Churros Mexicanos: A Sweet Tradition You Need to Try

Table of contents:

• Churros origin: History of churros 📖
• Importance of churros in Mexico 😋
• What is a churreria? ☕
• Make churros at home: How to prepare churros? 🍴
• Where to try the best churros Mexicanos?  🗺️
• Conclusion 🔚
• Informative video 🎥

Churros Origin: History of Churros

When asked to mention a Mexican dessert, the first thing that comes to mind is churros. Right? You’re not wrong, but it’s not completely accurate that churros are 100% Mexican, either. This delicious dessert has a complex history, yet it is full of tradition and amazing combinations of cultures.

If you are a history and culture lover and a foodie at heart, you will love the origins of churros. Let’s take a time machine back to another era. Here is another post I wrote some time ago about food in Mexico. There, I gave a brief explanation of churros origin; let me show you the text:

“This delicious, sweet, and worldwide dessert has antecedents from China. The Portuguese were great navigators, and in their passage through China, they saw Chinese people eating a strip of dough at breakfast called “Youtiao.” This food symbolized the union of Qin Hui (an important Chinese politician) and his wife.

Over time,

the Spanish conquistadors brought this delicious gem with the touch of sugar that characterized it. For sure, this was an important dessert in Spanish cuisine. Nowadays, in Mexico, they can be enjoyed with delicious coffee or hot chocolate and can also be filled with cajeta (condensed milk candy), lechera (milkmaid), chocolate, or many other fillings of different flavors”.

As you may have noticed, the Spanish influence arrived in Mexico to mix in different aspects with the Mesoamerican inhabitants. One of the most important mixtures took place in the culinary field. This is why churros are not originally from Mexico, but this dish has become a sweet tradition for Mexican gastronomy by adding its famous Mexican touch.

It doesn’t matter if you eat Spanish churros in Madrid or churros Mexicanos (Mexican churros) in a cafe in Coyoacan, Mexico City; with this article, you will be a foodie expert on the subject of tasty and fabulous churros! 🍡Try with us some churros Mexicanos in one of the best churrerias in Mexico here: A Delicious Trip in Condesa and Roma Neighborhoods (4h)

Importance of churros in Mexico

Churros have a uniquely cherished position in Mexico’s rich culinary landscape, representing far more than a simple fried pastry. Churros showcase centuries of cultural fusion, social tradition, and gastronomic evolution that reflects the complex history of Mexican society itself. The preparation of churros has evolved into an art form that requires skill, timing, and intuition. It is, basically, an art to prepare them and know where to eat them.

Churros have become ways for cultural expression, with different regions of Mexico creating their own variations, fillings, and accompaniments that reflect local tastes, ingredients, and traditions.
The symbolic and ritualistic dimensions of churros in Mexican culture reveal their deep significance as a part of tradition, memory, and cultural continuity that connect contemporary Mexicans to their historical roots while adapting to modern lifestyles and changing social dynamics.

The integration of churros into Mexican popular culture,

From their appearance in literature and movies to their role in social media and contemporary art, demonstrates how food can transcend its purely nutritional function to become a symbol of cultural authenticity and shared experience that resonates across different forms of cultural expression.

As Mexico continues to navigate the challenges of globalization, urbanization, and cultural change, churros remain as symbols of cultural resilience. They also continue providing comfort, connection, and identity to millions of people who find in these simple fried pastries a taste of home, heritage, and belonging that transcends geographic boundaries and social divisions to unite Mexicans around the world in a shared appreciation for this most democratic and beloved of treats.

On the other hand,

Churros in Mexico come in many styles. You can find them in fancy restaurants, fairs, or street events (patron saint festivals, fairs, holidays, etc). These delicious desserts are part of a millenary tradition of how the Mexican ambiance is viewed at any time. They are a symbol of friendship, celebration, and love. It is very typical to invite the girl you like to go for a coffee or hot chocolate in Coyoacan and accompany the evening with some delicious churros. Something sweet for an equally sweet and lovely occasion.

You can find them on any corner in Mexico City and several other states. Some vendors have a cart where they prepare the churros. You can add the filling you want, and it tastes fantastic.

Finally, I remember when I traveled to Coatepec, Veracruz, at the kiosk, they sold mini churros covered with a huge and juicy amount of lechera, strawberry jam, and chocolate chips. There are different presentations for the churros; they can be round and with a touch of ice cream, small, very large, or even have their flavor in a delicious milkshake. Churros have been part of Mexican popular culture for a long time and have come to stay in our hearts and the sweetest part of our palate. Check out our Veracruz food article!

What is a churreria?

