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
Scale
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
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 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 1/2-inch, three 2-inch, three 1 1/2-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 1/2 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 1/2 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
