Puff Pastry Pizza Christmas Trees have to be on your holiday dinner table this year. They're flaky, savory, and portable (perfect for parties & gatherings!) thanks to wooden skewers. These actually come together really quickly, so you can spend more time enjoying the festivities.
I think Christmastime is all about quick and easy bites so you can focus on hosting and having fun. Luckily, these festive appetizers check all of the boxes. The flavor combination of smoked gouda and pesto really makes them addictive. For those who are avoiding nuts, try using my nut-free spinach-basil pesto in this recipe!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving (2 pastries): $1.02
- Total Cost (12 pastries): $6.13
- Those Other Guys: $8.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry - Grab two puff pastry sheets, as we're going to sandwich the pizza ingredients in the middle. Many brands of puff pastry come frozen - if yours does, be sure to set it on the counter to thaw first.
- Pesto - Adds a savory, herby flavor to our pastries. Buy your favorite brand, or make it from scratch (it's actually really easy).
- Pizza Sauce - You don't need a lot of sauce, just a thin layer to give some depth of flavor and moisture to the puff pastries. I like to set out extra on the side for dipping.
- Smoked Gouda - Gouda has a rich, almost nutty flavor that complements our other elements well. It gives a deeper flavor profile to the dish versus a standard mozzarella.
- Egg - Like all of my puff pastry recipes, we make a quick egg wash to brush on top before baking. Egg wash gives puff pastry that beautiful golden-brown color.
- Herb Butter - To finish, brush the pastries with a mix of melted butter, fresh parsley, and garlic powder. I mean, who doesn't love garlic butter with their pizza crust?
Variations and Substitutions
Philly Style: Spread a thin layer of mayo on the puff pastry, and top with sliced provolone and thinly-sliced ribeye beef.
Sweet Nutella: Fill the puff pastry with Nutella, and top with powdered sugar after baking and cooling.
Ham & Cheese Breakfast Trees: Use sliced ham and American cheese, and serve with eggs and mixed fruit salad for a fun Christmas breakfast!
Pizza Night: For a fun pizza party, serve these with my air fryer garlic knots and a Caesar salad with homemade dressing.
How to Make Puff Pastry Pizza Christmas Trees
Step 1: Spread a thin layer of pesto and tomato sauce onto the bottom puff pastry sheet.
Step 2: Top with slices of gouda cheese and pepperoni.
Step 3: Place the remaining puff pastry sheet on top, then cut into even-sized strips. If your pastry is too soft, add the tray to the fridge for a few minutes until it's firm.
Step 4: Fold each strip into a Christmas tree shape, and poke wooden skewers into the center. Brush with egg wash, then bake at 400℉ for 20 minutes until golden brown. Brush with melted garlic butter for some extra oomph!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Keep your pastry firm. Using a thin layer of both sauces helps a lot, but sometimes pesto brands are really oily and that can soak through the bottom layer of pastry. If that happens, simply place the sandwiched puff pastry sheets back into the fridge for a few minutes so it's easier to cut and shape.
- Use your wrist. When adding the skewers to the pastries, I've found that sticking it straight through can cause the pastry to twist up at the bottom. Instead, turn the skewer a few times to the right, then a few times to the left while simultaneously pushing forward. Repeat both sides until the skewer is all the way in.
- Make the decor even more festive. You can cut small stars out of extra puff pastry or cheese slices, and top the skewers with them. Or use green olives... Super cute!
- Egg wash... yes, it's necessary. Egg wash and puff pastry go together like PB&J. It helps get an even golden-brown color, can seal any loose ends of puff pastry, and also makes the pastry a bit more crispy. Don't skip this ingredient.
Recipe FAQs
Of course - make this taste how you would want to eat it! I've listed some variations and substitutions above, but you can use almost any sliced meat and cheese. I wouldn't recommend ground meat or shredded cheese; it can get messy and fall out when cutting and shaping.
These are best served the day of, but they will keep in the fridge for 4 days. The puff pastry won't be as crispy as when you first baked them, but the taste is still there!
You can assemble the trees, place on a parchment-lined tray, and wrap with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, then brush with egg wash and bake as instructed.
I recommend reheating this in an air fryer or toaster oven for a few minutes, until just warmed through. You can also microwave (although they will no longer be crispy.)
Anything that goes well with pizza! For dipping, try pizza sauce, Alfredo sauce, or garlic butter. For accompaniments, serve a nice green salad or chicken wings like my sweet chili jerk wings.
Other Affordable Christmas Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried this Puff Pastry Pizza Christmas Trees Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Puff Pastry Pizza Christmas Trees
Equipment
- Pizza Cutter Wheel
- Cutting Board
- Wooden Skewers food-grade
- Pastry Brush
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry dough (2 sheets)
- 3 tablespoons pesto like my spinach-basil pesto!
- ¼ cup pizza sauce
- 6 slices smoked gouda
- 12 slices thinly sliced pepperoni
- 1 count egg for an egg wash
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 400℉. If your puff pastry sheets come frozen, go ahead and set them on the counter to defrost.
- On a parchment-lined cutting board, roll out one sheet of puff pastry.
- Spread the pesto, then the pizza sauce onto the dough in thin layers.
- Add the smoked gouda slices and the sliced pepperoni, then top everything with the second sheet of puff pastry.
- Using a pizza cutter wheel, cut horizontally to create 12 slices that are about 1 inch wide. See the picture instructions above for guidance.
- Fold each slice on top of each other, creating a Christmas tree shape. You want to have the longest fold on the bottom, and make each fold smaller as you get to the top of the "tree".I have a video that shows this in more detail on my social media accounts - @coinedcuisine
- Take a wooden skewer and stick it in the middle, vertically, of the pastry shapes.
- Place these on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving space between them to allow for expansion.
- Next, whisk one egg in a bowl to create an egg wash. Brush egg wash onto all of your pastries.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and puffy.
- Combine the melted butter, fresh parsley, and garlic powder. Brush the garlic butter onto each warm pastry.
- Top with shredded parmesan and any extra chopped parsley for presentation. Serve with extra pizza sauce and enjoy!
Ellie says
Saw these on TikTok and had to make them!! I drizzled hot honey on top. They were a hit!
Shani W. says
The hot honey sounds SO good! Thank you for trying and commenting, Ellie 🙂