Xuixos are a Catalan treat that hails from Girona in Spain. They’re a little bit like a croissant and a little bit like a churro but xuixos are also filled with cream.
You’ve heard of churros, but what about xuixos?
Amongst the Spanish dishes you may already be familiar with, churros (or xurros in Catalan) is likely to be one of them. You can find a churro stand at markets and big events in cities around the world. But in Catalonia, there is another type of fried pastry that is just as delicious.
Like churros, xuixos are cylindrical pastries deep fried and sprinkled with sugar. But xuixos are also similar to croissants in that they’re made with a laminated dough rather than a doughnut dough. They’re also filled with cream (and sometimes chocolate).
Basically, they are a croissant crossed with a churro and filled with cream. They originate from Girona and its history dates back to the 1920s. Xuixos are seen as a Catalan specialty and you can find them in churrerias (or xurrerias) and pastry shops in various cities around the region.
These are chuchitos…
In Catalonia, I also found chuchitos. I’m not sure if they’re meant to be mini xuixos or churros but they’re also filled with cream or chocolate. Indeed, they’re filled so much that the cream/chocolate is oozing out! I can also confirm that they were very tasty.
The original Cronut…
Interestingly, a few years ago, a foodie craze that spread over to the UK from the US also involved crossing a croissant with a doughnut. It was called a cronut. You can see what they did with the name!
However, I like to think the xuixo is the original croissant-doughnut. After all, xuixos have been around for nearly 100 years more!
Where to find them in Girona
Girona’s riverside
You’ll likely find xuixos in many of the bakeries and cafes in Girona. Here’s two you can try: Casa Moner and Santagloria. Both have cafes on Carrer del Migdia in the city centre.
An annual walk
The locals love them so much there is even an annual walk for the xuixo called the ‘Marxa del Xuixo‘. The walk is organised by the Girona Oncology Department for charity. There is usually a small fee to join the procession and after walking through the city streets, participants are treated to xuixos made by local pastry chefs.
The money raised for the event is used to support cancer patients and their families so it’s a good cause. It usually happens in the Autumn (in 2017, it was in September). If you’d like to find out more about the march and how to join, check at the local tourist office in Girona.
More food and drink from Spain
For more posts on some of our favourite Spanish food and drink, check out our Eating and Drinking page.