There’s something magical about sinking your teeth into warm, crispy churros shaped like festive Christmas trees, especially when paired with a silky chocolate dip. This Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe is not only delightful but perfect for holiday gatherings — it turns an everyday treat into a charming celebration on your plate.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
When it comes to holiday treats, I’m always hunting for something that’s both show-stopping and deliciously comforting. This Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe nails that balance perfectly — it’s fun to make, gorgeous to serve, and truly irresistible to eat.
- Creative and Festive: Shaping churros into whimsical Christmas trees adds an instant wow factor to your holiday dessert spread.
- Rich Chocolate Ganache: The smooth ganache complements the crispy churros perfectly, offering a luxurious dip that’s easy to whip up.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prepare the churro batter shapes in advance and freeze them, making your holiday kitchen more relaxed.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Decorating with cinnamon sugar and sprinkles turns the process into a joyful family activity.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe combines simple, classic churro ingredients with a luscious chocolate ganache. Each component plays a special role — from binding and texture to that irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps create that tender, flaky churro dough without overpowering the flavors.
- Water: Key to hydrating the flour and melting the butter for the dough base.
- Granulated Sugar: Split between the dough and coating, it sweetens gently and adds mouthwatering crunch after frying.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, fragrant note that elevates the flavor of the churros subtly but beautifully.
- All-Purpose Flour: The main structure builder — it ensures crisp churros when fried.
- Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Large Eggs: Help create the right dough consistency and add moisture for a tender bite.
- Vegetable Oil: Neutral-flavored oil perfect for deep frying to achieve a golden, crispy exterior.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: For melting down into a luscious ganache that’s not too sweet but richly satisfying.
- Heavy Cream: Adds silkiness to the ganache and helps the chocolate melt smoothly.
- Ground Cinnamon: Mixed with sugar to coat the churros, this gives that classic churro flavor twang.
- Sprinkles and Nonpareils: Festive decoration that adds a pop of color and extra fun.
Make It Your Way
I love tweaking this Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe depending on who’s joining me in the kitchen. You can easily personalize the spice mix or decorate with toppings that suit your mood or crowd.
- Variation: Once, I swapped the vanilla in the dough for almond extract — it gave the churros an unexpected nutty twist that everyone adored at my holiday party.
- Dietary Modifications: For a dairy-free ganache, try coconut cream in place of heavy cream and dairy-free dark chocolate chips for a vegan-friendly twist.
- Seasonal Flair: Instead of classic sprinkles, garnish with crushed peppermint candies or edible glitter to dial up the holiday spirit.
- Difficulty Level: If you're short on time, you can shape vanilla-flavored churro sticks instead of trees, but trust me — taking the time to stack the circles into trees is totally worth it.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Churro Dough
Start by melting the butter in a saucepan with water and some sugar, heating until it boils and bubbles away happily. Then, stir in vanilla and immediately sift in the flour and salt. Stir vigorously until it thickens into a smooth dough — about 30 seconds. I always let it cool about 10 minutes here; warm dough can scramble the eggs if you're not careful.
Step 2: Beat in the Eggs
Using a hand mixer, beat the dough on medium speed while adding eggs one by one — this helps the batter come together silky-smooth and ready for piping. The dough should be thick but pipeable, like a glossy paste.
Step 3: Trace and Pipe Your Christmas Tree Shapes
Next, line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly grease it. Using cookie cutters or a ruler, trace circles of varying sizes to build your tree layers: largest at 2 ½", then 2", 1 ½", and finally 1". Carefully pipe the dough over these circles in ring shapes — leave space in the centers for all but the smallest, which you’ll fill entirely.
Step 4: Freeze Batter Until Firm
I find freezing these piped shapes for at least two hours (or overnight) is a game-changer. It makes frying much easier and ensures the churros hold their pretty shapes without losing their edges during cooking.
Step 5: Heat Oil and Prepare the Ganache
Pour oil into a Dutch oven to about 3 inches deep, heat to 375°F, then ready your ganache by heating cream briefly and pouring it over chocolate chips. Stir gently until silky and smooth. I usually mix cinnamon into the remaining sugar now — trust me, that's what gives these churros their signature flavor.
Step 6: Fry and Coat Your Churros
Fry the churro circles starting with the biggest ones, a couple of minutes per side until golden and crisp. Immediately toss them in cinnamon sugar while hot — this step takes patience, but that warm sugar coating is worth every second. The small Hershey’s Kiss-size dollops fry super fast — about a minute total.
Step 7: Assemble and Decorate
Arrange the churros like little Christmas trees by stacking from largest to smallest. Then, spoon 2 to 3 generous dollops of warm ganache over each tree, finishing with a dusting of festive sprinkles. Watching everyone’s eyes light up at this moment feels like pure holiday magic!
Top Tip
From my kitchen to yours, these tips helped me master the Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe without stress and with great results every time.
