Introduction

These Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Trees are a festive and delicious appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings. Crispy, cheesy, and flavored with vibrant basil pesto, they bring both charm and flavor to your table. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy to make in just 30 minutes.

There are eight golden-brown twisted bread rolls shaped like Christmas trees on a wooden board. Each roll has multiple layers of dough twisted with a green herb filling that shows through the swirls. The tops are glossy and sprinkled with seeds. Around the rolls are small white star-shaped and snowflake-shaped decorations. In the bottom left corner, a woman's hand is picking up one roll. The board sits on a white marbled surface, and in the bottom right corner, there is a white bowl filled with green sauce with a golden spoon inside. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 sheets of puff pastry
½ cup basil pesto
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, whisked (for the egg wash)
1 tablespoon hot honey sauce
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C) and line an oven tray with parchment paper. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a clean, flat surface, ideally on its paper to make handling easier.
Step 2: Spread the basil pesto evenly over the rolled pastry, leaving just a small margin around the edges. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese uniformly on top of the pesto.
Step 3: Place the second sheet of puff pastry over the pesto and cheese layer, pressing down gently to seal the layers together.
Step 4: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the layered pastry into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide strips along the long side. Leave a 2-inch (5 cm) section at one end of the pastry to cut out small star shapes later.
Step 5: Fold each strip over itself four times to create a rough triangle resembling a Christmas tree shape. Secure each folded tree with a skewer and place them on the prepared baking tray.
Step 6: Use a mini star-shaped cutter to cut stars from the reserved pastry section, then skewer each star onto the top of the folded pastry trees.
Step 7: Brush each pastry tree generously with the whisked egg to ensure a golden, shiny finish once baked.
Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden, and crispy.
Step 9: Remove the trees from the oven and immediately drizzle with hot honey sauce. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top to add a subtle spicy kick. Serve warm for the best flavor and texture.

Tips & Variations

For a vegetarian version, double-check that your pesto does not contain animal rennet or substitute it with a nut-based pesto.
Swap mozzarella with fontina or gouda for a different cheese flavor.
Add finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes or olives between the layers for an extra burst of flavor.
If you don’t have hot honey, drizzle warmed honey and sprinkle a pinch of chili flakes instead.

Storage

Store leftover pastry trees in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, place them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore their crispiness. Enjoy them warm for best taste and texture.

How to Serve

The image shows seven golden-brown twisted pastries with layers of flaky dough and green pesto filling visible between the folds, arranged on a wooden cutting board. Each pastry has a shiny, slightly crisp top with a mix of light and darker brown patches from baking. Around the pastries, there are golden and white star-shaped decorations scattered on a white marbled surface. A bowl filled with green pesto sauce sits in the upper right corner. A woman's hand is reaching from the bottom left, picking up one pastry from the board. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these Puff Pastry Christmas Trees in advance?

You can assemble the trees a few hours ahead and keep them refrigerated but bake just before serving to ensure the pastry stays crisp and fresh.

What can I use instead of hot honey sauce?

If you don’t have hot honey sauce, a drizzle of regular honey combined with a pinch of red pepper flakes works well to add the sweet and spicy contrast.