Nothing quite says cozy holiday magic like the crunchy sweetness of churros shaped like a Christmas tree, right? This Festive Christmas Tree Churros Recipe brings that warm, crispy joy to your kitchen with a twist that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. Trust me, making these is a festive adventure worth every bite!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I've been making churros for parties and casual get-togethers for years, but shaping them into a Christmas tree? Absolute game changer. This recipe isn’t just about taste; it’s about the joy of creating something festive that can double as charming décor — and yes, everyone wants seconds.
- Visual delight: The Christmas tree shape adds a fun, festive twist that impresses your guests and family alike.
- Perfect texture: Crispy outside meets tender inside — just as churros should be, every single time.
- Get creative: Customizable toppings and presentation make this recipe your new holiday favorite.
- Make ahead friendly: Prep the dough and shapes early to save stress on the big day, then fry fresh whenever you're ready.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Every ingredient here plays a role in building that perfect churro bite — crispy texture, balanced sweetness, and that classic cinnamon sugar kiss. Here’s the scoop on why I stick with these:
- Unsalted butter: Adds rich flavor and helps create a smooth dough without extra salt.
- Water: The base that helps cook the flour, giving that light, airy texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and creates that lovely coating with cinnamon.
- Pure vanilla extract: A depth booster — trust me, it makes a subtle but noticeable difference.
- All-purpose flour: The heart of churros, creating structure and chewiness.
- Kosher salt: Balances flavor and enhances sweetness.
- Large eggs: Adds moisture and helps bind ingredients for the perfect piping consistency.
- Cooking spray: Keeps the parchment paper non-stick for shaping the churros.
- Vegetable oil: For frying — use a neutral oil with a high smoke point to get that golden crust.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: The base for a luscious ganache that drapes perfectly over your churros.
- Heavy cream: Blends with chocolate for smooth ganache.
- Ground cinnamon: Essential churro flavor partner, combined with sugar for the classic dusting.
- Red and green sprinkles and/or white nonpareils: Adds that festive sparkle that makes these churros party-ready.
Make It Your Way
This recipe is a fantastic canvas for your creativity. I love swapping out traditional sprinkles for crushed peppermint or adding a pinch of cayenne for a little heat in the cinnamon sugar. Feel free to make these with gluten-free flour blends or swap the chocolate ganache for caramel sauce — your tree, your rules.
- Variation: One year, I mixed in orange zest to the dough, and the bright citrus note was a lovely surprise under all that cinnamon sugar.
- Dietary tweaks: Use dairy-free butter and cream alternatives for a vegan-friendly version with equally indulgent results.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Tree Churros Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Dough with Patience
Start by bringing the butter, water, and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vanilla, then stir in the flour and salt all at once. Keep stirring vigorously for about 30 seconds — this step thickens the dough and sizzles out any lumps. Let it rest 10 minutes; this cooling is crucial so the eggs can be added without scrambling.
Step 2: Beat in Eggs Like a Pro
Using a handheld mixer, add eggs one at a time on medium speed. This slow addition helps the dough absorb the eggs fully, resulting in a smooth, pipeable batter. I always ensure each egg is well blended before adding the next — impatience here can lead to a runny batter.
Step 3: Trace and Pipe Your Tree Shapes
Line a baking sheet with parchment and spritz with cooking spray. Using circular cookie cutters or a ruler, draw and trace circles of various sizes representing the tree layers. Then, pipe the batter carefully over these circles — the largest circles leave a center space, the smaller fill completely. Add three dollops about the size of Hershey’s Kisses for the star-topping effect. Freeze this sheet for at least 2 hours; this step makes frying much easier and keeps your shapes intact.
Step 4: Fry to Golden Perfection
Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F (190°C). Fry the churros in batches, turning halfway so they crisp evenly — I usually fry 2-3 circles at a time to avoid overcrowding, about 2 to 2½ minutes per side. These come out golden and beautifully puffed, the smell filling my kitchen with instant holiday feels.
Step 5: Finish with Cinnamon Sugar & Ganache
As each batch fries, toss them in cinnamon sugar — the warm churros soak up the coating just right. For the ganache, microwave cream until it bubbles, pour over chocolate chips, wait 30 seconds, and stir until velvety smooth. Drizzle or dollop this magic over your stacked churro tree, then sprinkle with festive decorations.
Top Tip
Making festive shaped churros isn't as tricky as it sounds once you get the hang of it. Here’s what I’ve learned through several holiday seasons that really helps keep your process smooth and your churros picture-perfect.
- Freeze before frying: This is a game changer. The firm dough holds its shape in hot oil and fries evenly without drooping.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: It keeps your oil temperature steady and ensures crispy, golden churros instead of greasy ones.
- Piping technique matters: Use a sturdy star tip and steady pressure; practice piping a few test rounds before you commit to the shapes on parchment.
- Drain well: Place fried churros on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep them crisp all around.
