Not to be confused with Churo. For the breed of sheep, see Navajo-Churro sheep. There are also two slightly different snacks in Portugal, called porra and fartura, which are chocolate dipped apples with jelly instead of the doce de leite, traditional to Brazilian churros.
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. According to the Diccionario de la lengua española, churro is onomatopoeic.
Churros in American theme parks and street fairs are most often rolled in cinnamon sugar or other flavored sugars. In Jordan, a churro-like fried dough-based sweet is known as Karabeej Halab. When Miami Temps Plunge Below 60, It’s Time For Hot Churros”. Cinco placas portuguesas que são muito estranhas para brasileiros”. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29.