Description
Celebrate the holidays with festive Christmas Tree Churros, golden fried dough shaped into stacked circles resembling a Christmas tree, coated in cinnamon sugar, and topped with a rich chocolate ganache and colorful sprinkles. This fun and delicious treat makes a perfect holiday dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
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
- Cooking spray
- Vegetable oil, for frying (4 to 6 cups)
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Coating and Decoration
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Red and green sprinkles and/or white nonpareils, for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, water, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to a boil, then stir in vanilla extract. Remove from heat and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until the mixture thickens and forms a dough, about 30 seconds. Let 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 dough is smooth and glossy.
- Prepare Piping Template: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray. Using cookie cutters or a ruler, trace 3 circles each of 2 1/2 inches, 2 inches, 1 1/2 inches, and 1 inch in diameter.
- Pipe Dough: Transfer dough to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe over the traced circles: leave a 1 1/2 inch space in the center for the largest circles, fingerprint sized spaces in the two middle circles, and completely fill the smallest circles. Pipe 3 small dollops the size of Hershey’s Kisses on the side. Freeze dough on the baking sheet until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat Oil: In a large Dutch oven, pour vegetable oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until oil temperature reaches 375°F using a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer.
- Make Ganache and Cinnamon Sugar: Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in the microwave until small bubbles form, about 1 minute. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 30 seconds, then stir gently until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with ground cinnamon.
- Fry Churros: Fry the 3 largest churro circles first, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain excess oil and immediately toss churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat frying and coating with remaining churro circles and dollops. The small dollops will fry in about 1 minute.
- Assemble Trees: On a serving platter, arrange churros by stacking one 2 1/2 inch circle, then one 2 inch circle, followed by 1 1/2 inch circles, then 1 inch circles, topped with the smallest churros. Spoon 2 to 3 spoonfuls of chocolate ganache over the top of each stacked tree. Decorate with red, green sprinkles and/or white nonpareils for a festive touch.
Notes
- Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to maintain the oil temperature at 375°F for crispy churros without absorbing excess oil.
- For easy dough piping, make sure the batter is cooled but still pliable before adding eggs and piping.
- Freeze piped churros thoroughly to help them hold their shape during frying.
- Substitute heavy cream with coconut cream for a dairy-free chocolate ganache variant.
- These churros are best enjoyed fresh but can be kept in an airtight container for up to one day; reheat briefly in an oven to restore crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
