Magnolia Bakery, beware: An unlikely new kid on the block is poised to knock designer cupcakes right off their overpriced pedestals.

In today’s wacky dessert world, where paying $3 for a dolled-up cupcake is de rigueur and chefs delight in pairing savory with sweet (foie gras and chocolate, anyone?) the next hot thing actually is a humble snack with a storied tradition: churros.

Spurred by an explosion of interest in all things Latino, the fried batons of dough — traditionally sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar — are popping up on menus across the country. When the president’s daughter serves churros at her wedding, it’s probably safe to say they’ve hit the mainstream.

And Jenna Bush definitely is not alone. Entrepreneurs and big-name chefs have hopped on the bandwagon, too, pushing this modest, deep-fried snack into the spotlight.

These days you can find churros on menus from coast to coast, from West LA’s well-loved Literati 2 (helmed by Chris Kidder, formerly of Campanile) to New York’s trendy Dos Caminos.

Churros are believed to have their origins in Spain, though they’re also extremely popular in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, where they’re found at street carts, large markets and cafes.

The key to their appeal is their distinctive ridges, achieved with the help of a churrera, an extruder with a star-shaped attachment. When the thick batter is pressed and dropped into boiling-hot oil, each ridge fries up wonderfully crisp, giving the churro its trademark texture — crunchy on the outside, soft and almost creamy inside.

A number of businesses have sprung up to accommodate the booming interest in the U.S.

‘‘Five years ago, there were lots and lots of people who’d never heard of a churro, and many of the people who did know what one was had had one at Disneyland or at a ballpark,’’ says Melanie Farkas, owner of the 5-year-old Churro Station franchise based in San Rafael, Calif.

If you’re one of those who sampled a churro from an amusement park or baseball game years ago, it’s likely it was a frozen product produced by J&J Snack Foods of ... New Jersey?

For years, the Tio Pepe-brand churro, shipped frozen and reheated under lamps, was the only option for Americans who wanted to sample the snack. Farkas has built her business around the notion that fresh-fried churros are superior, but conceded, ‘‘I’ll tip my hat to them — they familiarized the American people with churros and gave people that first wonderful experience.’’

Farkas decided to bring fresh churros north of the border after a trip to Mexico in 2002. Susana Trilling, director of Seasons of My Heart Cooking School in Oaxaca, Mexico, understands the appeal. She often takes her students to experience churros at the city’s Mercado de Abastos, where they’re eaten as a breakfast or snack food.

‘‘They’re sold in the mornings by women who carry large flat baskets on their heads,’’ Trilling explained. ‘‘These churros are made at home and brought into the market to sell, still hot and covered with granulated sugar.’’

Because the pastries often are consumed with Mexican hot chocolate, the vendors follow the carts that sell bowls of hot Oaxacan chocolate with water or milk — a pretty delicious field trip.

Chicago restaurateur and Mexican food authority Rick Bayless favors Mexico City’s Churrería El Moro, a local institution that serves piping-hot churros 24 hours a day to a packed house.

‘‘The menu is churros and four kinds of hot chocolate, and that’s it,’’ he says. ‘‘I am so wild about churros. They’re one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.’’

He’s using El Moro as a template for a new (as yet unnamed) venture in Chicago set to open in 2009 that will serve churros and chocolate.

‘‘I think it’s all part of the big Latino boom in the U.S.,’’ Bayless says of the churro’s new visibility. ‘‘We’ve worked a lot of Latino ingredients into our cooking, and we’ve hit the second wave. Now people are thinking past hard-shell tacos and looking for more authentic flavors.’’

Churro Station will have at least five franchises open by the end of 2008, and Farkas attributes the surge in interest to the changing demographics. ‘‘Hispanics are by far the largest minority in the U.S., and we are just starting to see the tremendous impact on our culture,’’ she says.

The numbers support her theory. The national Hispanic population reached 44.3 million in 2006. That translates into a pretty large chunk of buying power: nearly $700 billion in 2004, according to estimates by HispanTelligence, based on an analysis of federal data.

‘‘We’re all feeling the impact,’’ Farkas says. ‘‘When I first opened the original store in San Rafael, California, in 2003, I didn’t see many churros around. But now, especially in the last year, they’re popping up all over the place.’’

Her customer base is changing, too. When she opened, she estimates that 98 percent of her customers were Hispanic. Five years later, non-Hispanic customers have discovered churros, and she says about a third of her business is from non-Hispanic enthusiasts.

But for recent immigrants, churros have a special resonance. ‘‘They’re really iconic in Latin America,’’ says Farkas. ‘‘They mean a lot to people. It gets them thinking about being with their families, and we get a lot of emotional reactions. We’ve had people who come in and cry.’’

Cultural ties mean a lot, of course, but Farkas knows that in the end, it all comes down to flavor.

‘‘You bite into this crispy crunchy pastry with its ridges, crunchy on the inside, warm and soft inside, and well, there’s nothing else like them,’’ Farkas says. ‘‘They’re just perfection.’’

CHURROS

Start to finish: 1 hour (30 minutes active)

Servings: Makes 12 to 14 churros

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying

1 tablespoon sugar, plus 2/3 cup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, combine the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon sugar, the salt and water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour, stirring vigorously until the mixture forms a thick, smooth ball. Set aside to cool in the pan, about 30 minutes.

Once the dough has cooled, prepare the oil for frying. In a deep (at least 3 inches), heavy skillet (cast-iron is best), add vegetable oil to a depth of 1 inch. Heat over medium-high to about 375 F (the surface of the oil will shimmer).

While the oil heats, in a baking pan combine the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Scoop the dough into a churrera, a cookie press fitted with a 3/8-inch fluted opening or a heavy-duty (canvas-type) pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch star tip.

Holding your pressing apparatus a few inches above the hot oil, press out a 5-inch length of dough (the end will dangle into the oil), then pull it free from the press with your fingertips.

Cook this one churro, turning occasionally, until it is deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the churro to paper towel to drain.

Let the churro cool for 1 minute, then break it open to check for doneness. It should be soft but not doughy inside. If so, the oil is at the correct temperature.

Press out and fry the churros 4 or 5 at a time, draining each batch on paper towels. After the churros cool for 1 minute, roll them in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Serve while warm.

The dough for these churros can be prepared up to several hours ahead (leave it covered at room temperature). Churros are best eaten just after frying, but if you must fry them in advance, reheat them at 350 F for 3 to 4 minutes.

(Recipe from Rick Bayless)

MEXICAN-STYLE HOT CHOCOLATE

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Servings: 2

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch chili powder

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

Half vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the milk, cream, cinnamon, salt, chili powder, cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla bean. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Remove the vanilla bean, then ladle the hot chocolate into mugs.

Don’t like the heat in your hot chocolate? Leave out the pinch of chili powder. The cinnamon still imparts a pleasant warmth to this drink, the traditional companion for churros.