How to Serve Festive Christmas Tree Churros Recipe
Garnishes
I often go for a sprinkle mix of classic red and green sugar and tiny white nonpareils — they evoke that nostalgic Christmas vibe perfectly. You can also try crushed peppermint, edible gold dust, or even mini marshmallows for the littlest holiday crowds.
Side Dishes
Pair these churros with a rich hot chocolate or a simple café con leche to balance the sweetness. Sometimes I serve them alongside a fresh fruit salad with citrus notes to cut through the richness — surprise your guests with that contrast!
Creative Ways to Present
For parties, I’ve arranged these churro trees on a large serving platter, draped ganache cascading down like snow, then set edible glitter sparingly around the base to mimic frost. Wrapping the platter with twinkle lights adds that extra holiday sparkle and makes your dessert table the centerpiece of the night.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Any leftover churros are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. They start to lose their crunch after that, but you can revive them with my reheating tips below.
Freezing
I freeze the shaped, piped dough on the parchment sheet before frying – store the sheet wrapped tightly in cling film in the freezer up to a week. When you’re ready, fry frozen as per usual. It’s like fresh churros whenever you want!
Reheating
To get that freshly fried crunch back, pop leftover churros in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-7 minutes instead of microwaving, which makes them soggy. This little trick brings back the crisp exterior perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough a day early and keep it covered in the fridge. Just bring it back to room temperature before piping and freezing. This helps save lots of time on the day you want to serve them.
I prefer vegetable oil because of its neutral flavor and high smoke point. Canola or peanut oil work well too. Avoid olive oil for deep frying since it has a lower smoke point and distinct taste that can overwhelm the churros.
Definitely! If you want to keep things simple, just coat the churros in cinnamon sugar and skip the chocolate. They’re delicious that way as well — ganache is a luxurious bonus, but not a must.
The trick is to place them on a wire rack instead of paper towels to avoid sogginess, and serve them as soon as possible. If you need to store them, reheat them briefly in the oven before serving to bring back the crunch.
Final Thoughts
The Festive Christmas Tree Churros Recipe has become one of my absolute favorite ways to bring smiles during the holidays. It’s a fun project, a brilliant centerpiece, and a sweet treat that’s easy to share and customize. So roll up your sleeves, grab that piping bag, and create your sweetest holiday tradition — I promise, your kitchen will smell like Christmas, and your heart will savor every crunchy, sugary bite.
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Festive Christmas Tree Churros Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Celebrate the holidays with festive Christmas Tree Churros, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, coated with cinnamon sugar and topped with rich chocolate ganache and colorful sprinkles for a delightful seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Churro Batter
- 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
- Cooking spray
For Frying
- 4 to 6 cups vegetable oil
Ganache and Coating
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Red and green sprinkles and/or white nonpareils for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare the Churro Dough: In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, water, and 2 tablespoons of sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in vanilla extract, then remove from heat. Add flour and salt all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture thickens within about 30 seconds. Let the dough cool for 10 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs: Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the batter is smooth and glossy.
- Prepare Piping Area: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray. Using cookie cutters or a ruler, trace circles of various sizes (three 2 ½-inch, three 2-inch, three 1 ½-inch, and three 1-inch diameter circles) onto the parchment paper.
- Pipe Churro Shapes: Transfer batter to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the batter over the traced circles, leaving specific amounts of space in the center depending on size as described. Pipe three extra dollops approximately the size of Hershey’s Kisses. Freeze the shaped batter on the baking sheet for 2 hours or overnight until firm.
- Heat Oil for Frying: Pour vegetable oil to a 3-inch depth into a large Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F on a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer.
- Make Chocolate Ganache and Cinnamon Sugar: Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Microwave heavy cream until small bubbles form, about 1 minute, then pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 30 seconds before stirring until smooth. In another bowl, combine remaining ½ cup sugar with ground cinnamon for coating.
- Fry Churros: Fry the three largest churro circles first, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown, about 2 to 2 ½ minutes per side. Drain excess oil and toss churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture before transferring to a wire rack over a baking sheet. Repeat until all churros are cooked; the smaller kiss-size dollops will take about 1 minute to fry.
- Assemble Trees and Decorate: Arrange the churros in stacks on a serving platter, starting with the largest circles and layering progressively smaller ones to form a tree shape. Pour 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the chocolate ganache over each tree and sprinkle with red, green, and white sprinkles or nonpareils for a festive finish.
Notes
- Use a large star piping tip to create traditional churro ridges for perfect texture.
- Make sure the dough is cooled before adding eggs to avoid scrambling.
- Freezing the piped shapes firms the dough for easier frying and helps maintain the intricate tree shape.
- Maintain the oil temperature at 375°F to achieve crispy churros and prevent greasy results.
- Store churros in an airtight container for up to 1 day; reheat in a warm oven to restore crispness.
- Chocolate ganache can be made ahead and warmed slightly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
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