Description
This festive Christmas Tree Appetizer features a delicious spinach and cheese filling enveloped in a golden, flaky pizza dough shaped like a Christmas tree. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it combines creamy cream cheese, savory garlic, seasoned spinach, and a blend of cheeses for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that’s both visually stunning and flavorful.
Ingredients
Scale
Spinach Mixture
- 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and 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)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Dough
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza crust
Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the oven rack toward the bottom. Cut two large rectangles of parchment paper and place one on a baking sheet; set aside both sheets.
- Prepare Spinach Mixture: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the squeezed spinach and softened cream cheese together. Add minced garlic, salt, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and Italian seasoning and beat until well combined. Mix in the parmesan cheese and half of the shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese until blended.
- Shape the Christmas Tree: Unroll the pizza dough on the second piece of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to even out thick spots. With a pizza cutter, cut a large triangle shape with the base of the triangle on the shorter side of the rectangle to form the tree shape.
- Prepare the Base: Transfer the two small leftover triangle pieces to the parchment on the baking sheet and press their long sides together to make the base of the tree. Pull off a small piece of dough to form the tree trunk if desired.
- Assemble the Tree: Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the tree-shaped base and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Carefully flip the remaining pizza dough over to cover the spinach layer, gently tugging the dough to fit.
- Create Branches: Use a pizza cutter to make 1-inch wide cuts on both sides of the tree shape down to, but not through, the middle, forming branches. Twist each branch 2–3 times and give the small top slice a half twist.
- Bake: Place the assembled tree on the baking sheet and bake for 20–22 minutes until the bottom is cooked and the surface is golden brown.
- Finish with Butter Topping: Brush the baked tree with melted butter mixed with Italian seasoning and garlic powder, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible from thawed spinach to prevent a soggy dough.
- Gently stretch and tug the dough as needed to shape the tree without tearing it.
- Use a sharp pizza cutter for clean branch cuts.
- Serve warm for best flavor and texture.
- This appetizer can be customized with your favorite cheeses or added spices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1/20 of recipe)
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