In terms of a venue, churrerias are a meeting point where you can fall in love. Both with the food and with the other person. These places are a meeting point to enjoy a delicious coffee, a hot chocolate and some churros and other delicious desserts while you spend a nice time with a special person or even by yourself. Mexicans love sweets, that is why in many parts of Mexico, you will find a churreria waiting for you. Try ordering some churros rellenos with a good café de olla or a hot chocolate. Believe me, you won’t regret it.

Since I am a native of Mexico City, I can say without any problem that the best Mexican churros are here. Because people from different states of the Mexican Republic come to work and get better opportunities here in Mexico City, many bring their best churro recipes to this city. This is why many churrerias here have different flavors, textures and histories. But they all still share something unique: the love for churros and the love for Mexico.

Here is a simple definition of a churreria by the Cambridge Dictionary:

1. Shop where churros are made, sold, or consumed.

2. Shop or stand selling churros.

So you know it’s a churreria. When you talk to your friends and they ask you interesting facts, you can start by saying that churrerias are not only a place to eat churros, they are a place to start a new adventure into Mexican gastronomy and its vast and wide history. Remember that eating is not only to satisfy yourself, it is to get to know a new world, new cultures, and fascinating traditions. What better example than Churros Mexicanos (Mexican churros).

Make churros at home: How to prepare churros?

👨‍🍳Here’s how to make delicious churros Mexicanos at home:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup white sugar mixed with 1 tbsp ground cinnamon)

Instructions:

1. Combine water, sugar, salt, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the mixture forms a smooth ball.
3. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool slightly. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth.
4. Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a large heavy-bottomed pan or deep fryer.
5. Transfer the churro dough to a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe 4-5 inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil, severing them with a knife or kitchen scissors.
6. Fry the churros for 2-3 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden brown.
7. Remove the cooked churros from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
8. While still warm, roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
9. Serve the churros warm, accompanied by a thick chocolate sauce or cajeta (dulce de leche) for dipping, if desired.

Congratulations! Now you have an idea of how to make and prepare your delicious Mexican style churros. Don’t hesitate to investigate more about this dessert. Maybe you can start your own churreria with your Mexican friends and start a new adventure full of different cultures. Just as the history of churros began. Enjoy your churros!

Where to try the best churros Mexicanos?

🍽️Here are our top spots to drink some hot chocolate with Mexican churros; enjoy! (only mentioning Mexico City)

• El Moro: These are considered the most famous churros in Mexico City. There may be divided opinions about whether this place has the best churros. But everyone agrees that El Moro is one of the city’s most traditional places for churros. You can find many ‘El Moro’ churrerias in the city.
• El Convento: A nice restaurant where you can have a delicious breakfast, dinner, and some delicious churros accompanied by a fantastic hot chocolate or coffee with milk.
• Churros Don Fede: This local stand sells delicious snacks. In the evenings, locals sometimes eat snacks such as barbeque wings, fried bananas, elotes, and churros. Here, the churros are the typical churros filled with candy, but the taste is fantastic and worthy of a very local Mexican experience.

• San Ginés: This churreria, brought directly from Spain, has become a classic for lovers of churros and chocolate. Here, you can find both European and Mexican traditional recipes, making your culinary experience unique with the best of both worlds.

More options:

• Churros ChuRous: This colorful place is perfect for a romantic date or a nice evening with friends or family. It offers delicious hot and cold drinks, churros in different presentations, and delicious food.
• Mucho Churro: This place offers snacks such as boneless wings and delicious milkshakes. The churros are dipped in chocolate, strawberry, and other ingredients, giving them a remarkable flavor that will make you want to return a thousand times more.
• Churreria del Carmen: Located in a beautiful, luxurious area in the south of Mexico City, this restaurant is full of flavor and tradition. It offers delicious food, delicious desserts, and great drinks in a beautiful and very cultural place.
• Churros Doniko: If you are looking for a place to spend an afternoon drinking delicious coffee and churros, this place is perfect for you. The churros are tasty, the drinks are accessible to all budgets, and the place is very comfortable for spending a pleasant afternoon.

Conclusion

As you may have noticed, churros have a millenary tradition that crosses borders and transcends generations. From Asia, to Europe to Latin America. When you come to Mexico, you can find a variety of churrerias and types of churros, from the Madrilenian recipe to the traditional Mexican ones. In addition, you can learn how to make your own churros and start tasting the flavors of various cultures and traditions.

You don’t need to be a native of any of these places, you just need to have the desire to know and taste unique food full of history, culture and tradition. Mexico is one of those places where sweetness tastes like history and feels like home. So now you know, when you come to my home in Mexico City, you already have different options to try the best churros in the city and maybe in the whole country. Plan your trip well and make a space in your itinerary and in your stomach for a delicious dessert full of culture and tradition.

Informative video