinnamon sugar, accompanied by a mug of thick hot chocolate for dipping. In Mexico they are also served filled to order or in a kraft paper bag as a street snack.

Where do churros come from?

Their exact origin is debated between Spanish shepherding in the Sierra de los Churros and Arab-Andalusian frying. They arrived in New Spain in the 16th century and became popular as a street sweet. The Mexican filled-churro formula became established in the 20th century, especially with the opening of the El Moro churreria in 1935 in Mexico City.