It was Sunday morning, and we were craving freshly fried churros and a cup of thick hot chocolate. Churrería Rosa was nearby, a small place we’d found online and heard good things about, so that’s where we went. Churrería Rosa is barely more than a hole in the wall. You order at the counter, and if you want to eat right away, there are a few small tables and chairs set up on the sidewalk. Simple, informal, and exactly what you want when the plan is churros and nothing else.
Churros are essentially fried dough, but when they’re done well, they don’t feel basic at all. The dough is made from flour, water, and salt, piped straight into hot oil and fried until crisp on the outside. Traditional Spanish churros aren’t sweet on their own. The sweetness comes from the chocolate, thick, hot, and rich, closer to melted chocolate than cocoa, and very much an essential part of the experience.
That morning also happened to be the day of the Málaga Marathon. The runners passed right in front of the café, and we sat there with our churros and chocolate, watching them go by. Some were clearly struggling, others still looked strong. People lined the street to cheer, and it added a bit of extra life to an already good morning.
While we were there, locals kept stopping by to pick up churros in small paper bags to take home. It was obvious this wasn’t a one time stop for them. Churrería Rosa clearly has its regulars.
Churros aren’t the same everywhere. In Andalusia, including Málaga, they tend to be more rustic and uneven in shape. Crisp, plain, and served without sugar or cinnamon, just like the ones at Churrería Rosa. In Madrid, churros are usually thinner, longer, and lightly ridged, served alongside thick hot chocolate. Madrid is also where porras come from, a thicker and more filling version with a soft, almost bread like interior. In Mexico, churros are something else entirely. Sweet, rolled in sugar and often cinnamon, sometimes filled with dulce de leche, chocolate, or vanilla cream. They’re eaten as dessert or street food, and they’re a clear contrast to Spanish churros, which only really make sense once they’re dipped into chocolate.
Churrería Rosa, C. Trenzadora, 15, 02500 Tobarra, Albacete, Spain
