Christmas Tree Appetizer Recipe

Breadstick Christmas appetizer on a cutting board.

An easy Christmas Tree Appetizer to make for your next holiday party. This recipe is simple yet festive and will surely please a crowd!

Course Appetizer, Bread, Christmas

Cuisine American

Prep Time 18

Cook Time 22

Total Time 40

Servings pieces

Calories 114kcal

Equipment

Electric Mixer
parchment paper
baking sheet
pizza cutter or knife

Ingredients

10 ounce pacakge frozen chopped spinach thawed and the water squeezed out
6 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese or a combination of the two
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust

Topping

2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and place the oven rack toward the bottom of the oven. Cut two large rectangular pieces of parchment paper. Place one on a baking sheet. Set both sheets aside.
With your electric mixer, beat the spinach and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Then, add the fresh garlic, salt, onion powder, cayenne pepper, pepper, and Italian seasoning and beat again until combined.
Now, add the parmesan cheese and half of the cheddar or mozzarella cheese and beat until combined.
Shaping the Christmas Tree
Take the piece of parchment paper that isn't on the baking sheet and unroll the pizza dough on it. If it is a little thick in certain areas, use a rolling pin to even it out.
To make the Christmas tree shape, with a pizza cutter, cut a large triangle out of the dough with the base of the triangle at the small bottom side of the rectangle.
Transfer the two small remaining triangle pieces to the second piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Press the two long sides together in the shape of a tree that will become the base of your appetizer.
NOTE: As you handle the dough, it may stretch out. No problem. Gently tug it into the shape you want.
PRO TIP: Pull off a little bit of dough to use as the base of the tree (the tree trunk).
Cover the tree's base with your spinach dip mixture and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.
Now, flip over the parchment paper with the remaining dough and place it on top of the base covered in the spinach mixture. You may need to tug at the dough to get it to cover the base completely.
Cut branches of the tree about 1-inch thick with a pizza cutter all the way down the tree. Don’t slice all the way through. Leave about an inch down the middle of the dough.
Take each branch and twist it 2-3 times, depending on how long it is. For the short top slice, give it a half twist.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the bottom is cooked through and the surface is golden brown.
Finally, brush the baked appetizer with melted butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Adding ¼ of a cup of basil pesto to the spinach mixture is a great way to amp up the flavor of your Christmas tree.
Place a few cherry tomatoes on your tree to make ornaments or one at the top of the tree for a festive touch.
Serve with a marinara sauce for dipping or even a balsamic glaze drizzle for a fancy touch.

Storing - wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition