Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
Make this festive, savory, garlicky Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree! It is crispy, cheesy, and flavorful, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. This is a beautiful and delicious centerpiece for your holiday table. Serve it with marinara sauce, ketchup, or pesto for dipping.
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This puffed pastry Christmas tree recipe is a great way to make a delicious, easy, and impressive holiday appetizer. You can use a ready-made puffed pastry dough that you cut into a large triangle and arrange into a tree shape. Then, you fill the pastry with a mixture of fresh garlic, parsley, and mozzarella cheese and bake it until it is golden and crispy.
For dipping, you can serve this puffed pastry Christmas tree with marinara sauce or pesto. This appetizer is a crowd-pleaser and a festive centerpiece for your holiday table. It is also a savory twist on the famous Nutella Christmas tree. You can make this puffed pastry Christmas tree in less than 30 minutes and enjoy it with your family and friends.
Serve this alongside Christmas Sausage Wreath with Cranberry Sauce, Easy Santa Puff Pastries and Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- This puffed pastry Christmas tree is a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table and a scrumptious appetizer that everyone will love.
- It is very quick and easy to make. You must cut out a tree shape from ready-made puffed pastry dough and twist the edges to create branches.
- You can customize it by adding your favorite cheese, such as parmesan, cheddar, or brie, and herbs like rosemary, thyme, or basil.
- The ingredients are easy to find and budget-friendly.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Puffed pastry: You can use ready-made pastry to save time. If it is frozen, make sure it is fully defrosted before using it.
- Butter: To make the garlic filling, use softened butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter, depending on your preference.
- Garlic: Grate fresh garlic cloves to make the filling. Fresh garlic has a better flavor and aroma than garlic powder, but you can use the latter if you don't have the former.
- Parsley: Use fresh parsley and chop it finely before adding it to the filling. Parsley adds a fresh and herbal touch to the filling.
- Salt: You only need to add a pinch of salt to the filling, as the cheese already has some saltiness.
- Mozzarella: Shred mozzarella cheese to make the filling cheesy and gooey. For more flavor and variety, you can also add other cheeses, such as parmesan, cheddar, or brie.
- Egg wash: Whisk one egg with one tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the puffed pastry before baking. This will give the puffed pastry a golden and crispy outer layer.
Tips and Tricks
- Oven: One important step to making a perfect puffed pastry Christmas tree is to preheat the oven before adding the pastry. This will ensure that the pastry rises and puffs up properly, bakes evenly, and becomes crispy and golden. If you add the pastry to a cold oven, it will not puff up as much, and it may become soggy or undercooked.
- Filling: This savory puffed pastry Christmas tree is a delicious and festive appetizer you can customize. You can change the fillings slightly to suit your taste. For example, you can use pesto instead of garlic butter for a more herbal and nutty flavor.
- Sweet: You can also make it sweet using Nutella instead of cheese for a chocolatey and decadent treat. Or, you can add cranberry sauce for a fruity and tangy twist. No matter what filling you choose, this puffed pastry Christmas tree will impress your guests with its beautiful shape and scrumptious taste.
How to Make Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Make the garlic butter filling. Mix butter, chopped parsley, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
2. Place one puff pastry sheet on the lined baking tray. Spread the garlic butter filling evenly over the puff pastry sheet.
3. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of the puff pastry.
4. Then cover it with another puff pastry sheet.
5. Using a knife and a ruler, cut out a large Christmas tree shape from the puff pastry sheets. You can also cut out some stars from the excess pastry and add them to the tree. Discard or bake the remaining pastry.
6. Cut equal slits along both sides of the tree, leaving some space in the middle.
7. Twist each slit to create branches. Place stars on top of the tree.
8. Whisk an egg with one tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the entire tree and stars.
9. Bake the puffed pastry Christmas tree for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and crispy.
10. Top with freshly chopped parsley.
11. Serve the puffed pastry Christmas tree with marinara sauce, Easy Tomato Relish, ketchup, or any sauce you choose for dipping.
Recipe FAQs
Puff and butter puff pastry are flaky pastries made from layers of dough and butter. The difference is in how the butter is incorporated into the dough. In puff pastries, the butter is wrapped inside the dough, while in butter puff pastry, the dough is wrapped inside the butter.
This appetizer is best eaten fresh, but you can wrap it in cling film or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, reheat it in the microwave or oven.
More Delicious Christmas Recipes
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Cheese Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
Equipment
- baking tray
- Baking paper
- 1 knife
- 1 Small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of puff pastry defrosted
- 2-3 garlic cloves grated
- ¾ cup of fresh parsley chopped
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup of unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup of mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 egg and one tablespoon of water egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, parsley, and salt and mix well.
- Place one sheet of puffed pastry on the prepared baking tray and spread the butter mixture evenly over it. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover with the other sheet of puffed pastry.
- Using a knife and a ruler, cut out a large Christmas tree shape from the puffed pastry sheets. You can also cut out some stars from the leftover pastry and add them to the tree. Discard the remaining pastry.
- Cut equal slits along both sides of the tree, leaving some space in the middle. Twist each slit to create branches.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the entire tree and stars.
- Bake the puffed pastry Christmas tree for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Serve the puffed pastry Christmas tree with marinara sauce, ketchup, or any sauce of your choice for dipping. Enjoy!
I was just curious if this puff pastry Christmas tree could be cooked in advance say an hour or two before it is to be eaten?
Hi Lynette, yes it can be cooked a few hours before.
Sooo good! I baked this for my daughter's holiday party at her gym and they were a big hit with the team! Seriously saw some parents sneaking some out in a rolled up napkin LOL! Going to make again for Christmas Eve when we have guests over.
This recipe is so tasty and kid-approved! I made this with my younger niece and she got such a thrill out of being involved in the kitchen. Thanks so much for sharing!
I had some puff pastry in the freezer and needed a recipe to bring to a holiday potluck. Not only was this Christmas tree beautiful and tasty, but it was so easy to make!
Betty Duffy
My granddaughter, Anne Rose made this appetizer made this appetizer on Christmas Eve. It was delicious and better than ordered pizza.
I love this recipe! I added a little cream cheese and lightly sauteed spinach to mine. Such a fun and delicious appetizer. My kids loved it also! Definitely going to make again, even though Xmas is over!
This was the perfect savory treat for Christmas Eve to break from all the cookies and candy! I'm going to make it again next year.