There’s something truly magical about warm, crispy churros shaped like Christmas trees topped with silky chocolate that brings holiday joy in every bite. This Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe is not just a treat but a celebration you can share with friends and family during the holidays.

The image shows three tower-shaped desserts made of three stacked, golden-brown cinnamon sugar-coated rings each. The rings are round and have a slightly rough texture from the sugar. Each tower is covered with thick, dark chocolate sauce dripping down the sides, topped with red, green, and white small round sprinkles, and a dusting of white powdered sugar. The towers are placed on a white marbled surface, with a greenish blurred background. There are some sprinkles falling from above over the towers. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

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

I remember making these with my kids the first time—watching their eyes light up as they pipe the dough into perfect little tree shapes. It’s festive, fun, and absolutely delicious. This recipe turns classic churros into a holiday centerpiece you’ll want to make every year.

Beautiful Presentation: The Christmas tree shapes make these churros festive and Instagram-worthy, perfect for holiday parties.
Rich Chocolate Ganache: The smooth, decadent ganache that drapes over them adds a dreamy chocolate finish that's hard to resist.
Crunchy & Soft Texture: Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside — churros at their absolute best combined with flavorful cinnamon sugar.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep the shapes a day ahead and freeze them, which makes holiday entertaining stress-free.

There are three tall stacks of cinnamon sugar-coated funnel cake pieces arranged like Christmas trees on a white marbled surface. Each stack has four rings that get smaller toward the top, with a pointed top piece shaped like a small swirl. The stack on the right is being covered with thick, dark chocolate sauce flowing down from a glass pitcher, adding a glossy layer on top. The background is a textured green color with some small green plant leaves near the right stack. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this dish plays a vital role in achieving that perfect churro texture and flavor. Plus, a few tips on what to look for when shopping will help your churros turn out fabulous.

Flat lay of unsalted butter in a small white ceramic bowl, a small white ceramic bowl of water, a small white ceramic bowl of granulated sugar, a small white ceramic bowl of pure vanilla extract, a mound of all-purpose flour on a white ceramic plate, a small white ceramic bowl of kosher salt, two whole uncracked brown eggs, a small white ceramic bowl of semisweet chocolate chips, a small white ceramic bowl of heavy cream, a small white ceramic bowl of ground cinnamon, and a small white ceramic bowl filled with red, green sprinkles and white nonpareils, all placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted butter: Essential for that rich, buttery base without adding extra salt, allowing you to control seasoning perfectly.
Water: Hydrates the dough and helps steam cook the flour mixture for that signature churro texture.
Granulated sugar: Divided to sweeten the dough slightly and coat the fried churros with cinnamon sugar for the classic finish.
Pure vanilla extract: Adds subtle warmth and aroma that elevates the flavor profile beautifully.
All-purpose flour: Provides structure without making the churros too dense.
Kosher salt: Balances sweetness and highlights the buttery notes.
Large eggs: Vital for moisture and binding, plus they help achieve the light, airy texture inside.
Cooking spray: Makes greasing your piping surface easy and prevents sticking.
Vegetable oil for frying: Neutral-flavored and perfect for high-temp frying to crisp up your churros.
Semisweet chocolate chips: The star ingredient in the ganache - melty and smooth, not too sweet.
Heavy cream: Creates that silky ganache texture that pairs perfectly with the crunchy churros.
Ground cinnamon: Throws in warm spice that’s a classic churro essential.
Red and green sprinkles / white nonpareils: For that extra festive flair — and a little crunch on top!

📝

Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love experimenting with the sprinkles and sizes when I make these Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe. You can totally make it yours with little twists that suit your holiday vibe or dietary needs.

Variation: I’ve swapped semisweet chips for dark chocolate during one year’s Christmas, which gave a richer, slightly bitter contrast I adored.
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate to keep all the goodness but cater to allergies or vegan preferences.
Flavor Twist: Add orange zest to the cinnamon sugar for a bright, fruity note that’s unexpectedly delightful.
Mini Churro Trees: I sometimes pipe smaller trees as bite-sized party snacks—they disappear even quicker!

Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Step 1: Make the Dough

I start by boiling butter, water, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until everything melts together smoothly. The moment it reaches a boil, stirring in vanilla gives it that lovely fragrance. Next comes the flour and salt — stir quickly until the mixture thickens like a dough ball, about 30 seconds. Let it cool for around 10 minutes before adding eggs; this prevents the eggs from scrambling.

Step 2: Beat in the Eggs

Using my handheld mixer, I beat the eggs one at a time right into the dough. This step can feel tricky if you add them too quickly — patience here means a silky, smooth batter that pipes perfectly. It should feel shiny and thick after the last egg is incorporated.

