Description
This festive Christmas Tree Churros recipe features delicate, piped churros in varying circle sizes stacked to form a holiday tree. Fried to golden perfection, coated in cinnamon sugar, and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache, these churros are decorated with colorful sprinkles for a joyful seasonal treat perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 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 and Coating
- Vegetable oil, 4 to 6 cups, for frying
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
- Cooking spray
Decoration
- Red and green sprinkles
- White nonpareils
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, quickly add flour and kosher salt, and stir vigorously until mixture thickens and forms a smooth dough, about 30 seconds. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Incorporate eggs: Using a handheld mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time to the dough, beating well after each addition until fully blended and smooth.
- Prepare baking sheet and templates: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray. Using cookie cutters or a ruler, trace three 2 1/2-inch circles, three 2-inch circles, three 1 1/2-inch circles, and three 1-inch circles onto the parchment as guides for piping.
- Pipe the churro dough: Transfer batter into a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the dough over the traced circles on the parchment: the largest circles should have a 1 1/2-inch open space in the center, the middle circles a fingerprint-sized open spot, and the smallest circles filled completely. Pipe three additional Hershey’s Kiss-sized dollops on the sheet. Freeze the piped batter on the sheet for at least 2 hours or up to overnight until firm.
- Heat oil for frying: Pour vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of 3 inches and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F, monitored with a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer.
- Make the chocolate ganache and cinnamon sugar: Place chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Microwave heavy cream until small bubbles appear, about 1 minute. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds; stir until smooth and shiny. In another bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar with ground cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar.
- Fry churros: Carefully fry the largest churro circles, about 3 at a time, turning once halfway through, until golden brown, approximately 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain excess oil, then toss churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and cool slightly. Repeat frying and coating with remaining churros. The Hershey’s Kiss-sized dollops fry more quickly, about 1 minute total.
- Assemble and decorate: On a serving platter, arrange the churros starting with the largest 2 1/2-inch circles as the base. Stack a 2-inch circle on top of each large one, then place a 1 1/2-inch circle, followed by a 1-inch circle, building a tree shape. Top each tree with one of the smallest churros. Drizzle 2 to 3 spoonfuls of prepared chocolate ganache over each stacked churro tree and decorate with red and green sprinkles and white nonpareils for a festive finish.
Notes
- Use a large star piping tip for the characteristic churro ridges which help hold the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Freezing the shaped churros before frying is essential to help them hold their shape and achieve a crisp exterior.
- Maintain oil temperature close to 375°F to ensure churros cook evenly and absorb minimal oil.
- Substitute dairy-free butter and cream for a lactose-free option, adjusting the ganache to use vegan chocolate if desired.
- Make ahead by freezing piped churros up to overnight to save time on the day of serving.
- Use a wire rack over a baking sheet for draining excess oil to keep churros crisp.
- For easier assembly, use a small dab of ganache as 'glue' to hold churros stacked more securely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