- Consistent Dough Texture: Make sure to fully cool the dough before adding eggs. Warm dough cooks the eggs prematurely and can ruin the softness.
- Freeze Before Frying: Freezing piped churros solidly keeps the intricate tree shapes perfectly intact while frying.
- Temperature Control: Use a deep-fry thermometer — oil that’s too hot burns churros on the outside and leaves raw dough inside.
- Toss Right Away: Dip churros in cinnamon sugar immediately after frying; the sugar sticks best when they’re still warm.
How to Serve Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
Garnishes
For garnishes, I love using classic red and green sprinkles for that traditional holiday vibe. White nonpareils add a snowy texture that’s just *chef’s kiss.* Sometimes, I even add edible gold glitter or crushed peppermint pieces for extra sparkle — your call!
Side Dishes
These churros shine on their own but pair beautifully with mulled wine or a cup of spicy hot chocolate. For a brunch spin, I serve them alongside cinnamon butter and fresh fruit compote, making for a well-rounded celebration spread.
Creative Ways to Present
One year, I arranged mini churro Christmas tree stacks on individual festive plates with a dusting of powdered sugar “snow.” Another idea is placing churros upright in a glass jar with ganache dip on the side for a fun, interactive dessert display — kids love it!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store any leftover churros in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day. They’re best fresh but reheating helps revive their crispiness slightly.
Freezing
Since you freeze the shaped dough before frying, you can prep weeks in advance. After frying, it’s trickier to freeze churros as they lose crunch. If you want to freeze cooked churros, flash freeze them on a tray first, then store in a freezer bag.
Reheating
Reheat leftover churros in a hot oven (about 375°F) for 5–7 minutes on a wire rack to bring back crispiness. Avoid microwaving — it makes the dough gummy and soft.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! One of the best things about this recipe is that you can pipe the churro dough onto parchment and freeze it for up to overnight before frying, which makes holiday prep much easier and less frantic.
Vegetable oil is ideal because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, so it crisps the churros perfectly without adding any unwanted taste or burning too quickly.
They should be golden brown and cooked through. If your oil temperature is steady at 375°F, frying about 2 to 2 ½ minutes per side for larger pieces will give you crispy yet tender churros. Smaller pieces like the Hershey’s Kiss-sized dollops take about a minute total.
Definitely! Simply warm the heavy cream on the stovetop over low heat until small bubbles form and pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it rest for 30 seconds before stirring until smooth for a perfect ganache without a microwave.
Final Thoughts
This Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe holds a special place in my holiday kitchen because it marries tradition with creativity — and that’s what the season is all about. I genuinely hope you give it a try, gather your loved ones, and enjoy making sweet memories with each crispy, chocolate-dipped bite.
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Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Christmas Tree Churros, golden fried and coated in cinnamon sugar, topped with rich chocolate ganache and colorful sprinkles. A fun and delicious treat that looks as wonderful as it tastes.
Ingredients
Churro Dough
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
For Frying
- Vegetable oil, 4 to 6 cups (for frying)
- Cooking spray (for greasing)
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Toppings
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Red and green sprinkles and/or white nonpareils (for decorating)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, water, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil, then stir in vanilla extract. Remove from heat, add flour and salt, stirring vigorously until the mixture thickens, about 30 seconds. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs: Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time until fully blended into the dough.
- Outline Churro Shapes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. Using cookie cutters or a ruler, trace three circles each of 2 ½ inches, 2 inches, 1 ½ inches, and 1 inch diameter.
- Pipe the Dough: Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe dough over traced circles, leaving appropriate spaces in the largest and middle circles and filling the smallest completely. Add three Hershey’s Kiss-size dollops as well. Freeze the piped dough until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat Oil: Pour vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven to a 3-inch depth. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 375°F, verified by a thermometer.
- Make Ganache and Cinnamon Sugar: Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Microwave heavy cream until bubbling, about 1 minute, then pour over chocolate. Let stand 30 seconds before stirring smooth. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ½ cup sugar with cinnamon.
- Fry Churros: Fry the largest churro circles in batches, turning after 2 to 2 ½ minutes until golden brown on each side. Drain excess oil, toss in cinnamon sugar, and transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet. Fry remaining churros similarly. The smaller Hershey’s Kiss dollops will fry in about 1 minute.
- Assemble and Decorate: Arrange churros on a platter stacking the 2 ½", then 2", 1 ½", and 1" sizes to resemble a tree. Top with smallest churros, spoon 2 to 3 spoonfuls of chocolate ganache over each tree, and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
- Ensure the dough is cooled before adding eggs to prevent cooking the eggs prematurely.
- Freezing the piped dough is crucial for maintaining shape during frying.
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature for perfect churro texture and color.
- Chocolate ganache can be prepared ahead and gently reheated before serving.
- Substitute vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips for a vegan version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
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