Christmas churros

Ingredients

• 240 mlwater
• 1 tbspgranulated sugar
• 115 gbutter
• 1 tspvanilla essence
• 130 gplain flour
• 1/2 tspcassia cinnamon
• 1 pinchsalt
• 3 largeeggs
• 100 ggranulated sugar
• 1 tbspcassia cinnamon
• 150 gdark chocolate
• to tasteChristmas sprinkles

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the base

   Set a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the water, sugar and butter. Whisk until combined, bring to the boil, then set aside.

2. 2

   Add the vanilla

   Turn the heat down and stir in the vanilla.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Add the cinnamon, flour and pinch of salt. Stir vigorously until the mixture becomes a smooth dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball.

4. 4

   Mix in eggs

   Transfer the dough to a bowl and spread it out a little to let the steam escape. Once it is lukewarm, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and soft.

5. 5

   Pipe the trees

   Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Line a tray with baking parchment, pipe out the churros and shape them into Christmas trees as shown in the video.

6. 6

   Freeze the shapes

   Freeze the piped churros for 1 hour.

7. 7

   Mix the coating

   Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

8. 8

   Fry the churros

   Heat oil in a saucepan to 180 °C. Fry the churros straight from the freezer, 2–3 at a time, for 5–10 minutes until golden.

9. 9

   Coat in sugar

   Lift the churros out with a slotted spoon and let excess oil drain away. While they are still hot, roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

10. 10

    Decorate and serve

    Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring thoroughly between each one so it does not burn. Drizzle or spread it over the churros as desired, then decorate with Christmas sprinkles.

What are Christmas churros?

Churros are fried dough pastries associated with Spain and also enjoyed in many parts of Latin America. This festive version shapes the piped dough into Christmas trees and adds cinnamon sugar, dark chocolate and seasonal sprinkles.

The dough is cooked briefly in the pan before the eggs are mixed in, helping it become pipeable. Freezing the shapes before frying gives the delicate tree outlines a better chance of holding together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 380 calories, 7g protein, 43g carbs, 21g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter, eggs, chocolate and absorbed frying oil contribute much of the fat. Eggs and chocolate also provide some protein. Pair a churro with fresh fruit, or serve a smaller portion after a meal, to balance the plate.

Building the dough

Hot base: bring the water, sugar and butter to the boil, then lower the heat before adding the vanilla. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt until the dough gathers into a ball and leaves the sides of the pan.

Cool before eggs: spread the dough out to release steam and wait until it is lukewarm. Add the eggs one by one so they incorporate evenly rather than cooking on contact.

Piping the tree shapes

Star nozzle: a large star-shaped nozzle gives churros their ridged surface, which helps them fry evenly and catch the cinnamon sugar. Pipe the trees onto baking parchment, following the shape shown in the source video.

Firm up: freeze the piped dough for 1 hour before frying. Handle the frozen shapes carefully as you transfer them to the oil.

Frying to a golden finish

Oil temperature: bring the oil to 180 °C before adding the churros. Frying only 2–3 at a time helps avoid crowding the pan and makes it easier to keep the oil temperature steady.

Doneness: the recipe gives a 5–10 minute frying window. Look for a golden exterior, and allow the churros to drain briefly before coating them while still hot.

Cinnamon sugar and chocolate

Sugar coating: mix the sugar and cinnamon ahead of time so it is ready as soon as each batch comes out of the oil. The warm surface helps the coating cling.

Gentle melting: microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring well each time. Stop once it is melted and smooth, then add the sprinkles after covering the churros.

Serving ideas

Serve the churros freshly fried, while the outside is crisp and the centre is tender. Arrange the tree shapes on a platter for a festive dessert or a sweet treat to share.

The chocolate provides a rich finish, so these work well alongside fresh fruit or a simple, unsweetened drink.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a large star nozzle so the dough pipes cleanly and keeps the classic ridged finish.
• Let the dough cool until lukewarm before adding the eggs.
• Freeze the piped trees for the full hour before frying.
• Fry only 2–3 churros at a time to avoid crowding the saucepan.
• Keep the cinnamon sugar close to the hob so hot churros can be coated promptly.
• Stir the chocolate thoroughly between each 30-second microwave burst.

Variations

• Citrus sugar: add finely grated orange zest to the cinnamon sugar for a fragrant twist.
• Extra spice: mix a little ground ginger into the cinnamon coating for a warmer flavour.
• White chocolate: drizzle over melted white chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
• Nut topping: scatter finely chopped toasted nuts over the chocolate before it sets.
• Plain finish: skip the chocolate and sprinkles and serve the churros with cinnamon sugar alone.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding eggs to hot dough: the eggs can begin to cook; wait until the dough is lukewarm.
• Skipping the freeze: soft shapes are harder to transfer; freeze the piped trees for 1 hour.
• Crowding the pan: the churros may fry unevenly; cook 2–3 at a time.
• Guessing the oil temperature: oil that is too cool can leave the churros greasy; heat it to 180 °C.
• Overheating the chocolate: it can burn in the microwave; use 30-second bursts and stir between them.
• Waiting to coat: cinnamon sugar clings best while the churros are still hot.

How to store

These churros are best eaten freshly fried, while crisp. If needed, keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day and reheat briefly in an oven until warmed through; the coating may soften.

Frequently asked questions