Bring a touch of festive magic into your home with these delicious homemade chocolate Christmas tree decorations

With the festive season right around the corner, there’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than by decorating the space around you. From decking your halls with lights and holly to hanging up your Christmas wreath, we’re sure you’re full of wonderful ideas to bring the magic of Christmas to life around your home.

But have you considered creating your own decorations? Or better still, your own festive chocolate decorations? Well, these chocolate Christmas tree decorations are a creative way to add a homemade touch to your decor this December. Not only are they delicious, but they also make for a fabulous festive tradition to start with family or loved ones.

What’s the origin of chocolate Christmas tree decorations?

Whether behind the doors of your advent calendar or bursting from your stocking, chocolate is undoubtedly the sweet treat of the festive season. And while, today, it’s hard to imagine a Christmas without chocolate, this was once reality!

In the UK, the first ties between chocolate and the festive season appeared in 1880, when chocolate decorations were introduced to Woolworth’s department stores. Since then, chocolate Christmas tree decorations have become a staple in homes around the world.

If you want to forgo the supermarket tree nibbles, why not have a go at making your own luxury chocolate Christmas tree decorations? Here are some easy yet effective ideas.

Simple chocolate Christmas tree decorations

Christmas is all about homemade goodness. And while store-bought chocolate decorations do the job, you don’t have to be a master chocolatier to whip up your own chocolate Christmas tree decorations.

These simple and tasty ornaments are perfect for getting the kids involved.

You’ll need:

• 100g of chocolate (you can use white, milk, or dark chocolate or even go for our vegan* Nutmilk for a deliciously creamy dairy-free option).
• Ribbon or baker’s twine
• Baking parchment
• Extra chocolate or festive toppings to decorate (from mini marshmallows to sparkling sprinkles, you can get as creative as you like).

*Please note that, although we believe our Nutmilk chocolate is vegan, it’s made in the same environment as our milk chocolate so we cannot guarantee it is free from milk traces.

Method:

First, lay out your baking parchment on an oven tray, then prepare the threads for your decorations. To do so, tie short strings of bakers’ twine into loops, and space them 10cm apart across the paper.

Next, it’s time to melt your chocolate. Place your chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and place over a pan of boiling water to create a bain-marie. Different kinds of chocolate have different melting points, so make sure to keep an eye on in to prevent burning.

Now for the fun part, creating the decorations! For a basic bauble shape, use a spoon to carefully lay out your chocolate, making sure it connects to your twine. Before the chocolate begins to set, you may also want to add toppings or chocolate chunks for an extra indulgent touch.

Finally, leave your creations to cool for about an hour until the chocolate has set, and voila! You’re ready to hang your handmade treats proudly on your tree (if you can resist eating them!)

For extra freshness (or if you’re handing your chocolate Christmas tree decorations out as gifts), you can always wrap them in confectioner’s foil. By adding brightly coloured or patterned foil, you can add an extra element of fun and festivity, too.

3D Chocolate Baubles

If you’re looking for a more elegant decoration that will truly impress family and friends, then these 3D chocolate baubles are perfect for you.

To make four dazzling baubles, you’ll need:

• 300g of chocolate
• A set of half-sphere moulds
• Some baker’s twine or ribbon
• A piping bag.

Method:

To make these more delicate chocolate Christmas ornaments, we’d recommend using chocolate with a higher cacao content. Our Dark Chocolate Batons, along with our range of Cooking Chocolate, are the perfect choice for providing a strong hold and sleek finish, and are also irresistible to the taste!

To begin, pop your empty moulds in the freezer to cool for around five minutes. While you wait, follow the same bain-marie method mentioned above to melt your chocolate into the perfect, silky consistency.

Next, scoop the chocolate into a piping bag. We’d recommend allowing it to cool for around five minutes before doing so, as this will improve its ability to hold shape in the moulds.

Remove your moulds from the freezer and, using a fine nozzle, pipe chocolate lines along the inside of each mould. Allow these lines to cross over and join up, but ensure they have gaps between them.

Then freeze your creations until the chocolate has set. On removing your spheres from the freezer, you can use a little re-melted chocolate to join them together. Then, all that’s left to do is simply loop your twine around one of the criss-cross bars, and you’re done!

Chocolate cookie Christmas tree decorations

We’re sure you have a favourite Christmas cookie or biscuit recipe but have you thought about transforming these baked goods into decorations? These chocolate cookie Christmas tree decorations are a fun, creative way to leave Santa his midnight snack.

Simply follow your go-to recipe as normal, but prior to placing them in the oven, create a small hole at the top of each cookie using a straw or knife. After baking, attach your twine, and there you have it — a unique, sweet snack, certain to put a smile on Santa’s face!

You may also want to consider adding flavoured chocolate into the mix to give your cookies that extra festive flare! Our Orange 70% Dark Chocolate Slab is a great way to incorporate a citrus hint to your favourite bake. And for those with a sweeter tooth? Our Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Slab is the perfect touch.

Quality chocolate for the best festive treats

Whether you’re creating your own delicious tree ornaments or are searching for the perfect chocolatey gift this Christmas, it’s always best to begin with the finest quality chocolate. At Hotel Chocolat, we pride ourselves on sourcing the finest cacao and creating delectable chocolate packed with nuanced flavour notes.

And if you’re looking for gifts, explore our full Christmas chocolate range — it’s packed with treats certain to wrap your Yuletide celebrations in festive magic.