Step 3: Prep Your Piping Surface

On a parchment-lined baking sheet greased with cooking spray, I trace circles with cookie cutters or a ruler—creating layers like a Christmas tree: 2½", 2", 1½", and 1", three of each. This gives you the perfect shapes to pipe your churro batter on top.

Step 4: Pipe the Churros & Freeze

Here's where the magic happens—pipe the batter onto the traced circles using a piping bag with a large star tip. Leave some center space on the bigger circles and fill the smallest circles completely. Add three extra dollops for that classic “Kiss” top. Freeze the dough for at least two hours or up to overnight, which firms them up and keeps the shapes intact during frying.

Step 5: Heat the Oil

In a Dutch oven or heavy pan, pour vegetable oil to about 3 inches deep. Heat it up to 375°F — this is crucial for achieving crispy, golden churros without absorbing excess oil.

Step 6: Make the Chocolate Ganache & Cinnamon Sugar

While the oil warms, melt chocolate chips by pouring hot heavy cream over them then stirring gently after 30 seconds until smooth and silky. In a small bowl, mix the remaining sugar with cinnamon — this classic combo is going to coat your hot churros perfectly.

Step 7: Fry & Coat the Churros

Fry the largest churros first, flipping halfway through until golden brown—roughly 2 to 2½ minutes per side. Shake the excess oil off, then toss them quickly in cinnamon sugar. I transfer them to a wire rack so they stay crisp. Repeat with all sizes. The little “Kiss” dollops only take about a minute each — watch these closely to avoid burning.

Step 8: Build Your Christmas Trees & Decorate

Arrange the churros on a platter in stacks: start with the largest circle, then layer smaller ones on top like a tree, finishing with the smallest. Drizzle 2 to 3 spoonfuls of chocolate ganache over each tree and sprinkle festive red, green, and white decorations for that perfect holiday look.

Top Tip

This is a recipe that rewards a bit of patience and attention to detail. Having made it a few times, these tips will help you elevate your Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe to a next-level festive treat.

Don’t Skip the Freezing: Freezing helps the churros hold their shape during frying—trust me, skipping this step resulted in misshapen trees in my first batch.
Temperature Control: Keep your oil at a steady 375°F to get crispy edges and soft insides without greasy churros; I use a thermometer for this.
Piping Bag Setup: Use a large star tip for that classic ridged look. I double-bag mine to avoid leaks and make piping more comfortable.
Chocolate Ganache Timing: Pour the ganache right before serving so it stays glossy and doesn’t harden too soon. It adds a beautiful, indulgent finishing touch.

How to Serve Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Christmas Tree Churros - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I opt for classic red and green sprinkles along with white nonpareils that resemble snow on the trees. The sprinkles add crunch and color, making each bite delightfully festive. Sometimes I toss on edible glitter for a sparkly holiday shimmer — it really wows guests.

Side Dishes

These churros are a sweet star, so I keep sides light and simple—think hot spiced cider or a cup of rich coffee to balance the sugar. For a party, mini fruit tarts or spiced nuts complement them wonderfully without competing for attention.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I love arranging the churro trees on rustic wooden boards or festive plates. Using a bed of fresh pine sprigs or holly as decor around the platter amps up the festive feel. I’ve even served them with little dipping bowls of extra ganache and whipped cream alongside for guests to customize their dipping experience.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Leftover churros can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. To keep them crisp, store separately from the ganache if possible—otherwise they lose their crunch after a few hours.

Freezing

I freeze the un-fried churro dough shapes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag once firm. This makes it easy to fry fresh churros whenever you like during the holiday season. Reheating fried churros from frozen is less ideal as they tend to lose crispness.

Reheating

To revive leftover fried churros, I reheat briefly in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes, which crisps them back up nicely. Microwaving isn’t great, as it softens them too much. Ganache is best added fresh after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make these churros gluten-free?

You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, but be aware that the texture might be slightly different. I recommend using a blend that includes xanthan gum for better structure.

What’s the best way to pipe the tree shapes?

Using a large star tip on a sturdy piping bag helps create the signature churro ridges, which fry up crisp and look beautiful. Trace your circles on parchment to guide your piping and freeze the shapes before frying for best results.

Can I prepare the churro dough in advance?

Absolutely! You can pipe the churros on the sheet and freeze them for several hours up to overnight. This makes frying on the day of serving a breeze and keeps the shapes intact.

How do I know when the oil is hot enough for frying?

Use a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer to maintain 375°F for perfect frying. Without a thermometer, drop a small dollop of batter into the oil; if it sizzles and rises immediately, you’re likely at the right temperature.

Final Thoughts

This Festive Christmas Tree Churros with Chocolate Ganache Recipe holds a special place in my holiday traditions. It’s part activity, part dessert, and all heart. I hope you’ll try it, savor those warm, sweet Christmas tree shapes, and maybe even create some new holiday memories around the kitchen with your loved ones. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll become a yearly must-have on your holiday dessert table.