Best Philadelphia Pesto Cream Cheese Christmas Tree Recipes

PESTO CREAM CHEESE TREE

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese, shredded cheese and pesto until blended.
• Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Shape cream cheese mixture into 1-inch-high Christmas tree-shape on serving plate.
• Reserve 5 nuts for later use. Press remaining nuts onto sides of tree.
• Decorate with reserved nuts and remaining ingredients as shown in photo.

CHEESE TWIST CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone liner (such as Silpat®).
• Roll pastry into a 14-inch square, sprinkling with flour if necessary.
• Cut from the bottom corners up to the center top to make a triangle. Place the triangle on a prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator.
• Overlap the long edges of the 2 remaining pieces of pastry by about ½ inch to form a second triangle. Roll to flatten slightly. Place on the second prepared baking sheet and chill until needed.
• Remove the first triangle from the refrigerator. Lift the silicone liner and pastry off the pan and onto the counter. Trim about 1 ½ inches off the bottom of the triangle and cut a 2-inch piece from that strip. Tuck that piece under the triangle to make a trunk.
• Spread all but 1 to 2 tablespoons pesto sauce over the entire triangle, leaving ¼ inch exposed at the edges. Grate most of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the pesto. Place the second pastry triangle over top; stretch and pull it to fit, and trim off any extra dough as needed. Lightly press the edges together to seal and pat over the whole surface of the dough.
• Use a pizza wheel to cut ¾-inch horizontal strips on one side of the tree going from the outside edge in to about ¼ to ½ inch from the center; leave the center part connected to form the trunk. As you move up the tree, it may be easier to place the pizza wheel at the trunk and cut out to the edge. Repeat on the other side, lining up the cuts with the first side.
• Lift up each strip and twist 3 to 4 times. As you get up to the shorter pieces near the top, twist as many times as you can, but don't worry if you can't twist the strips at the very top.
• Brush remaining pesto over the center of the tree and any other spots you feel need it. Transfer the silicone liner back onto a baking sheet. Grate remaining cheese over top.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until pastry is fully cooked and well browned, 30 to 35 minutes; do not undercook.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before serving.

SAVORY PUFF PASTRY CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese in a small bowl and stir well.
• Unroll 1 puff pastry sheet onto the prepared baking sheet. Cut away 2 strips at the bottom of the sheet to form a tree trunk, about 1 inch wide and tall. Cut diagonally to the top of the puff pastry sheet to create a long triangular shape, removing excess pastry on either side.
• Spread a thin layer of the pesto mixture over the pastry, all the way to the sides. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Pecorino-Romano cheese on top.
• Roll up the second puff pastry sheet and place at the tip of the triangle. Unroll carefully towards the bottom. Press down lightly and carefully cut away the sides to match the first triangle. Remove excess pastry.
• Cut 2/3-inch thick branches into the sides of the triangle from both sides, leaving a space lengthwise in the center all the way from the trunk to the tip. Twist the branches away from you, trying to get in 2 turns on the lower branches. Continue moving up the tree, twisting away from you as you go.
• Brush the entire tree with beaten egg. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of Pecorino-Romano cheese and dried oregano.
• Bake in the preheated oven until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet slightly.

CREAMY PHYLLO CHEESE STRAWS IN PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, lightly beaten egg, Parmesan, and salt. Stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a plastic zip-top bag. Set aside. To use as a pastry bag, cut corner off bag to make a 1/4-inch diameter opening.
• Lay out thawed phyllo dough. Working quickly to keep dough from drying out: brush top sheet with melted butter, pipe cheese filling along long edge of phyllo 1/2-inch from each end. Fold over ends to seal in filling and roll up straw. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo and place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Serve warm with pesto for dipping.

CREAM CHEESE, HAVARTI, AND PARMESAN HERBED CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese, Havarti cheese, Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons basil, lemon zest, and garlic together in a bowl. Transfer cream cheese mixture to a piece of plastic wrap. Roll the plastic wrap around cream cheese mixture forming a cone shape, resembling a tree.
• Stand the 'tree' upright and remove the plastic wrap. Cover the visible portion of the 'tree' with 1/4 cup basil and parsley.
• Gently wrap the 'tree' with a fresh sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

HOLIDAY CHEESE TREE

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and cheddar cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add 1 Tbsp. of the bell peppers, the onions, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and ground red pepper; mix well. Cover.
• Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
• Spoon 2-1/2 cups of the cheese mixture onto large serving platter; shape into triangular shape to resemble a Christmas tree. Spoon remaining cheese mixture at the base of the triangle for the trunk. Decorate with the pesto and the remaining 1 Tbsp. bell peppers. Serve as a spread with round buttery crackers.

CHEESY CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Cut block of cream cheese diagonally in half. Arrange both halves, with points together, on serving plate to resemble Christmas-tree shape.
• Cut a 2-inch piece from the string cheese. Place at bottom of tree for the trunk. Wrap up remaining cheese; refrigerate until ready to use for snacking or other use.
• Spoon pesto over cream cheese; sprinkle with peppers. Serve as a spread with the crackers.

PESTO CHEESE STRAW CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll the two pastry sheets, keeping them on their baking parchment. Spread the pesto over one of the pastry sheets, then scatter over half of the grated cheese. Flip the second sheet of pastry on top and press to stick the two pastry sheets together. Remove the top layer of parchment.
• Cut out a Christmas tree shape - a large triangle with a little stump at the bottom, using as much of the pastry as possible. Cut a star shape out of the offcuts for the top of the tree. Reserve the rest of the offcuts. Lift the tree onto a large baking tray, brush with the beaten egg, then do the same with the star and press it on the tip. Scatter over the rest of the cheese and gently press to help it stick to the pastry.
• Cut vertical lines into the sides of the tree, about 1cm apart, leaving a 'trunk' of about 2cm up the middle. Twist the strips of pastry and stick them back down to the tray. Do this with all the pastry 'branches'. Cut the offcuts into straws, and arrange them on another baking tray. You can now wrap and chill the tree and offcuts for up to two days, freeze for two months, or bake straightaway.

HOLIDAY TREE-SHAPED CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• Stir together cream cheese and Cheddar cheese; divide in half. Stir pesto into 1 half; stir onion, mustard and 2 or 3 drops pepper sauce into other half. Cover each half; refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm enough to shape.
• Place cheese mixtures on cookie sheet. Shape each half into cone shape to look like a pine tree.
• If desired, wrap each tree, label and freeze up to 1 month. Twelve hours before serving, remove trees from freezer. Thaw in wrapper in refrigerator.
• Just before serving, roll trees in parsley, pressing it evenly onto trees. Press pine nuts onto trees in string form for garland. Press bell pepper pieces onto trees for ornaments. Top each tree with star shape cut from lemon peel. Serve with crackers.