Upgrade your holiday hors d’oeuvres with these adorable, easy-to-make pesto puff pastry Christmas trees. Sandwich fresh basil pesto and grated cheese between two sheets of puff pastry, cut into strips, fold into little tree shapes on skewers, then bake until golden and crisp. Ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Crispy puff pastry, bright herbaceous pesto and melted cheese are a perfect savory combination. These festive bites are a savory twist on the more common sweet versions and make a colourful addition to any holiday grazing board.
Use small pastry or cheese stars as toppers — I like cutting stars from the pastry offcuts, but you can also cut them from cheese and add them after baking.
Why You’ll Love These Puff Pastry Christmas Trees
- Only five simple ingredients.
- Very easy to make, yet impressive on any party spread.
- Kid-friendly — twisting the pastry is a fun activity for little hands.
- Perfect for holiday entertaining and grazing boards.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Puff pastry. All-butter puff pastry gives the best flavour if available.
- Fresh basil pesto. Homemade pesto is ideal, but a good-quality fresh store-bought pesto works well. You can also substitute sundried tomato pesto, caramelized onions, fig jam or other spreads if you prefer a different flavour.
- Cheese. A mix of shredded mozzarella for stretch and grated parmesan for flavour works well. Swap in cheddar, gruyère, manchego or blue cheese to vary the taste.
- Egg. One whisked egg for an egg wash to give the trees a golden finish.
- Optional finishing: hot honey or sweet chilli jam and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for colour and contrast.
Finish the baked trees with a light drizzle of hot honey or sweet chilli jam and a dusting of red pepper flakes if you like a sweet-spicy contrast.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Trees
Below is a concise visual walkthrough. Full ingredient quantities and the complete recipe are in the recipe card further down the page.
- Spread one sheet of puff pastry evenly with basil pesto, taking the pesto close to the edges.
- Scatter shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan evenly over the pesto, again getting close to the edges.
- Top with the second sheet of puff pastry and press gently to seal the filling between the layers.
- Cut the layered pastry into strips about 1″ (2.5 cm) wide. Reserve a 2″ (5 cm) strip to cut out small star toppers.
- Fold each strip over itself four times to form a triangular tree shape, pierce with a skewer, and top with a small pastry star.
- Place on a lined baking tray, brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Finish with a drizzle of hot honey and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if desired.
Kate’s Top Puff Pastry Tips
- Keep the pastry cold. If it softens while you work, chill it for 10 minutes to help it puff up and become flaky.
- Don’t overfill. A thin, even layer of pesto and cheese prevents soggy pastry and ensures even cooking.
- Preheat the oven. A hot oven gives the puff pastry the rise and flakiness you want.
Puff Pastry Christmas Trees FAQs
Yes. Assemble and skewer the trees up to 24 hours ahead, cover the tray and refrigerate. You can also freeze unbaked trees on a tray until solid, then store in bags; bake from frozen, adding about 5 minutes to the baking time.
Swap basil pesto for sundried tomato pesto, fig chutney, caramelized onions, sweet chilli jam or zhoug. For a sweet option, Nutella is a popular choice.
Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 4–5 minutes to crisp them up. Avoid the microwave, which will make the pastry soggy.
They’re great with a drizzle of hot honey or sweet chilli jam, or served with dips like garlic aioli, gochujang mayo, whipped cottage cheese dip or a pesto whipped feta.
Like this recipe? Here are more fun Christmas appetizer ideas
EASY Loaded Festive Bread Dipping Oil
Chili Cheese Shortbread Star Cookies
10 Minute Christmas Tree Cheese Ball
Creamy Baked ‘Marry Me’ Chicken Dip
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it — leave a rating and a comment, and tag @DishedByKate on social media if you share your creation. Seeing your recreations makes my day.
Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Trees
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- Author: Kate Phillips
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 trees
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Simple, festive puff pastry trees filled with basil pesto and melted cheese. Quick to assemble and perfect for holiday entertaining.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1/2 cup fresh basil pesto
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, whisked (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon hot honey (optional)
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Spread the pastry with pesto and cheese. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a flat surface and spread the pesto evenly, reaching close to the edges. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan over the pesto.
- Slice into strips. Place the second sheet of pastry on top and press gently to seal. Cut 1″ (2.5 cm) wide strips down the short side. Reserve a 2″ (5 cm) strip for star toppers.
- Fold the trees. Fold each strip over itself about four times to form a triangle tree. Pierce through with a skewer and place on the lined tray. Cut small stars from the reserved dough and skewer them onto the tree tops. Chill for 10 minutes if the pastry feels soft.
- Bake the trees. Brush with egg wash and bake 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove, drizzle with hot honey and sprinkle red pepper flakes if using. Serve warm.
Notes
Prep ahead: Assemble the trees up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate, or freeze on a tray until solid then store in bags. Bake from frozen, adding about 5 minutes.
Storage: Store baked trees in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a 350°F (180°C) oven or air fryer for 4–5 minutes.
Ingredient swaps: Try sundried tomato pesto, fig jam, caramelized onions or other fillings. Combine a mild melty cheese with a stronger cheese for best flavour balance.
Skewer size: Use skewers about 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) long for a good handle. Cocktail skewers are too short.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: snacks
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tree
- Calories: 144
- Fat: 11.8g
- Carbohydrates: 8.4g
- Protein: 6.1g