Churros are widely believed to originate from Spain and Portugal, where they have been a traditional fried dough pastry for centuries

. The exact origin is debated, but the most common theory is that Spanish shepherds invented churros as a simple, portable snack while tending sheep in the mountains, naming them after the Churra sheep whose horns the churros resemble

. There is also a theory that churros were influenced by Chinese fried dough sticks called youtiao. Portuguese sailors may have encountered youtiao in Ming-dynasty China and brought the concept back to Europe, where it was adapted into the churro with its distinctive star-shaped dough extrusion

. However, many food historians consider this a myth or believe churros and youtiao share a distant common ancestor, possibly the Arabic zulabiya, rather than a direct lineage

. In summary, churros are primarily from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, with possible influences from Chinese and Arabic fried dough traditions, but their definitive origin is most strongly linked to Spain