The Mexican fried-dough pastry often coated in cinnamon sugar is called a churro. Churros are ridged pastries made by piping dough through a star-shaped nozzle directly into hot oil, producing their distinctive grooves and elongated shape.
Although churros are strongly associated with Mexican street food, their documented culinary family comes from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. They spread throughout Latin America and became especially popular in Mexico, where vendors and churrerías sell them hot, plain, sugar-coated, or filled with cajeta, dulce de leche, chocolate, or vanilla.
In Spain, churros are commonly eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with thick hot chocolate or coffee. Mexican and American versions are often rolled in cinnamon sugar, a serving style that helps explain the clue’s description.
Their exact origin is debated. Theories connect them to ancient Mediterranean fried doughs, Spanish shepherd cooking, and Chinese youtiao, but none is universally accepted. Sopapillas and buñuelos are also fried pastries, yet their shapes and preparation differ from the ridged churro.